chrome or stainless

[billfish]

this taillight spear on my 51 is in good shape but it has what i'll call scuff marks on it and i'd like to clean it up. I'm not sure if it is chrome or stainless, I'm guessing it's chrome and I've tried several types of cleaner and polish with no success-- any ideas? You can only buy them new in pairs at about $250, I think I could have this one re-chromed for less than that.

[KGS]

Originally Posted by billfish

this taillight spear on my 51 is in good shape but it has what i'll call scuff marks on it and i'd like to clean it up. I'm not sure if it is chrome or stainless, I'm guessing it's chrome and I've tried several types of cleaner and polish with no success-- any ideas? You can only buy them new in pairs at about $250, I think I could have this one re-chromed for less than that.

Chrome...

[51 MERC-CT]

Try polishing the scuffs out, if they come out with normal stainless processes, then it will be just a polishing process to make them as good as new.

[deuce_roadster]

See if a magnet sticks to it. Stainless alloys used in trim is non magnetic.

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

See if a magnet sticks to it. Stainless alloys used in trim is non magnetic.

Not so, stainless alloys used during the time frame are martensitic stainless (magnetic)

[Vics Stuff]

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Most of the cars from that era used stainless steel for their trim unless it is chromed pot metal but I doubt it.
Vic

[tubman]

I don't know about the spears (the only set I have are chromed), but the actual taillight assemblies can be either chromed pot metal or fabricated stainless steel. I think it depended on which plant the car was built at. Over the years, I have had a few sets of the chromed die-cast, but only one set of the fabricated ones (which I like a whole lot better because the die-cast ones are usually cracked or broken someplace).

[amodel25]

I have a couple of spears in my junk pile with holes rusted through. I'd say it is chrome.

[19Fordy]

Could those fender/taillight trim pieces be pot metal?

With the Korean Conflict going on, I think steel was at a premium. 51
Mercs had lots of pot metal trim to save money and resources. Bet Fords did too.

[TJ]

They are usually chromed pot metal. If you can buy a pair of repos that are already chromed for $250 I would do it. The price of chrome is very high and if your pot metal has defects the price of rechroming goes up substantially.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by TJ

They are usually chromed pot metal. If you can buy a pair of repos that are already chromed for $250 I would do it. The price of chrome is very high and if your pot metal has defects the price of rechroming goes up substantially.

Are you sure? Mine are chrome-plated steel. I cannot conceive of a situation where any manufacturer would make a part like this of "pot metal". If you have an example, I'd sure like to see them.

[v8fordman]

I've never seen any that were not mild steel. They are very thin, so if you have them chromed, you better warn the plater to be easy when stripping and grinding to prepare them for plating

[TJ]

Originally Posted by tubman

Are you sure? Mine are chrome-plated steel. I cannot conceive of a situation where any manufacturer would make a part like this of "pot metal". If you have an example, I'd sure like to see them.

Saw some years ago that were pot metal. They could have been replacements from an aftermarket company. I can't claim they were original, but Ford used a lot of pot metal during the Korean war years. I don't recall examining a part for Ford numbers in those days.