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Bumper - re-chrome or aftermarket replacement

dspur

dspur

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I'm not there yet, but will be facing this soon. Rear bumper is straight but has a lot of surface rust and some pitting. Front bumper is ok but needs some straightening.

So, more cost effective to re-chrome or replace aftermarket? Most desirable end product?

I'd appreciate shop recommendations and/or best aftermarket source. I noticed AMD has them as I just ordered over $2k in other metal.

This is for my recently acquired 69 B. Thanks !
 
Rechrome is likely the most expensive. Prices probably would start at $1k per bumper around here.
 
dspur said:
I'm not there yet, but will be facing this soon. Rear bumper is straight but has a lot of surface rust and some pitting. Front bumper is ok but needs some straightening.

So, more cost effective to re-chrome or replace aftermarket? Most desirable end product?

I'd appreciate shop recommendations and/or best aftermarket source. I noticed AMD has them as I just ordered over $2k in other metal.

This is for my recently acquired 69 B. Thanks !
Click to expand...
I haven't kept up with pricing at Tri City Plating, but I have always had cores. In all the ones I have had done they have only rejected 2 cores as not good enough. They have welded splits, filled extra holes, and straightened many. IMO their rechroming process looks like factory chrome than the reproductions. We replaced the bumpers on a 69 Charger one time and I asked what he was going to do with the old bumpers. He told me to dispose of them. I ordered the new bumpers and shipped the old ones for rechroming. For some reason there was a delay on the new ones and the rechromed ones arrived within a day of the rechromed ones. We laid them out and let the customer come look and decide. The rechromed ones looked so much better than the new ones that we had to send the new ones back for a refund. After the shipping back and the restocking fee he was only about $150 more. Don't many people have the luxury of making that comparison is why I'm sharing. It only speaks to one company's rechroming and one company's new product, but has stuck in my head for years. No, it wasn't AMD, and I cannot remember who made the reproductions.
 
Cost wise reproductions, quality wise rechrome. If you paid to have the car block sanded and have cut and buffed paint, you want rechrome. If the car is not perfect, and has orange peel the amd are fine. The amd rear 1970 b-body amd bumper I bought had fantastic chrome, but was wavy as all get out. Figure about double the price for rechrome, more if you want them really nice.
 
snakeoil24 said:
Tri City guys are masters at this business.
Click to expand...
I know a lot of people have been happy with Tri City, but not me. They rechromed a pair of Charger bumpers for me several years ago. Waves and grinding marks everywhere. And the cores I sent in were pretty nice to start with. And then they had to redo the bumperettes twice because of bad welds on the stud. Sold the car so I don't have to look at them anymore. The AMD bumpers are far superior to my experience with Tri City.
 
4406bbl said:
Cost wise reproductions, quality wise rechrome. If you paid to have the car block sanded and have cut and buffed paint, you want rechrome. If the car is not perfect, and has orange peel the amd are fine. The amd rear 1970 b-body amd bumper I bought had fantastic chrome, but was wavy as all get out. Figure about double the price for rechrome, more if you want them really nice.
Click to expand...
That seems to be the consensus here and other places. Thanks
 
It seems the AMD narrow bumpers like chargers and e-body bodies look pretty good, it is the bumpers that have a large flat area that look bad. You can't beat the price of AMD.
 
hunt2elk said:
I know a lot of people have been happy with Tri City, but not me. They rechromed a pair of Charger bumpers for me several years ago. Waves and grinding marks everywhere. And the cores I sent in were pretty nice to start with. And then they had to redo the bumperettes twice because of bad welds on the stud. Sold the car so I don't have to look at them anymore. The AMD bumpers are far superior to my experience with Tri City.
Click to expand...
Maybe that bumper guy didnt get laid the night before.
 
hunt2elk said:
I know a lot of people have been happy with Tri City, but not me. They rechromed a pair of Charger bumpers for me several years ago. Waves and grinding marks everywhere. And the cores I sent in were pretty nice to start with. And then they had to redo the bumperettes twice because of bad welds on the stud. Sold the car so I don't have to look at them anymore. The AMD bumpers are far superior to my experience with Tri City.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the report and different perspective.
 
got 2400 into mine with bumperettes, but I shortened and stud
20191021_125344.jpg
20210404_173225.jpg
ded mine so it required more work for the chrome guy, i have some amd didn't like them for what my car had become
 
I just did 2 for my 71 by Tri-City. Very nice, $525 each and I just sent them the front for my 74 for the same price. I also just bought a 71 AMD rear for my 74 since I did not have a 71 core. It was $500 and its nice but not as nice as my originals done by Tri-City.

Tri-City top. AMD bottom, note the blemishes near the bolt holes are a protective oil I had not cleaned up when I took the pic.

IMG_1478.jpg
IMG_1473.jpg
 
Tri-City also did my Power Wagons for $500 each.

IMG_0146.jpg
 
a guy in detroit i can dig his number up if you wanna ship them that far.
 
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