Chrome panels on Eldorado fuel tank....

[kinkajou]

Hey, just got my 1st eldorado and second Guzzi....I want it painted to original as its all black now....is there a way to get the chrome panels back without chroming the whole fuel tank then sand it and paint???? My chrome shop is only doing submersion chrome....so complete....is there a way around??? here,s the bike, its not having that ugly seat anymore...just got a solo gel seat from Cycle garden

 

[john zibell]

If you are lucky, there may be good chrome under the tank. If not, then chroming the entire exterior is the only way you can go. Chroming is an electrolytic process so it is all or nothing. The chrome shop should be able to seal off the inside of the tank since you don't need any chrome there. Also you may be able to save a few bucks if you outline the area that has to be good. To get a good chrome finish, there will be different metals electroplated under the chrome and then polished before the chrome is applied.

 

[Amboman]

I just had an Ambassador tank done by Brown's Plating in Paducah, KY http://www.brownsplating.com/. The whole tank is chromed, only the knee panels are polished. Plugs are used to seal the petcock and cap openings. They did an excellent job, turnaround was about two weeks. The price was very reasonable too.

 

[AnthonyMartello]

Hello,

I have a few experiments yet to do with this stuff. Coating chrome is one. I have some sandblasted crashbars with pits. I'm going to black chrome over primer on one and black chrome over the bare metal on the other. I've got small chrome bits I'll be shootinng whatever over just to see what happens. I'm also working on trying to get powder to stick and cure on non-conductive surfaces.

thanks,
anthony

 

[kinkajou]

Thanks guys,

so I guess I will have to chrome the whole thing....If I have to go that way, maybee I will use that chrome to make chrome pinstripping at the same time should look nice instead of the original white stripes?

 

[Chris R]

If you want to just chrome the side panels take a look at this:

http://vimeo.com/6107532

 

[geodoc]

Up Here in Vancouver anyway, the cost to chrome a whole tank was about $1200 (I blanched). I decided to try out some of the recently developed "chrome" paints on my V700 tank. Before I had that done, I blundered into a NOS V700 tank for a reasonable price so didn't try the chrome paint route.

Still, I think that that might be a reasonable way to go if you're trying to keep a tank restoration's cost down to something reasonable. Perhaps like this stuff:

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/segment/r ... on-chrome/

Thanks guys,

so I guess I will have to chrome the whole thing....If I have to go that way, maybee I will use that chrome to make chrome pinstripping at the same time should look nice instead of the original white stripes?

 

[kinkajou]

I finnaly found an other way of doing....if you guys have access to a welding machine and skills....those guys are my idols....they are artists.....check that out...http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... 83l3-1l1l0

 

[Amboman]

I finnaly found an other way of doing....if you guys have access to a welding machine and skills....those guys are my idols....they are artists.....check that out...http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... 83l3-1l1l0

I can't understand the logic of cutting panels out of the tank, having them chromed and then welding them back in. That's a very invasive way of doing it and likely weakens the structural integrity of the tank. No matter how good the weld job is, it certainly requires filler to smooth things out.

For a mere $325 Brown's Plating in Paducah, KY chromed the tank for the Ambassador I'm presently restoring.