SLPHawk300

iTrader: (1)

Hey guys...i have been hearing some things about a new wheel finish called "black chrome" can any one shed some light on this? Is it actually chrome dipping? Or is it a powder color? I would like to see some pics perhaps of anyone that has black chrome wheels on their cars...i have seen wheels with the finish (on ebay and stuff) but never on an actual car. If anyone has them on a red f-body...that would be smashing! Thanks guys...

superchannelkev

iTrader: (8)

I think it is a spray on sort of deal... a local pontiac dealer had a GTO with black chrome wheels and they didn't spray part of it... so its obiosly not dipped in anything.. I know there is a guy with a white Z and y2k wheels that are black chromed.. maybe he will notice this and chime in

dan102877

I dunno, but Ebay is filled with them for Mustangs!

SLPHawk300

iTrader: (1)

Yes, Ebay does have alot for Mustangs, but there are some Vettes and one ZR1 i noticed...but anyone else how knows of this...please chime in. I honestly think it is some sort of "chroming" dipping process...i'm torn between "gunmetal" powder coating and the "Black Chrome" finish. I don't want the upkeep of chrome, or the added polishing that comes with chrome, not to mention the inevitable pitting. So if it is indeed a chroming process i shall go with the gunmetal...but please any more infor or input is apreciated!

superchannelkev

iTrader: (8)

It connot be a dipping process.. if you saw the wheels I did.. there is no way in hell it was dipped and missed a giant spot (in the back) if it was dipped the whole wheel would have had to be in the solution..

VIP1

What upkeep?
Are you confusing Chrome with Polished?
Chrome is easy to care for...soap and water. Thats it. No Polishing. As for pitting... a good Chrome job shouldnt do that. Polished wheels (without clear coat) really need upkeep.

The entire object does not need to be submerged to be plated. Its an eletroplate process. The plating is drawn to the part electrically. The part that is submerged in the solution will get plated and the part that is not in the solution wont get plated.

This is not to say that "Black Chrome" is an electroplate process. I dont know if it is. Chroming is an electroplate process though.

dan102877

So do most polished wheels come with a clear coat on them? Do Smoothies?

superchannelkev

iTrader: (8)

I work @ an electroplating company... most chromers attach the objects to a pole using a wire or something and then is dipped into a variety of solutions.. based on what I saw at the dealership it looked as if it were a spray on process.. like a form of paint.. powdercoating would not have caused the results that I saw.. there also might be other methods of achieving the black chrome look... because the look of the two styles of black chrome I saw differed slightly

SLPHawk300

iTrader: (1)

I was just always under the impression that chrome always pitted. I had heard that the water gets into the pores of the chrome and started to eat away at the plating. So you think then that "black chrome" is a dipping process then hu? Hmmm....does anyone have any pics? Is it more of a black wheel or more of a grey wheel. From the pics i've seen it's rather hard to tell...

jonnyc

iTrader: (18)

i've seen some in person that were powder coated.they are awesome looking.if you can imaging the way chrome reflects but with a black tint,thats what it looks like.there is a corvette shop in town that sends out z06 wheels and haves them done.but the place that does it charges $125 per wheel.i would try and get some pics,but i don't think you could get the effect from a pic.i think it would just look black.

dan102877

To me they look like that mercury stuff in thermometers! F'in sweet looking! Pretty soon everyone will be wanting to get that type of wheel!

superchannelkev

iTrader: (8)

here you go... these are different from the style I saw on the gto.. these look more plated than sprayed

SLPHawk300

iTrader: (1)

Okay cool. A little more black than i thought...anyone who can photoshop, anymore willing to please change that 'camaro to red for me??? I really appreicate it. Thanks guys!

Chris Paveglio

iTrader: (2)

this is a nice OE finish... tire rack, BBS "plasma" wheel. I was told by a guy at a wheel refinishing place that they cannot replicate the finish in the USA because it's a powdercoating (plus polishing) and the powder cannot be imported into the usa. But I'd LOVE to get my set of Firehawk wheels finished like this!!

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Displ...lFinish=Plasma

superchannelkev

iTrader: (8)

Thanks for the info... I am going to talk to my powdercoater now.. he can get anything.. well we'll see

VIP1

Most polished wheels are not clear coated. I don't know about the Smoothie 2.

I don't know.

Devilss02

That almost looks like a gunmetal color but more shiny. Must be the way it looks in that light. I'd also like to see some more pics.

joeformula

iTrader: (11)

Black Chrome is a powder coating. It's a two step process.

99SeanWS6

iTrader: (8)

So black chrome is powder coating? I've been wanting to powder coat me Y2K wheels black and a shop around me is fairly cheap about doing it. How would it look on a pewter car?

RollTideTA

I was about to type the same chrome vs. polished care. Also, the electroplating process mentioned by VIP1 is also true; no need to do the entire wheel.


Gold electroplating can be hand done by trim shops with a small hand-held device. The best way to find out how these finishes are done is to ask the sellers.