Electroplating the Chassis?

[SR240DET]

So I was trying to fall asleep and was thinking about wickiez's restoration, and thought. "Would it be possible to electroplate the entire chassis after an acid bath." I was thinking a light zinc/nickel plating would be a very good preservative.

 

Any opinions on the idea? I think a light coat wouldn't add even as much weight as epoxy sealer and primer. It would probably be extremely expensive.

[TheNeedForZ]

That option is available in highend restoration. The kind of business that has the facility to do that is rare, but it is out there although expensive. I remember seeing an article about somebody's restoration project, and it mentioned complete-car zinc plating after acid dipping.

 

In a more recent magazine, a new(to me) but bizzare(to me) idea was introduced : spraying liquid metal alloy directly on bare metal as a form of coating.

[het976]

Some guys are powdercoating unibodies. The jury is out on this as the heat to cure it tends to warp thin panels. It is a good rust inhibitor and forms a better bond than any paint and is a good base for bondo. It also gets into all the nooks and crannies. I have seen it done in several write ups in magazines.

[johnc]

Chrome it!

[SR240DET]

I was continuing my search and found some places that will strip the Chassis but haven't been able to locate a company that would actually electroplate a car chassis. I guess I'll keep searching.

Here's one of the stripping places, although it's across the country.

http://www.finishing.com/64/19.shtml

http://www.redistripindy.com/page/auto.html