Key to any restoration, from pre-war and veteran cars to '60s, '70s and '80s classics, is the chrome. There are two choices for those with badly tarnished metalwork: buy new, or refurbish the original. Contrasting today's throwaway culture, classic enthusiasts are returning to the old ways, says Doug Taylor, head of a family dynasty of metal finishers. "Many modern items are made of inferior metals," he says, "often diecast lead zinc alloys pitted beyond repair. Original legacy parts are usually thicker steel, copper or brass and can be restored to the highest quality." Taylor, now 82, has been an electroplater all his working life, starting out aged 18 in a plating works in Birmingham. "My father was a plater and my grandmother was a polisher, a job always done by women in the old days," he explains.
The business, based just outside Weston super-Mare, has built a great reputation for electroplating, stripping and polishing any metal component to the highest standards, with customers such as Jaguar, Haynes International Motor Museum and the National Motorcycle Museum, as well as a host of car clubs.
Denne historien er fra October 2022-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
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Denne historien er fra October 2022-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison
