Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Would like to share this information and source with the list. I took my badly pitted S-3 tail light bezels (surrounds) to a plating shop that I have been doing business with now for about 4 years. My guy stripped the chrome from my pot metal pieces, filled in the pitted areas some of which had gone all the way through, and then re plated and polished the finished product. Wow!! Amazing and better than new!! Your price on a similar condition surrounds is $150.00 per pair, shipping not included.

Anyone interested can PM me, I will be happy to share pics and his business contact information.

Mike Summers
West Sacramento, Caifornia

Hello Mike,

That is great news. Please email me the contact info. See you at Sonoma for the first DL Memorial.

Dan Wise

Hi Mike,
Sorry I may have mis understood your post, how much did you pay your man for the repair?

Jeff 72+2

Jeff,

He wants $150 a pair for the work, you pay the shipping. That cost is based on a average to poor condition surrounds.

Mike

I thought it would just be much easier if I posted pictures of my re plated tail light surrounds as well as contact information for AAA plating here in Sacramento. As you can see in the first picture the finish turned out better than new. Using the blue marking arrows, I have pointed out two small nicks in the edge of the surround. Those nicks are on both of my surrounds. Those are areas where the pot metal has just been eaten away over time. Agustin was wary about trying to solder that edge as it is only about 0.050 in thickness. He did not want to make it worse. As it was, a few of the bubbled areas on the surround actually went though when he stripped the pieces. You can see on picture two where he soldered on the back side to repair the wholes before he smoothed them out and began adding the plating process. I mocked up my tail lights with the lenses and mounted to the car. From three feet away I cannot see the nicks. Frankly, if someone is that picky to point that out about my car........well best they just move on. I will be happy to answer any questions from list members via PM or assist with any questions to Agustin. Again, doing a set of surrounds similar to mine, both sides badly pitted but intact, he will charge $150.00 US for the PAIR. You pay the shipping both ways. I personally am thrilled with the results. Contact info, AAA Plating Inc., 2081 Rene Ave, building C, Unit #1. Sacramento, California 95838. Phone (916) 380-1330

Backside of surround showing repairs

Mike,

It was great talking with you the other night. Looks like he did a great job at a very reasonable price.

Regards,
Dan

Do you know if he has an email address so that I can contact him more easily from the UK?

Thanks - Dave M.

From his business card, attention Agustin

[email protected]


Mike

Thanks Mike.

Dave M.

To piggy-back onto this topic.

I just received my replacement surrounds from Kelvedon in the UK. They are excellent and it took two weeks total to get them (plus a new fuel filler cap which is also excellent). The surrounds are not chromed but can be. My originals were way too pitted to repair so, at 68 quid each, plus postage, this was a good deal.

http://www.kelsport.net/parts/product_d ... ctionID=25

Just be careful if you want to get them chrome plated.

I bought a pair a while ago, & when they were being polished prior to plating, the first one literally exploded due to an air pocket in the casting (which expanded due to the hear generated) This was scrap, & the plated refused to process the second one as he considered it to be a safety hazard.

I've posted this before.

Dave M.

Maulden7 wrote:Just be careful if you want to get them chrome plated.

I bought a pair a while ago, & when they were being polished prior to plating, the first one literally exploded due to an air pocket in the casting (which expanded due to the hear generated) This was scrap, & the plated refused to process the second one as he considered it to be a safety hazard.

Dave M.

Two questions -

1. Did you contact them about the issue? (If not, why not?)

2. What was their response?

I'm having mine plated at the mo and, after explaining your issue to my plater, he was not worried at all. He surmised the heat generated by improper polishing could have been the culprit.