PChrome University. A bright idea comes to Imlay City.

The front headlight bezel on this 1970 Dodge Challenger was restored to the original chrome/black look with PChrome. The car behind has original chrome.

Sean Smith runs United Automotive, an auto restoration business in Imlay City, Michigan. While he can take on conventional auto body work, he prefers the far more difficult task of returning classic cars of a bygone era to concourse condition. This involves painstaking attention to every detail of finish, ornamentation, mechanical functioning,and interior restoration, including upholstery.

So if there's a way to achieve the results classic car enthusiasts insist on without the costs of using antiquated materials and methods, Sean is totally in favor of it.

Take as an example the achievement of a high shine chrome finish on bumpers, rearview mirrors, accent strips, headlights and break lights, etc.

Until recently, this could only be accomplished with a highly costly, environmentally hazardous chrome plating process. Adding to the difficulty was the necessity of 100% metal substrate. But what if the ravages of time and wear & tear leave a critical part severely pitted or missing metal altogether? A restoration professional like Sean may be able to rebuild the part with synthetic materials but since synthetic surfaces won't take traditional chrome plating, an alternative method for achieving a high shine finish had to be found. It is worth noting that synthetic parts weigh a lot less than metal and in the long run could save customers gas money.

Sean decided to research spray-on chrome finishes. Fortunately, there are a number of them. Unfortunately most of them don't work. Ask Sean, he's tried almost all of them. "There are so many problems with these products, I don't know where to begin. To put it bluntly, the finishes don't look good and they don't adhere well."

The hand held Nash hood ornament has been PChromed. The wheel behind is the original chrome finish.

The PChrome breakthrough

Recently Sean tried PChrome from Peacock Laboratories in Philadelphia. For more than 80 years this company has specialized in developing the technologies used to manufacture the world's most beautiful mirrors. Now they've transferred this skill and know-how into putting rock hard, scratch resistant, high bond strength, gleaming white chrome simulation finishes on car parts.

Sean says, "Only The PChrome finish adheres to substrates in a totally reliable way. As for the other spray chrome finishes-one you can rub off with a paper towel, another scratches with light rubbing of Scotch Brite, another flakes off if you power wash it and another would lose chunks of finish if hit by a road side pebble."

Why learn from mistakes... when you can learn from Sean?

The tail light on right is a 40 year old part restored with PChrome. The part on the left is a new part with a chrome finish.

PChrome is easy...but only if you do it right. That's why PChrome is starting the PChrome University. It's a two day course taught by Sean Smith at his shop in Imlay City. Sign up and you will learn every trick of the trade that Sean has mastered through hard work and experimentation. In addition to the comprehensive hands-on instruction, graduates receive a complete PChrome kit with all the chemicals and equipment they need to get started. First Session -- Oct 21/22. Fill out the enrollment form today.

All chrome parts on this classic Plymouth were restored with PChrome.

PChrome comes shining through

1. PChrome starts with a foundation of Peacock Laboratories two-part Permalac 2K clear coat. Sean secures the bond of this first layer by passing a butane torch over the surface after the finish has cured.

Note: The PChrome base coat cures in just two hours at room temperature. Expediting the curing time for most other spray chrome foundations requires an hour and a half of baking at 140ºF. Without this expensive, high energy step users can’t proceed with the silvering layer until the next day. PChrome, on the other hand, means projects can go from start to finish in a single shift.


The rear bumper of this snowmobile has been restored with PChrome.
2. The second step is spraying on the sensitizer which is critical to the success of the project. The sensitizing agents provided by competitive spray-on chrome products tend to make water bead up rather than sheet, or they cause yellow stains, or they leave soapy surfaces. Any of these problems will make the final finish quality unsatisfactory. PChrome's sensitizer is easy to apply and always causes water sprayed on the surface to sheet rather than bead. This means the silvering coat applied subsequently will adhere both properly and evenly.
3. The bright shine layer which goes on next must be applied with knowledge and skill. If the spray gun operator uses proper technique and knows when he has achieved the correct depth of silvering, success is assured. Sean says, "some of these alternative chrome finishes crackle and others look more like a metallic finish than chrome. Plus many of them are hard to apply and form drips and runs even when you're careful."
4. For the protective top coat PChrome uses the same two-part Permalac 2K clear coat used for the base coat, but with a violet tint added. This makes for a quality finish that is rock hard but has the flexibility to make adjustments for heat and other changing conditions. "As for the others," Sean says, "they may appear satisfactory at first, but it's going to be a short-lived satisfaction. That's for sure."

There are several other issues that make Sean a convinced PChrome customer. One has to do with companies who pre-dilute their products which drives up shipping costs. All PChrome products are concentrates.

People paid a premium to have chrome parts on 60's muscle cars. With PChrome you can upgrade parts that were originally painted.

Then there's cost. The PChrome Start-Up Kit is relatively inexpensive and with it users will have everything they need to get started. For example, the kit provides users with all the chemicals needed to PChrome a total of 800 sq. ft. That's less than $3.50 a sq. ft.

The left half of this polycarbonate wind screen is PChromed. The right half is untreated.