Islander21,
I gotta tell ya, yes they can be re-chromed, but it is like walking on thin ice, when it comes to chroming pot metal. Some guys have had good luck at getting a good job and others not, including me. The cost is approx 150-450. The console is an eye catcher, and one is drawn to it when you look inside these cars, so in my book, it's gotta look good. The big problem with pot metal, is the out gasing that takes place during the 3 stage chroming process and for some reason I believe these consoles are the worst for out gasing. Then the next thing ya gotta watch out for is some of these MORONS that buff them out! They round the flats on the high points and for some reason if your not making it loud and clear, not to do it, they buff the grain and now ya kiss the texture good by. I would go out and talk to some chrome shops with console in hand. Ask them, "have you ever done one of these?" If you get the deer in the headlights look, RUN the other way!!!!!! The whole thing has to be chromed, but NO OVER BUFFING, NO BUFFING THE TEXTURE, NONE, NOTTA, ZIP, this is the way you gotta explain it to these guys. You will have to re-paint the center, but thats not tuff to do. I swear, you have to find a shop that has a lot of pot metal experience and it would be real nice to find a place that is done these consoles before. If they have, I can bet they will explain out gasing and let you know their % of success and what to expect if their being straight.
On the other side of the barn yard, the word I've heard on the streets, is the new consoles are crap, again thats hear say from a vette shop. They have sent two back, because they refuse to sell them to their customers. Now I have not seen one and I repeat, this is hear say I'm going on. Lets hope the other guys chime in on this topic. Lets us know what and who you find out there. Anybody else. Craig
