Chrome or Stainless Steel Bumpers 411

[Xseries]

Thoughts and votes please!

Chrome
Stainless

[Kevin H]

I think the bumpers on my 411 are stainless steel.

Chrome is nice, but it doesn't last and looks awful if it starts to peel. Stainless goes dull, but if the car has a patina that can be okay. I guess stainless can always be polished again.

Either way, they're going to cost a fortune. As far as I am aware there are no new ones available and last time I asked BCL (which was many years ago) they could only offer secondhand ones for £900 each.

[MTH 411]

If rechroming is done right with a good layer of copper it will last many, many years and will look the real job. No choice really.

[John Keighley]

I prefer chrome - if it's done properly, it should last. Stainless requires lots of cleaning.

[Geoff Kingston]

As someone who lives close to the sea and likes to use my cars over the winter on salted roads chrome is a waste of time, the quality of the later original chrome work by Tuckers on the Bristol 411's was pathetic anyway, by far the better option is Stainless Steel, I have this companies bumpers on several of my cars, but for those who absolutely must have a chrome finish do what one restorer does and chrome these stainless steel bumpers, perfection and longevity but at a price.








https://groupharrington.com/brand/bristol/

[Xseries]

Thank you to those who have replied - it is now 2 for chrome and 2 for stainless steel! I was hoping for a decisive opinion to help me decide.

When I started with chrome as an option I was put in touch with a firm that was looking at around £700, but they have now decided that it is beyond their scope!

Four other quotes for a re-chrome are all around the £1400-£1500 mark which puts the price firmly in the stainless steel arena. Thus the cost for both seems to be about the same so that does not help much either.

[Geoff Kingston]

I washed down a rather dirty Bentley R type a few days ago, It is stored in a reasonably well ventilated barn style garage, but with slatted doors, the idea being to circulate air but it allows dust and the debris and air born sap from evergreen trees to find its way in.
The Chrome on the front of the car furthest from the doors was heavily tarnished and took a fair bit of effort to look nice, the stainless steel bumpers just needed washing and came up bright and smart.
Rolls Royce used stainless steel on the window surrounds and other trim on my 1960 S2 Bentley they are near perfect and have a good shine with just a wipe over, if you look at an S2 you will see the advantage of stainless steel over chrome.
Geoff.

[Xseries]

In the end I have gone for chrome! Time will tell if it was the better choice.