On my '68 Dart all of the chromed "pot metal" pieces are badly pitted with
the chrome plating peeling.
I took one of the tail light bezels off, cleaned and sanded it and painted it
with metallic Krylon. I put it back on the car and ..... it looks like crap . It's so bad that it looks like it's made of plastic!

What kind of metal are these parts made from (bezels, door handles,
name plates, ect.) And why do they pit and shed chrome?

Replacement parts seem rather expensive. Is there a paint that even
comes close to looking like chrome?

The original parts are too pitted to be rechromed. I'm not a big fan
of painting all the chrome to match the body color.

Any information would be appriciatted.

I am having the same problem with the taillight bezels on my Duster. They are made out of pot metal, which basically is the same thing as pewter. Pot metal is basically trash, it is made out of the garbage that floats to the top during the smelting process. (somebody please correct me if I am wrong). It is a very low grade metal, is not very durable, and the only reason it was used was because it was cheap. It has to dipped in copper first to build it back up and fill in all of the pits and then chrome plated through a special process or else it will disenigrate. I smoothed out my bezels with bondo and then had them powdercoated chrome. They look alright put they won't win you any car show awards.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

I think what many people refer to as "pot metal" is often die-cast zinc.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

If you fill-in these pits (after cleaning) with silver solder they can be rechromed as you normally would, and will come out as new.

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I've been calling it as i see it for my entire life and that's not about to change. Take it or leave it.

"Pot metal", "Zinc die cast" and "ZAMAC alloy" are all the same thing: Any of several alloys made out of zinc and used to cast parts that don't need great structural strength, like emblems, mouldings, trim, door handles, mirror housings, steering column parts, etc. It's all but been replaced by plastics nowtimes, but was in VERY wide use through the '60s (plastics started taking over in the '70s). It is prone to pitting over the years. There are specialists who can restore badly aged potmetal pieces and replate them; the service isn't inexpensive.

Pewter isn't the same as potmetal.

And potmetal is not the same as a potbelly












Building A Better Bagel Burner

And potmetal and potbellies are not the same as pot.

All I understand out of this conversation is the word "pot"

O.K, just kidding, what makes potmetal so subject to pitting in the first place?

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

It's just not a very corrosion-resistant alloy. That's why it's generally not used bare, it's always painted (steering colum pots) or plated (emblems and mouldings) or passivated (carburetor bodies -- that's that gold-colored stuff, dichromate passivation bath).

I thought that was called alodining?

Alodine #1 was clear, #2 was yellowish?

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I've been calling it as i see it for my entire life and that's not about to change. Take it or leave it.

There are LOTS of different registered trademarks for LOTS of different metal surface treatments. I was using the generic technical term: Zinc Dichromate.

Could SlantSixDan could provide me the name, telephone, and address of the best bezel refinisher. I want perfection and don't care about the cost.

Looking for the best "pot-metal" refinisher is still going to be subjective--- There is a place in KC-- (MO or KS-- not sure) that a local retoration shop uses-- they are a good shop (quality work)-- if you like I can get the info for you-- or go to Hemmings & check out
PAULS chrome -- Read somewhere he was fab--

Good luck-- take some before /after pics!!!!

KC guy is A& A plating -800-747-9947
on moparts -- check this link
http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/sho ... =1#2425082
That is paul's chrome in Pa-- good luck