1972 Trim Ring Question

[Larry M.]

I'd like to have my trim rings polished. Are they stainless steel, which can withstand commercial polishing; or is the outer surface chrome plating, which could wear away? The back surface appears to be S/S, but I'm not sure about the outer surface?
I looked in my 1968-1972 Tech Info and Judging Guide (older edition-green cover), but didn't see the answer.
Thanks!
Larry

[Pat M.]

Re: 1972 Trim Ring Question

is the outer surface chrome plating, which could wear away?

Yes, be careful. Many will swear they are not chromed, but John Hinckley previously confirmed they are, and that should be a good enough authority for anyone.

[John H.]

Re: 1972 Trim Ring Question

I'd like to have my trim rings polished. Are they stainless steel, which can withstand commercial polishing; or is the outer surface chrome plating, which could wear away? The back surface appears to be S/S, but I'm not sure about the outer surface?
I looked in my 1968-1972 Tech Info and Judging Guide (older edition-green cover), but didn't see the answer.
Thanks!
Larry

Larry -

The stainless steel trim rings were first polished to a high luster, then were flash-chromed (also known as "smack-chromed"); chrome is clear, and less than a half a thousandth of an inch thick. That was done to protect the underlying polished stainless surface from oxidation and to maintain the luster.

If you have them professionally/commercially polished, they have to get through the clear chrome layer first (either by aggressive polishing or chemical removal) before actually re-polishing the stainless steel surface, and they should then be flash-chromed again in order to maintain and protect that original icy-blue appearance. Virtually every piece of interior and exterior Corvette polished stainless trim was flash-chromed after polishing.

[Larry M.]

Re: 1972 Trim Ring Question

Pat and John,

Thanks very much for your replies. Intersting that the rings are both S/S AND chromed.

Larry

[Randy C.]

Re: 1972 Trim Ring Question

You will find that lots of stainless trim was also flash-chromed in the 60s and into the 70s. I have a '68 4-4-2 convertible and found out the hard way that the stainless quarter trim was flash-chromed. I got the flash chroming removed, polished the stainless, and then had it flash-chromed again. I don't know if I was lucky or if that's the way it always works, but the piece matched my other pieces so I didn't have to do them.

Randy C.

[Glenn D.]

Re: 1972 Trim Ring Question

Does this information also apply to trim rings manufactured in late 1973 ?

[Joe L.]

Re: 1972 Trim Ring Question

Does this information also apply to trim rings manufactured in late 1973 ?

Glenn-----


Absolutely yes.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1972 Trim Ring Question

Larry -

The stainless steel trim rings were first polished to a high luster, then were flash-chromed (also known as "smack-chromed"); chrome is clear, and less than a half a thousandth of an inch thick. That was done to protect the underlying polished stainless surface from oxidation and to maintain the luster.

If you have them professionally/commercially polished, they have to get through the clear chrome layer first (either by aggressive polishing or chemical removal) before actually re-polishing the stainless steel surface, and they should then be flash-chromed again in order to maintain and protect that original icy-blue appearance. Virtually every piece of interior and exterior Corvette polished stainless trim was flash-chromed after polishing.

John-----


These trim rings are still available from GM to this day. They GM list for 292 bucks each. So, there's got to be some manufacturing complexity that makes them worth that much.