I am about to touch up bumpers, headlight trim, running board trim. I have read (somewhere's) that chrome did not come in till 1928 and yet looking a member's cars I see a lot of chrome. My question was my 1926 Star Touring M built in Leaside Ont trimmed with nickel or chrome? Tx

Do You own a car built by Durant? Grandpa's 1926 Star Touring

Guy
Nickel was the choice of finish. Many members have chosen Chrome for the look but it's not authentic.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Durant Model 65 4 door

Absolutely nickel.
Chrome is to shiney on old cars & race cars.
Don

Where Are You From? racingrust

Do You own a car built by Durant? Soon to be,30's Star dirt track racer

I used nickel on my 25 Star. It will cloud over and need to be polished more often than chrome.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1925 Star

if my research is correct stars were not using chrome till the mid 27s my 26 i did in chrome wrong choice but i didn,t know at the time.it may have been the same time the larger 14l motor came into production,anyone know?
brian

Where Are You From? racingrust

Do You own a car built by Durant? Soon to be,30's Star dirt track racer

Don,
By 1925 and 1926 Locomobiles had made the changeover and were mostly Chrome but still had some Nickle plating. The grille was Chrome as well as Cowl sidelights,Hubcaps, and outside Door handles.

Interestingly some of the Headlights (and handles)I have got with them were still Nickle plated. Bumpers were black painted but had stainless (?)trim strips attached, with Chrome plated end bolts. They also used Chrome on most of the interior handles, brackets and knob parts, at least on their entry-level production models. Higher cost plating on special models.

So I guess by 1925 or early 26 most all of the Luxury market (and a lot of the other industry) had gone over to Chrome plate the trim parts.

I know from my Antique Chevys that they First went to Nickle trim in 1924 but Chrome followed in a few years quickly afterwards. Hope this helps you.

Lance C.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 26 Locomobile JR-8 Sedan and 26 JR-8 Roadster project, 30 Durant 410 Special Deluxe 4Dr.

As I understand it, Chrom was available on some high priced autos in 1928. most others autos had chrom in 1929. nickel was not used after 1930. When I had my model R radiator shell done, it looked very much like chrom do to a new high teck process

Definately nickel in 1925. Has the 'softer' yellowish appearance. That being said it tarnishes faster and has to be polished more often. Heard onetime that concours judging especially in California, were not penalizing for chroming instead of nickel, due to the faster tarnishing with the dirtier air. Of course chrome plating is a copper layer then nickel then chrome. Only as nice as your original metal polishing job.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1930 6-14 standard coupe

As a Judge for the AACA here in the states, you would get deductions in your points for not having the right exterior finish. As a matter of fact one of our members lost point because his radiator shell was chrome and not nickel. On my 28, outside was chrome, all inside door handles, window cranks etc was nickel.

Here's a bit of historical trivia: The auto industry did return to nickel after 1930. During the Korean war, chrome was in short supply so many models came with nickel bumpers instead of chrome. My 1950 Mercury came this way. By 1960, when I got it, the bumper was scuffed and dull.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1925 Star