Top Chromes

[joejag308]

Anyone bought any 308 top bumper chromes or have any idea how much they cost ?........Joe

[Mike1932]

Have a look on eBay Joe - http://motors.shop.ebay.co.uk/items/_W0 ... acat=10390

A few available.

[daveji]

They are called "bumper blades" ..brand new from Jag...£70+VAT each

[joejag308]

Bumper blades eh? £70 from Jag dealers? its ok if you are loaded ...but being an old pensioner how do we go on?....are the Daimler ones more expensive being for the higher grade of car?..........
is it an easy fit or do you have to remove the whole bumper bar to fit them Joe

[blackflash]

Chaps,

Tales of woe from a bargain-hunter.

Chap advertised in the JEC mag re X308 "garage clearout" so I called and spoke to Mike. Did he have the front bumper chromes, as one of mine has suffered from scrubbing with a stone-laden brush at the car wash and the other has a single stone chip in it? I'm only interested if they're close to perfect. He'll get back to me. Yes, he has two, there are no obvious scratches or chips, they are "just about perfect". £90 for the two seemed like a lot but he sounded nice and he's probably a member of the club etc.

Deal done, and they arrive well-wrapped and quickly from sunny Surrey. Off to work, didn't get to inspect them for a couple of days...

The one I really wanted has several major scratches on it. Call to Mike, whose business card suggests that this is something he does to earn a few quid not just as a one-off. He says "this is where the arguments start" (based on experience?), "it's a matter of opinion" and "they are good for their age". I say they are not as described and no good to me so can I have at least a partial refund if I return them. He says no, he's close to retiring and just trying to get rid of some bits...

I try to polish them knowing you have to be careful with plastic chrome but with nothing to lose. Elbow grease proves insufficient; I need something like a rotary buffing pad, which may well polish through the chrome but I have nothing to lose.

Lesson 1: sometimes it's worth buying new!

Lesson 2: you win some, you lose some.

Question 1: any suggestions re getting scratches out of plastic chrome?

Older and wiser...

Nigel

[daveji]

I tried to de-scratch a bumper chrome. The problem is the layer of chrome is very thin indeed. I cannot see how a scratch can be removed without using an abrasive cleaner however gentle and you are through to the base copper layer in no time.
I gave up and bought a new one. Seems like there is no practical alternative........unless someone knows different.

[Brakebuster]

these bumper blades are a pain in the arse...

yes they are ' plastic chrome ' but the chrome is still real ( ish ) and is applied over a copper base coat as indicated in another post

they can be mildly polished with Duraglit, but that will not get out deep ( through the chrome ) scratches , and you can get the copper showing through if you go too far with the polishing

there are three options for improvement

1 , buy new

2, buy better used ones ( lucky dip situation)

3 , you could try your local re-platers, as all they need is stripping, re-coppering, and re-chroming ,
now, check there quality , as it may not come out as you like, and the cost will possibly mount up for the four blades, but cant imagine they would cost more than twenty pounds each to do


my two front ones are ok , but the rear ones are terrible, and i want to repaint both bumpers to

if my new job comes off this afternoon, i get a company car , so will be able to fully retire the XJ8 and give her some TLC

BB

[phirouyer]

I am planning to respray the front bumper. I have a few scratches and I think a touch up bruch won't do the trick. But I do not know how to remove the blades. It seems that they are secured by clips but Id rather ask people who know rather than break something.
I have read other messages and it seems that removing the bumpers of the old 40 was much easier and faster !

[andypryce]

I have no idea if this works or not, but someone told me that to restore marked chrome (e.g. with ageing), use salt water and rub it on with tin foil.

I have my doubts...

[jedstone]

Dud the saltwater and tin foil trick work Andy?