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plating, anodizing, & finishing Q&As since 1989

"Removing chrome plating and nickel from aluminum valve covers"

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2005

Howdy:
I recently came across a pair of vintage Edmunds valve covers for my Cadillac 331 motor and (arrrghhhh!) they have been chromed. Is there any way to restore them back to their original 1950's vintage aluminum finish or at least a polished finish?

Thanks,

Craig

Craig Anderson
hobbyist - Bryan, Texas USA

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2005

The easiest way would be to take them to a plating shop which can strip them by immersion in nitric acid, or by reverse current in sulfuric acid. They can then be polished and buffed by them or by you.

Jeffrey Holmes, CEF
Spartanburg, South Carolina

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2005

To add to what Jeffrey said, although the process of stripping nickel from aluminum with nitric acid is simple enough none of the processes for chemically removing plated metals should be done at home!

Gene Packman
process supplier - Great Neck, New York