Bumpers to re-chrome or not, that is the $700 ea. question.

[Grumblebuns]

Since our cars are not all that valuable have you thought of no bumpers? My S1 has a 47 look without them.

I have a agree with SwiftDB4. The Europas look so much cleaner without the bumpers especially when the front is lowered.

[Richard48Y]

Clean yes, but does it add or subtract from BAT resale value?
I have to resell the red car to fund finishing the hot keeper I have been working on for four years.
Past threads seem to support the bumpers not being totally useless in a crash.
I'm fairly sure more original increases value with most potential buyers.
Chrome is ghastly expensive so I am researching my options.
So far Easy Chrome and Chrome Wrap each have their merits.
Trying to decide how durable Easy Chrome would be. Yes, even though I am selling it.
Wrap is cheap, but that is not the deciding factor for me.

[Pfreen]

I paid in 2020 $400 for a bumper that was a little bigger than the Europa bumper.
I used Spacecoast plating in Melbourne, FL (321) 254-2880.
I thought the quality was very good and they will straighten and repair holes.

[Bullnose]

When you look at the work required to replate a bumper, you can appreciate why it costs a bit of money.

I have dabbled in home based electroplating as a part of a house restoration project. With the help of Caswells who operate on both sides of the border, supplies, equipment, and expertise are readily available.
They have a process called Reproplate that produces chrome like shine and colour without using chromium.

Success in plating depends on a high quality DC power source Around 5 volts but with high current that is adjustable.

One of the challenges for DIY plating is removing the original plating. Rust does a great job, but not reliably, so you have to reverse plate it off onto some other metal.Then the parent metal has to be polished. Like paint, the chrome doesn't cover up imperfections. The usual technique uses  a layer of copper over the surface followed by local flash copper plating which allows you to build up any pits that appear. The copper gets polished smooth and then a layer of nickel followed by the chrome - or reproplate.
Its a lot of work! And its usually dirty - perhaps worse that sanding fibreglass on a hot humid day...
So - yes, you can Do it Yourself but - the chemical kit from Caswells required to do a Europa bumper is about $1800 CDN. You would have to build a tank designed for the bumper and get a 25 amp or perhaps larger power supply.
Once you have the set up, you can do several bumpers and by refreshing the chemistry do more.

Lots to think about - and I can tell you the prep work is harder than the plating!!!
Grant in Nova Scotia

[SwiftDB4]

Clean yes, but does it add or subtract from BAT resale value?
I have to resell the red car to fund finishing the hot keeper I have been working on for four years.
Past threads seem to support the bumpers not being totally useless in a crash.
I'm fairly sure more original increases value with most potential buyers.
Chrome is ghastly expensive so I am researching my options.

I wouldn't say removing bumpers necessarily adds to a Europa's value, but does it really subtract?
Unless you're looking at a $40K plus concours car would that really turn off buyers?
I gather you don't want to spend big money on this car anyway. Would you get $1400 more?
Chrome spray paint or a wrap could end up looking pretty cheesy.

[Richard48Y]

With the exception of a Dellorto DHLA it is a very original and unmolested car.
I know I cannot get into redoing the paint and still finish it in time.
I have my fingers crossed for the stainless repro bumpers.
I do have a rear that may polish up nicely?
Front is more difficult as none I own have really good chrome.
From what I can determine nothing else really looks like chrome.
It is disappointing that even chrome is not more durable.
So I am still where I started, is there a bumper repair that will increase value more than the expense of doing it?
Too bad BAT does not have a discussion forum outside of active auction comments.

[Richard48Y]

Not too bad?

"As far as I am informed from other customers, you can use the Ford Anglia 105 front bumper and the Ford Cortina M1 front full length bumper for Lotus Europa.
I am, however, not 100% sure that they will be correct for Lotus Europa.

Normally, we will charge 60% for a single bumper. However, in this case, I will charge you the Ford Anglia’s price- USD 896 including shipping.

We can have the bumpers ready for shipping within 10 working days after receipt of payment and confirmation. Shipping is with airfreight which only takes 3-4 days straight to your door."

[S2Zetec54]

Hi Richard48y

Is that the price for a stainless front bumper ? If so bearing in mind the rechrome cost that doesn’t seem bad at all! I guess depending on fit. However if this was stainless…a little necessary fettling would be possible with only the need to polish and not re chrome again.

Value added. Hard to say. It is becoming more widely known about the problems, longevity availability and costs with chroming so to have future proofed and perhaps more environmentally friendly bumpers in stainless might be a selling point when you have the potential buyer in front of the car…tough call to put a price on this

Both my bumpers are suffering and will need re chroming. I don't intend selling any time soon….do I put up with the rusty flaky look, remove completely or go stainless. I think stainless…..I have a DS with stainless bumpers and they look great and one less thing to worry about.

I'll watch the stainless solution with interest….if that’s what you are going for

Good,luck….great topic, thank you

[Richard48Y]

Pair of bumpers for both ends of the car.
It does seem the best answer if cost is not the overriding concern.

[Fotog]

Good to see some of these $ numbers.  It would be nice to get them all together in a single, easily-read list.

I can add one:  6 months ago someone hit me from behind.  The insurance covered repair of the bumper which was only scuffed.  It was re-chromed, and the repair shop that did the body work sent it out.  They have little experience with plating, but were willing to do fiberglass work.  I've had the car back since August, but just got the bumper a couple of weeks ago.  Took 21 weeks.  I was holding $600 which was the insurance estimate for the bumper repair.  They told me it actually cost $1154 to have the rear bumper chromed.  It's beautiful, but jeez!

It was done by an outfit called Northstar Plating in Minnesota. 
It looks so good, I want to get the front done now.  But I don't want to pay like that.

-Vince

[dakazman]

  I had mine done for $1,000,
  but I did add an interior light cover.
Dakazman

[dakazman]

I paid in 2020 $400 for a bumper that was a little bigger than the Europa bumper.
I used Spacecoast plating in Melbourne, FL (321) 254-2880.
I thought the quality was very good and they will straighten and repair holes.

   Pfreen and I used the same guy, OUTSTANDING QUALITY.
Dakazman

[Fotog]

Wow.  Big jump in price though, in a few years.

[Richard48Y]

ABC Plating in Reno is $700 for a standard finish.
Show car would be more.

[EuropaTC]

Ok, this is going to sound very negative but I've got to chip in here on the stainless bumpers.

The Anglia front bumper is also used on the Elan+2 and there was a thread a few years ago about these on LotusElan.net.

https://lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17051

There's mixed comments about the fitment. Originally they weren't so good and there was some discussion with the manufacturers about getting the fit right for the +2. The problem is that for the Anglia & Cortina the bumpers are mounted on brackets and don't have to conform exactly with the body profile, but on both the Europa & Elan+2, the body is shaped to match the period bumper of the 1960s. So any discrepancy stands out like a sore thumb. There were also comments about the stainless being a thinner than the OEM steel. I wasn't bothered about that myself but it's worth noting.

I didn't follow up on this at the time because I'd found a pair of NOS Anglia & Cortina bumpers and I don't know if the modern day repro bumpers are a better fit. It might not even be the same firm supplying the modern repros, it was Harringtons years ago and they were manufactured in Vietnam.

I remember being dissapointed at the time because even though I'd got a reasonable pair of chrome bumpers they weren't perfect and you can polish stainless up to a very high standard. Not as deep as quality chrome but certainly good enough that 90% of folks won't realise.

If you're going to try these,  in view of the past comments I'd ask if they have supplied any to Lotus owners and what feedback they got. If the front bumper fits, I'll have one !

Brian