Hello! Apologies in advance if this is a stupid question, but I've come across some conflicting/ambiguous information. I have a 1979 Chief and I'm trying to assess the feasibility of polishing the bumpers versus having them replated.
They're definitely chrome plated (and peeling), and as I understand it, they stopped chrome plating after the 1979 model year in favor of polished aluminum. What I'm not 100% certain of is the underlying material.
I've read in places that these were chrome plated steel. But magnets don't stick, so that can't be it.
The rear bumper is pretty well smoked anyway, so I figured no harm in sanding through the chrome to see how well it would polish up. Just wondering if the darker colored metal that I'm revealing underneath is indeed aluminum.
To add to my confusion, the layer of material in question that sits beneath the chrome appears to be thin and on top of another material which seems to be laminated. It's hard to tell, but the lamination shows in the areas that are damaged. While there is some rust staining near the bolts, I don't see any on the reverse (exposed) side.
Anyone know for sure what these things are made out of?