Info needed: Re-silvering Headlamp Reflectors

[Lynn Eades]

I have bought reflectors from Macs auto. I didn't use them. They were chromed.
About 10 years ago an electro plating business re silvered some reflectors for me. They were excellent.
You should be able to find someone to do it.

[Grant Bowker]

I've never tried it but at least in the USA there are kits available https://angelgilding.com/ to silver glass, plastic and if I understand their videos almost anything else with an undercoat. I've no idea how the chemicals used would react to steel base of the reflector. I understood them to be able to silver either the traditional back face of glass (useful for redoing CMP mirrors) or the front face of opaque substrates (what I'm thinking of for reflectors). They also mention coating to avoid tarnishing. I don't know if the originals were coated but assume they must have been or they'd all be black by now. The company referenced does mention international air shipment as being possible but I assume there must be local sources with reduced hassle.

[Ian Fawbert]

A long story short, I had the mirror/reflectors replated in my late grandmothers car's headlights because new ones were too expensive- it was a 1981 car.

Somehow, it was recommended to contact a company in Brisbane Australia. They plated pieces for the funeral industry- all the bits which go on th casket etc. Hyqual is their name. https://www.hyqual.com/home

Anyway, a phone call later, they were packed up and send off. They came back and are WONDERFUL!!! This was approx 10 years ago and they are still excellent, shiny and throw a decent coloured light.

I intended (great plans he has....) to send the reflectors up from my jeep headlights to them, but haven't gotten around to it. Oddly i was only thinking about this today that I should dig them out and send up!

I assume there would be a similar plating place in the UK you could send them to? Just a thought and hope it helps.

Cheers,
Ian.

[Owen Evans]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

I have bought reflectors from Macs auto. I didn't use them. They were chromed.

Hmmm. How did the reflectors from Macs compare to the CMP ones? Would you able to check against the attached photos?

Thanks,
Owen.

[Mike Gurr]

Owen,
A couple of weeks ago at the Beaulieu Autojumble I spoke to a chap called Keith Ardley who runs a reflector re-silvering service. I have his card, he charges £5 per 1" measured across the diameter of any brass reflector (this is what is written on his card) his contact details - 14 bridge Road, Mepal Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB6 2AR Tel 01353 778493 email keithardley7@gmail.com
I have no connection with this service but what he had displayed on his stall looked very good. Though he does not do it himself he can also get mirror glass re-silvered for about £25 each.

[Owen Evans]

Originally Posted by Mike Gurr

Owen,
A couple of weeks ago at the Beaulieu Autojumble I spoke to a chap called Keith Ardley who runs a reflector re-silvering service. I have his card, he charges £5 per 1" measured across the diameter of any brass reflector (this is what is written on his card) his contact details - 14 bridge Road, Mepal Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB6 2AR Tel 01353 778493 email keithardley7@gmail.com
I have no connection with this service but what he had displayed on his stall looked very good. Though he does not do it himself he can also get mirror glass re-silvered for about £25 each.

Thanks for that Mike.
I'll drop Keith an email..

Owen.

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by Owen Evans

Hmmm. How did the reflectors from Macs compare to the CMP ones? Would you able to check against the attached photos?

Thanks,
Owen.

Hi Owen,

Think I may have mentioned this before in another post but Ford CMP reflectors are unique to these vehicles according to the asterisk in front of the part number *C01Q 13011 A or *C01Q 13011 B.

I looked into Macs and Dennis Carpenters reflectors for civilian vehicles a while ago and one difference I noted was the lack of the 3 spring steel clips to hold the headlight lens. There could be other differences.

Cheers,

[Lynn Eades]

Hi Owen, mine were made (marketed?) by Vintique.
Anyhow, they are an inch bigger that yours. These fit the Ford commercial "Twolite" headlights (as per Ford buses and cab overs, 1935-40) (and Australian LP1 Carriers)
Basically the reflector (steel pressing) is first brass plated and then silver plated.
It comes down to what the annode is, as to what the plating is. I was dissapointed as it was not stated what the finish was and I doubt the reflective ability is anywhere as good as a silvered finish. Add to that how useless these lights were from new, and really it's a con job, in my opinion. There is a reason why they were silvered.
I guess if you are rolling out a vintage car for a daytime show it doesn't matter. When you pay freight from USA to N.Z. and it is much more that what the item costs to buy, then you put the item on a shelf and look for your best original, and put it down to experience.
Anyhow, get yours re-silvered. It's worth it!

[Owen Evans]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

I looked into Macs and Dennis Carpenters reflectors for civilian vehicles a while ago and one difference I noted was the lack of the 3 spring steel clips to hold the headlight lens. There could be other differences.

Thanks Jacques. I was pretty certain it wouldn't be straightforward, and there would be some differences.

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

Basically the reflector (steel pressing) is first brass plated and then silver plated.
It comes down to what the annode is, as to what the plating is. I was dissapointed as it was not stated what the finish was and I doubt the reflective ability is anywhere as good as a silvered finish. Add to that how useless these lights were from new, and really it's a con job, in my opinion. There is a reason why they were silvered.
I guess if you are rolling out a vintage car for a daytime show it doesn't matter. When you pay freight from USA to N.Z. and it is much more that what the item costs to buy, then you put the item on a shelf and look for your best original, and put it down to experience.
Anyhow, get yours re-silvered. It's worth it!

Good point. I'll let folks know how I get on with the re-silvering...

Thanks,
Owen.

[Lynn Eades]

BTW, Macs sell the cork seal strip that goes in the rim of the reflector. The glass sits against it. That was good.

[Bob Carriere]

In manufacturing regular mirrors the silvering is done on the back side them it it coated (shellack?) to prevent tarnishing. In old antique mirrors the coating starts to deteriorate near the edges.

In fancy optical mirrors the silvering is done to the top surface, so as not to have any distortion from the glass thickness..... these require constant special handling ....again some form of sealer must be applied to prevent tarnishing.

In the cab 11 Chev/Ford headlights and also the 1942/46 Chev headlights the reflector is tarnished silver on the inside and brass "looking" on the back side.

Mac's old catalogue makes mention of plating but do not indicate silver plating or chrome finish.

In any event, where the original 1940 era reflectors plated or "silvered"????

The chemicals for silvering are rather nasty BUT would it be possible to replate them in silver....???? what solution would be required? any lest nasty than "silvering"...... Once plated would the reflectors need extensive polishing with a variety of jewelry compounds on a buffer wheel(s)..... and then sealed??

Since I have a number of tarnished reflectors it sounds like a nice Winter project ..........

I will recruit Grant on the search for the necessary chemicals for silver plating...... plastic tank, DC current and voila!!!!! there goes the family silverware for anodes!!!! or is it cathode?

AS a point of interest, years ago, I purchased a complete cab 11 headlight with the hooded steel lens cover...... when I took it apart I discovered that that bottom half of the reflector had been " hurriedly" painted with flat black paint......so only the top half of the reflector actually pushed light out directly under the external hood.

Comments / suggestions welcomed.


PS<<<<<first road block...plating solution is potassium cyanide...... and improperly used can generate cyanide gas!!!! not a basement project........
..............>>>>>>> still exploring other less lethal solutions ........

[Lynn Eades]

That sounds like a solid road block Bob.

BTW, They were silvered. Check an old one.