I have a how long is a piece of string question. Is it often cheaper to buy new parts for a 64 s type than to re chrome them, properly

 

depends on which parts, but rechroming has become very expensive.

if you own a S type, you are invited to the International S type Register website and post in the Forum too:

Jaguar 'S'-type Register

 

Re-chroming is expensive but for a 60s S-type will often be the only option, as these cars are not as well supported for chrome stuff as the Mark 2s. In fact, I would go so far as saying that you will find it difficult or almost impossible to obtain new chrome parts. Any you do find will be "new old-stock".

The biggest problem is likely to be the parts made of Mazak (or Zamak as I think it's called in the US). This alloy of mostly zinc was used by virtually all car manufacturers up to the 80s for light plinths and door handles. Once cast, it was given a light polish and then chrome plated. It can suffer badly from pitting and is very difficult to restore.

Zamak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stuff made of brass, like the chrome strips and window frames is easily re-chromed. Steel stuff like bumpers is harder, but any rust pitting can be filled with braze and then polished. The radiator grill is brass, but the surround is Mazak as far as I know as is the central pillar that holds the badge at the top.

 

It depends what you want to do yourself. The rechroming in itself isn't the biggest cost, it's the polishing. Everything that is chromed needs dechroming. Then it must be polished to a mirror-like shine as the chrome layer that's added is only fractions of millimeters.
As Fraser said Zamac may be pitted and in that case you'd better order new parts because this is hard to repair. Copper is easier to repair.

You can understand that a new part might be cheaper because it takes no repairing and it can be polished automatically, whereas for rechroming it's all a manual affair.

I've agreed with my local chrome shop (one of the very few left in Belgium happens to be around the corner) that they dechrome it, I polish it myself and then I take it back to them for rechroming. I've asked for a price estimate, and for example the chrome strips for a Mk II would cost about 500-600€ new. If I polish the old ones myself it would cost about 200€ (they do have to solder a hook on if there's nothing to hold them by). If they had to do it it would probably be around the same price as the new set...

Polishing machines vary in price depending on ease of use and power, but a set like this is good and cheap (sorry the page is in Dutch but the pictures are clear enough): https://www.matthys.net/nl/Shop/73/p...et-polijst-kit

I haven't done the windows yet, they will probably be harder to manoeuvre with this set... I'll keep you informed.

 

Just an add-on to my last post. For Mazak parts that are NLA, it is possible, if you have a friendly plater, to restore them, but it is a long process.

1. Strip off the chrome plate
2. Drill-out the pits of corrosion using a small drill. This gets the corrosion products out of the way
3. Copper load
4. Fill the drilled pits with solder
5. Polish
6. Copper load again
7. Polish (lightly)
8, Plate nickel then chrome.

 

I have a 65 3.8 S-Type and re-chroming is more expensive than buying new. I was able to reduce my re-chroming costs a little by purchasing a 23 piece chrome kit from SNG Barratt - The Ultimate Jaguar Parts Specialist

My chrome kit part number is: SBS1282. Ask them for the list of the parts that are included in the kit and check it out.

Good luck....

 

What about this stuff ?
I have no idea how well it works or it's durability.

If you look around there are lots of other videos of it too _ Jay Leno seems to think it's great !

 

wow, looks very promising, lots of steps, lots of distilled water, and I wonder if I can use a hair dryer instead of compressed air?

I had two 1964 metal knobs rechromed in 2012 for my XJ-6 and it cost around $70.00 including shipping back & forth. The knobs were badly pitted, but the business fixed them and delivered two pieces of art.