Original chrome or refinish.

[stidds]

Now I have a GT frame and forks that are currently sat in their original chrome, now somebody has tried to clean the chrome using something that scratched and dulled the chrome.

I have tried all I know to get some shine back on the bike but to no avail, it is not getting much better than I have.

The dulled tube is the down tube from headset to bottom bracket where the frame sticker sits (I have new frame stickers to go on), the rest of the frame condition is pretty damn good for 30 years old.

Here is my question should I leave it as it is even though it will never be a star of the show but it is in its original clothing or get the frame painted and have it looking minty.

The frame is not a massively rare one or particularly expensive so if it is refinished it is not a one off that will never be seen again.  Also due to what the frame is I am not going to get it re-chromed as it will be way too expensive.

What is everybody's opinion?

I will take a couple of pictures and bang them up.

[Gnarlyscoots]

Is it a Pro Series Sean?

I am a massive fan of original finishes these days and even if it has a few floors, it is still original. That is something you cannot get back with a refinish 

My JMC has a 'wear' in the chrome on the TT but I would rather keep it in original chrome than get the new 'wet' look chrome finish 

[stidds]

It is a 84 Pro Series Terry, here are the pictures.

[MartyC]

Looks like it has been stripped of or prepared for a candy coat, would look great in candy too.

[Gnarlyscoots]

I see what you mean mate 

If you use chrome backed decals, it should cover most of it, then get some genuine old 'other' decals and add them too. It should get most of it hidden mate 

These ride superb and I miss my 2 but didn't have the space for them and needed to fit the JMC in 

[stidds]

Now the reason I am happy for chrome or blue is that when I rode for GT I rode a chrome one and finally a blue one. 

So replicating either of them is fine by me, just whether I am going to be annoyed when looking at the scratched/dull chrome in the future.

[midschooljon]

Id get it done blue Stidds.

I dont like refinishing bikes if they can be brought back, or are even in decent used condition. That however is not going to polish out, and I dont think chrome backed decals will cover all of it either. If you do it blue the bike will look how you want it, and you wont be looking at it wishing it wasn't all scratched up.

[Pooch]

White.... Love a white bike.

[markyp]

get it redone Sean,its fooked

[nosepickben]

Paint it. There's plenty of chrome GT's about. I like seeing them in black or something else unusual.

[meticulous]

if you apply candy coloured laquar to that all the scratches will show through the candy,  I know as I've tried it... 

the candy I am talking about is the tints that go into the laquar,  not the basecoat pearls (that can look like candy laquar) you often see on painted bikes...

but yes my guess too is that its been keyed ready for paint with a sanding disc...

[chubby]

I agree with terry that nice survivor bikes are cool & have a couple on the go myself. problem with this one is the downtube is quite bad, while the rest is ok.  think you could go to the trouble of building it & trying to hide most of the damage & it'll still piss you off . In this case I'd take the blue option sean 

[Munnyella]

if it was survivor/riding damage, i'd say keep it, but its been raped on purpose, there is nothing regarding its history in that damage, paint it!

MM

[factory pilot]

It needs redoing mate.... as others have said it's not a survivor damaged beast so nothing will be lost

[oberonspacefruit]

Have you tried using a high speed bench polisher, working through the grades of paste and mops? in my experience that has brought even the dullest of surfaces back to a mirror finish. the only problem is that you are left with a slight line, where the chrome plate ends. that may be covered with decals though. id deffo mop it first, before powdering it.