The days of taking my old bumper to Falshaw's in Sydney and getting a perfect reconditioned one for 25 bucks are long gone.

My very 1st job in 1977 was at a chrome platers and I had just bought my HK panel van. Every morning tea and lunch break I would madly unbolt bits from the van to get plated and was always the last one out of the carpark after work after refitting everything so I could drive home. We were chroming stuff just because we could. The boss got right into it after a while and was getting me to chrome every nut and bolt.

Real chrome in those days too.... copper, then nickel, then chrome. And repeat if needed. And all for free!