[73MustangBill]

This is not my car, but I have a similar car (1979 Lotus Esprit S2 JPS). The trim inside the car is aluminum that is supposed to be gold anodized, as shown in these pictures. I don't want to have to take the trim off, as that would be extremely painful, and would probably break some of it. I found a mobile plating company that usually does car badges that will gold plate it for a reasonable price (15 feet by 1/2" for $250). Will gold plating work as well as the gold anodizing, or will I be disappointed in the result?

 

[1972bird]

gold anodized is just the color of the anodizing. Gold plating will put a thin layer of gold on the plated part.

 

[Unslow1]

A lot of the brass on this car is actually gold plating. At the time the gold was cheaper and hard to tell the difference. It also has the added benefit of not tarnishing.
In this pic the buckle is gold. The other two pieces are brass. Feel free to look through the pics. Most of the buckles and small stuff are gold. I wish all the screws were also. Polishing brass is a pain.

 

[reddyeddie]

Anodizing is non conductive. You can't plate over it. The parts will have to be stripped, polished, special cleaning and pretreat before nickel plate and then a gold strike. Because of the price of gold today the plating is thin and you will likely polish thru it in time. I doubt your mobile plater can do this for you.

 

[73MustangBill]

I think the trim is aluminum, which can't be gold plated. I'd have to remove it to have it anodized, or zinc coated then gold coated.

Damn.....