While we are on the topic of dress up items and in the spirit of rare OEM finds, any thoughts on the OEM Nismo door handle protectors? Has anyone ever installed these?



There's a thread here, but not much was discussed (also note the Nismo OEM sedan exhaust discussed, how is it we overlooked that one?): https://www.myg37.com/forums/g37-cou...ndle-what.html

Installed on an R34 here, maybe a little too Autozone looking: https://www.reddit.com/r/SkyLine/com...y_look_pretty/

But not nearly as much as this version which also has a piece that fits on the handle (made me dizzy looking at it); https://www.ebay.com/itm/235896544180

I'm not keen on the color contrast in the pic above, but the Silver version (PN 8064A-RN021) on a silver car could be interesting; https://www.rhdjapan.com/nismo-door-...e-v36-v37.html

May look better on a coupe as x4 on a sedan may be too much (<Subtle).

 

It would look really weird seeing black inserts on your car, so absolutely the silver version makes more sense. You could buy two of them and check it out. They aren't expensive.

Is the area behind the door handle scratched up or otherwise damaged so that you need to hide something? If so, then I could see wanting to do something to address that. Otherwise, it's purely a stick-on doo-dad from Pep Boys, even if it's JDM.

At risk of sounding elitist, here's a good question: Do you like seeing little Nismo labels on things that have nothing to do with performance? Maybe if you remove or paint over the NISMO text.

 

I’ve questioned these things as well and believe my only attraction to the protectors is that they are unique and OEM. That area on my car looks new, so no need to cover anything up. I have seen other cars where the same area is destroyed and could never figure out how this happens. I wear rings as well, so maybe I’m just more careful than most? That Nismo sedan catback exhaust buried in the old thread above is interesting. Never knew such a thing existed. The coupe has an OEM sport axle back, but nothing for the sedan.

 

Now that I've got this FSTB bug in my ear, I found myself staring at the engine bay and coming to a conclusion.
.

1. Black Chrome powder-coat would look better than the high-contrast polished aluminum that I've got now.
2. Black Chrome electroplating would be much better than both.

I'm visualizing that area where the FSTB better matches the intake mid-pipes. It's a good visualization.

So that will be my focus, to figure out how to make that happen with a reasonable expense and effort.

 

Seems we have a handful of metal plating businesses here in Rochester, but they aren't really set up for small project hobbyists. More importantly, none of them do Black Chrome electroplating. However, one of them did give me a reference to a place in Syracuse, and another in Buffalo, so I've got inquiries out and waiting to hear back.

Unless I ship the FSTB somewhere in the country, I may be forced to reconsider powder-coating.

 

Love the one you're with?

 

We'll see how things shake out. Powder coating is certainly an easier, less expensive route.

I've been hearing a noise in my wife's Subaru, thinking it one of the wheel bearings. It was the driver's side rear. However once it got in the shop, the front control arms and ball joints had too much play to pass inspection. And in taking off the control arms, the front sway bar end-links were frozen and couldn't be reused. And in replacing the one rear wheel bearing they discovered the rear pad material had separated from the back plate, so new rear pads.

OMG, we just got hit with a big maintenance bill. On the up side, the car is solid as a rock now. Steering and handling are like new, even though we're about to hit 100K miles.

 

Gotcha beat. I have the 100K mile timing belt service coming up on the wife's Honda. No idea why Honda continues to use rubber timing belts on the Pilot. Subarus are good cars, so money well spent. Always fun to fix things on these cars and then be reminded what the car felt like when new. I went through the same with the Honda CRV I bought my son. Replaced almost everything on the suspension and it drives like a new one.

Reminds me that I need to replace my G's 12 year old end links (new set in the garage). Sway bars finally shipped from Stillen as they had to make another batch and will replace when I install those...Feels like the aftermarket is drying up for our cars.

 

I reached out to a large Chrome shop in Syracuse this morning, and they were the first place to tell me there aren't any Black Chrome Electroplating services on the entire East Coast. Yikes! He said Black Chrome just isn't as popular as it used to be, because of environmental concerns. Then he name dropped a shop in California that used to be the go-to, however after some digging around I realized they went out of business years ago.

(sigh)

It's looking like Powder Coat is by and far the route of least resistance.

 

Chrome shops are a dying breed because of the environmental concerns, so you need to find one with a license that's current.

Call Steve at L.A. Wheel and Tire as he is my chrome guy and has been doing this type of work for many years: (818) 626-8867

 

Since many of the regulars don't check the other forums, I'm curious on your feedback regarding the VR30 swap based on the discussion I created here: https://www.myg37.com/forums/engine-...ml#post4339761

 

Thanks. I reached out to them via email.

 

I will text him as well. Good guy. When I called around for my wheels, many of the shops I spoke to in the east and Midwest referred me back to 1-2 companies in CA.

Interesting that the remaining chrome shops in the US reside in the state with the most strict environmental regulations.

If you are longing for a High School honors chemistry review, let AI tell you "what about chrome process is not environmentally safe"

 

Hint - the most environmentally friendly part of this is the emissions from the shipping method.

I had a shop in Greensboro NC that was grandfathered when I lived up there, do some hard chrome plating on rotary and RX7 racecar parts. Hard chrome on the control arms since they get beat up, and shiny chrome on plumbing, oil pans, etc. And mechanical polishing on AL parts like intake manifolds, rotor housings, cover plates etc.

The owner (in his 80s back in 2000) walked me through the process - it ain't pretty.

 

I noticed that too, about California, and also thought that was odd. The guy I spoke to in Syracuse said that older shops were "grandfathered in" after the laws made chroming things more difficult.

It occurred to me this morning that a $10 roll of black chrome vinyl wrap might be an interesting diversion. But not nearly as good as powdercoat or electroplating.

Before you gave me that lead, I literally just removed my FSTB and was resigned to driving out to my powder-coater's new location. But I'm going to chill and see what comes of this California connection.