Yo TA,
On several original fuel lines I've noted the following:
J2,etc, the twin pipes from the tank into the main/res switch were plated. The
long pipe from switch to union at bottom of tank I've seen painted AND plated.
And these were original lines I've examined - at least the age looked it. I
have not seen plating on the line going up into the pump at the firewall. Plain
copper from rear union to pump and carbs.
Ps, etc, the lines are copper, unplated and unpainted from the tank and and to
the firewall. The plating starts (I think) at the union near the firewall and
goes up to the main/res petrol switch on the firewall, and the jumper from the
switch to the pump was plated. BTW, the nuts were plated as well as the pipes.
Now on the plating... we (plater and me) feel strongly that it was flash
chrome directly on polished brass. No nickel, which is why it does not have
good adhesion. Same on the serial number plates. Letters were black filled
with nitrocellulos lacquer then plated. The plating process does not wipe out
the old lacquer but it takes out modern paints. We've polished and plated a
dozen pieces of brass to detirmine this; however, with different plating
processes and chemicals used today it's nearly impossible to exaclty duplicate
the original look. Direct chroming with the modern plating process does not
give the same results as plating 65 years ago did. Plating today does not need
polished after it comes out the the electro plating juice.
There's my take on it - not gospel, just what I've noted. tommm
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