williamldavis

I've been on a chrome cleaning frenzy lately on another bike. Today I got this bright idea to clean the smoked chrome using Nevr Dull. It shined up real pretty but I think the smoke chrome is gone.

Based on what I've read I did think the smoke portion should have came off.

I don't know, if I look closely at the decals I see chrome that matches what it looks like now. So I'm really not sure if someone did not make their own smoke chrome with lacquer or nicotine stains ;-). The bike looks good like it is but can't help feeling like I ruined it. Maybe the smoked chrome on an SLE was not like that on a Vent Noir. :-(

gaucho777 

I'm not excatly sure what finish AD used, but it sounds like it could have been what is sometimes called a "chromovelo" finish, which is basically a tint over the chrome. Usually it's a thin transparent metallic layer of paint--beautiful, but often prone to chipping. If that was the case, you should treat it like delicate paint and not metal (i.e. Never Dull could damage the finish). Pictures would sure be helpful, especially if you have before & after shots.

CroMo Mike 

Some of the "gold" colored bikes in the 1980's were chrome that had a gold-orange colored clear coat sprayed over them. Had to be treated like paint, i.e., wax polish, not abrasive polish. Underneath was shiny chrome.

photogravity

where's puchfinnland when you need him?

Tigh

New member to the site but have been lurking for a while.
I have an AD V/N with the smoked chrome finish. It's been ridden a lot but the finish is still pretty good. Let me know if you'd like a picture for comparison.
Many good miles on that bike;qualified for the '84 and '87 P-B-P on the AD V/N.

Iowegian

FWIW, I had a goldish smoked chrome Vent Noir II at one time and it seemed more like the color was part of the 'chrome' and not a chromovelo cover. It was a racing bike and had seen lots of action but there were no chips or places where shiny chrome came through the finish. I've heard speculation that the AD finish was similar to the industrial 'chrome' used for engine parts, etc. It certainly did not look like any standard chrome plating that I've ever seen.

Edit to add: I think I've seen some AD bikes that were painted on top of regular chrome. You'd probably know if that's what you have but just a thought.

williamldavis

Before




After



Bike is so hard to photograph.

williamldavis

Inline showing more chrome look.

unworthy1

slight thread hijack: I don't know about what difference there might be between an SLE "smoked chrome" finish and a
Vent Noir, but I heard (and believed) that A-D used a "hard chrome" plating on the Vent Noir frames, similar to the plating used on motorcycle fork sliders, or perhaps some cylinder bores. Does anybody have confirmation of the truth of that hear-say?

RobbieTunes

OP, give us a shot of the same part of the bike before/after, like head tube.
Can't tell much from the pics you put up. shoot a higher res if possible, 1200 x 1024 max.

I know nothing about such chrome, but had a motorcycle like that, and about a week after I "polished" it, it returned to the smoked look.

Grand Bois

For what it's worth, I've read that somewhere on the internet. Maybe it was here.

williamldavis

RobbieTunes I'll definitely get a better shot. I'm thinking you might be right about the smoke look coming back.

I think this thing was just the cleanest it has ever been, since I've had it. Looking at the actual chrome parts on the bike doesn't look the same as where I cleaned the frame.

The best way to describe it is like looking at chrome with sunglasses on. Just losing that goldish-brown patina was freaking me out.

Thanks to everyone that has responded.