I purchased this wonderful GMC hood ornament while at the AACA show last weekend in Hershey, which I'm pegging to be from '58 or '59 and from a heavy duty truck (not the 1/2 ton to 1-ton models). I'd love to get it sandblasted so I can repaint it in the traditional colors of white with red centers (assuming I don't go for rechroming). Would a typical neighborhood body shop offer sandblasting services? Or would I have to find a restoration shop instead?

Sorry, forgot to include the picture:

You need a sandblasting guy, not a body shop.

And I'm not so sure sandblasting would be very kind to a piece of trim like that.

I'd call a chrome shop and ask about that before doing it.

But blasting that should be very cheap if you go that route.

You need a sandblasting guy, not a body shop.

And I'm not so sure sandblasting would be very kind to a piece of trim like that.

Agreed. I'd look at soda blasting first.

2 sites said these are die cast, which means pot- or white metal.

In the possibility there is half-decent chrome under the paint, and in that this isn't a 100-point resto piece, you can get excellent results using 000 steel wool on chromed pot metal.

If the paint strongly resists removal this way, I would try a weaker chemical stripper. Blasting (sand or soda) very well may break loose the plating and make the smooth surfaces noticeably textured.

This all said, I have a sand blaster with very fine sand in it; I would be willing to blast it (gently) if you decide you want to go that way.

A few times you've been up my way, if you're coming up again (New Brunswick area), let me know.

Edited October 15, 201113 yr by balthazar

Thanks for the information guys, and balthazar for your offer! I may just take you up on it

As for the ornament, only the deluxe-trimmed models received chrome plated hood ornaments, otherwise they came standard as painted white with the inside of the letters red. I did find a chrome plating shop in Philadelphia that was a vendor at the AACA show, and it is a consideration (I have a '55-'56 GMC hood ornament and grille backing that I want to plate first). This one I bought looks to be an original painted one (painted over blue, which is now coming off), as no shiny parts are visible front or rear.

I will let you know soon balthazar!