J model Buffalo - horn refurbishment query

[MikeH1A]

As usual, I am tinkering and pulling bits off to spruce up. My horn works very well but the chrome on the front part has seen better days. Is it possible to get the front off and rechrome it ...and then get it all back together successfully? I was wondering about drilling the rivets out and then chroming plus reattaching with some small, shiny screws of some sort.

Has anyone done this successfully?

Ta, Mike

[oldjapanesebikes]

Has anyone done this successfully?

Sort of. I re-did my Cobra and J horn front panels at the same time. The Cobra horn used cross head screws which were easy to source, but for the 'J' I wasn't happy with the rivet options. So now my plan is to use some stainless steel bolts, shape the heads so they look like the rivet heads and polish them up and just use a nut on the back to secure them - same idea as a carriage bolt I suppose. This option was suggested to me by a friend of mine who has used this same trick on his old Enfield's where a rivet was used originally on the fenders, but he didn't want to risk damaging the chrome when using a rivet punch/set to re-attach the fender stays.

[Suzsmokeyallan]

Mike why not use some button head stainless Allen bolts which are really close to a rivets shape on your J horn restoration.
I also use them on the gauge under covers which give a much cleaner appearance than the cheap stock Phillips screws.

[MikeH1A]

Thanks for the suggestuions guys. I shall see what I can source. Interesting how you don't tend to notice the horn until you know it looks crappy and then it sticks out like the proverbials

[re5rotary]

or you could ask your mate who would turn you up some aluminium rivets so you could put it back together properly and have it looking completely original

[MikeH1A]

Ah, what a talented fella you are. Book me in for a set please. Now, how do I convince Athol to take it in for chroming as he reckons he has "closed the door"

[re5rotary]

Im afraid he is beyond hope... you could try Poles or Chch Metal finishers but metal finishers don't have a polisher I as far as I know. I will need one of the old rivets as a pattern so save one if you can T