Black Chrome

Skeletonboy - I agree it is in pretty good shape - so am I right in thinking that 'black chrome is the same a normal chrome but with a transparent top coat? - if so if sometime in the future it needed to be restored that is certainly do- able - thanks for the tip about autosol/wd40/coco cola - think I might set my alarm clork for an early morning ebay flutter !

You only want to consider aggressive srubbing if you take of the black. Things like autosol, and scrubbing with coca-cola and aluminium foil would take layers of the paint.

Black or smokey chrome is indeed a clearcoat on top of regular chrome. But there is such things as powder/wet spray colours with similar names designed to emulate the effect, theres a chance it is the latter. It will be easy to tell in the flesh though.

Seriously though, I would not touch that! its mint. A buff up with a soft cloth and wd40 maybe.