Thanks for all the compliments.
I know it`s a slightly rude question but can you recall the cost of plating the centre shields? I would like to get mine done.
Here is a pic of one batch which cost me £50 cash.
There's a place near to me who are really friendly, work for cash for the little guy, and just make a number by guestimate. It's all about developing a relationship, being friendly and getting them to like you, that way they won't give you a F*off price.
As for longevity, the two long steel heat shields (not shown in the photo) were zinc coated at the factory. I have blasted them, zinc plated them, then powder coated them, which is what I've done with most parts (not nuts and bolts), so it should last longer then the original. BTW, the stuff in the middle section of the photo is bare steel that was rusty as hell, what you see there is how I have cleaned off the rust and then treated with POR15 metal prep. When the stuff comes back from the blasters it's not perfect so I then make it perfect with rotary wire brushes and my own sand-blaster. The rust on the underside was ground off as much as possible and then rust converter used, then zinc primer, then Gravi-tex stone chip, then two coats of 2k top coat. I also sprayed 'XCP' anti-rust in the chassis rails. So I think I've done all a man can do short of a complete 'dip-n-strip'. It will never see salty roads again and it will live under cover. I think it should last well. I'm not really a mechanic as such, but what I do do, is take rusty stuff off, make it better than new, then put it back together.
Pace & love
Andrew