...sometimes yes, and sometimes no.
Upon initial compliance with the 1977 / 1978 C.P.S.C. mandates that begot those black plastic "protective" coverings on the Campy wheel guides in the first place, the underlying metal was, indeed, chrome plated and fully polished. However, as time passed (...and likely, as Campagnolo depleted their existing stock of fully chrome plated wheel guides to cover with the newly requisite black plastic), the powers that be realized it was more time and cost effective if the whole brake shoe and integrated wheel guide were NOT fully polished, and so later editions tend to look decidedly dull and "unfinished" when their plastic coverings are removed.
The bottom line is that unless you are particularly confident that the brake shoe / wheel guide combination(s) in question are relatively early models closely approximating that 1977 / 1978 cutover date, you take your chances on just what lies underneath when you remove the plastic overlay.
Robert "let's see what Carol Merrill has behind door number two" Broderick ...the "Chronically Cloudy Clime" of Oregon Portland, USA
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of accobra Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 4:38 PM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR] Campy Brake Shoes - Removing the Black Plastic
If I remove the black plastic covering on the late 70's/early 80's Campagnolo brake shoes, will they then look identical to the earlier Campy brake shoes with the "BREV. INTER. CAMPAGNOLO" markings on the wheel guides? Are they fully chromed under that plastic? I'm sure someone has checked this out. Please let me know before I sacrifice a set of later shoes by trying to melt or scrape the plastic off. Thanks
Mark Winkelman
Dallas, Texas
USA