Dear Fellow Enthusiasts,  a posting by Don Barton suggests nickel
plating of deteriorating pot metal items but says that it can be
expensive.

Two of the easiest do-it-yourself electroplating metals are
copper and nickel.  So apart from a modest initial set-up cost,
the process is quite simple and reliable.  Supplies of the
necessary nickel anodes and chemicals are readily available from
firms which supply the vintage vehicle restoration fraternity.
In the UK  http://www.frost.co.uk/ 

Yours sincerely,
Keith Reedman
Long Eaton, Derbyshire, England
k@reedman.org.uk.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]