I had spoken with Gardner. They offer the hangers unplated (natural metal) in their base kit. For an additional sum of money they will
plate the hangers. They called it galvanizing but perhaps they mean silver plating.
Does any one know how the judges at a major meet would evaluate plated hanger brackets when the originals were unplated?
I have installed quite a few first gen Gardner Exhausts, their detailed show hangers are silver zinc plated and very nice. They spend a lot of time making the correct rivits like the GM production line parts. The rubber is corded just like the originals. Unfortunately they are only available with their exhaust systems, they dont sell individual parts.
As a note of Interest, be carefull when buying NOS hangers, there was a run of them where the upper holes are stamped into the hanger EXACTLY backwards and will not bolt into the body. I have successfully Tig welded those holes up and redrilled them. I then ground/buffed/sanded them off carefully and shot them with Eastwood Matte Clear so they would not rust.
ALL the other Repo hangers are not even close IMO.
I dont think judges would take points off for plated hangers, but it probably depends on what class you are being judged in.