There's an affliction that targets custom car builders causing excessive bolt on parts, blinding interiors, and swollen rims. That deadly pocketbook killer is chrome.

It's thought the chrome pandemic originated in 1743 England when an accidental repair at Sheffield's Cutlers Company fused silver plating onto a copper utensil. Over time, the shine and hardness properties of silver were upgraded and replaced by nickel and then chromium.

Besides the obvious eye catching benefits that create its addiction, chrome makes steel harder, it's both moisture and corrosion resistant, and it even hardens surfaces. Multiple coats of copper and/or nickel are often applied and then smoothed before the chromium is electro-deposited onto parts to create that mirror-glass shine.

Symptoms of this illness may include frivolous chroming of brake rotors, dashboards, or in extreme cases even complete cars.

Finding yourself powerless against chrome? There is hope. You can gradually substitute nickel plating or polished aluminum, which provide similar effects, just not in the same potency.

If you'd like to see the aftermath of this chrome obsession, you can find some examples at Paul's Chrome Plating.