Originally Posted by
rcguy59
What pretty much killed true chrome-plated bores was the fact that hard-chrome plating produces highly toxic and hazardous byproducts that are expensive to legally dispose of anywhere but mainland China. In order to compete on price, O.S. was forced to abandon true chrome for their sport engines, to our detriment. Treated properly, ABL engines aren't bad, but I'll take chrome anytime.
OS aircraft engines were ABN from nearly the beginning. Their car and boat engines are ABC though - at least the car engines for sure are. They just took the cheap route with the aircraft engines.