Well, after six weeks of painting, stripping, repainting, stripping, etc., I
have finally determined that the best way to get your rear VW and Vanagon
emblems looking shiny and new: shell out the $25-$30 apiece to get new ones.
Nothing even comes close to the fine reflective shine of the original
vacuum-metalization process. "Chrome" paint just never quite has that mirror
shine. Shiny, yeah. Reflective, yeah. Mirror-like, not even close.

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"