I had the term Hydroclad in an automotive context yesterday, and what I found out about it could maybe serve in your context:

CHECK OUT OUR HYDROCLAD PICTURES
**Interior dash trim parts, shifter knobs
** Exterior mirrrors & door sill plates
**Engine compartment plastic parts, air cleaners, battery covers, etc.
**Rims and wheel covers
**Headlights, tail lights
**Helmets, motorcycle gas tanks, fenders etc.
**Computer keyboards, monitor casings
**Guitars, gas tanks, etc.
[]And lots of other possibilities!![]

The Hydroclad Process
Hydroclad
Is a process where any solid plastic, metal, glass etc part can be decorated with an array of wood grain patterns, and regular or colored carbon fiber look. The following are only a few of the endless uses for this process.

Pros to this process
By far the highest quality results are achieved since the whole actual part is decorated and clear coated with automotive grade finish. This process does not require any mold or tooling cost .any part sent to Gemico can be decorated . This process allows the decorating of nearly any 3-dimenional part like an outside mirror, a helmet or a shifter knob convex, concave etc..
This process allows you to choose nearly any color wood grain or carbon fiber, simply by manipulating background base color before the decorative film is actually applied to your part.
gemico.net/hydroclad.htm

Dekro Paints also produces specialist weatherproofing applications. These applications include **Hydroclad** and Hydroplast which are tailor-made for the often harsh Southern African climate.
http://www.liquidplastics.co.za/products.shtml

Boulevard Customs-
Cadillac STS with custom grill, custom hydroclad console, BMW with Strut grill. © Copyright 2005 Boulevard Customs. All rights reserved. ...
blvdcustoms.com/gallery.asp?cat_id=22

B-SÄULEN-DEKOR-SET. Carbon-Optik. MZ313394 Für Colt 3-Türer. MZ313395 Für Colt CZT ... Alle abgebildeten Leichtmetall-Felgen sind für Colt 3-Türer und Colt ...
www.mitsubishi-motors.de/pictures/zubehoer_colt.pdf

Auto-News: Peugeot 206 SW Quiksilver: Mit umfangreicher ...Leichtmetall-Dekor wertet die Mittelkonsole auf, die Rundinstrumente sind weiß hinterlegt und die Sportsitze mit Stoff im Slater-Design bezogen. ...
www.lycos.de/auto/news.html,,891/peugeot-206-sw-quiksilver-...

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-04-25 08:42:47 GMT)
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-> see my note: simplier suggestion = "light-alloy box with decorative finish(ing)"