I'll be doing a review on Ironhide/Ratchet when I get the e-Hobby versions so I can do the whole thing in one she-bang. But yeah, there's just as much chrome on the Encores as much as on the originals. You can see a shot of my original Ratchet and Ironhide with the Encores in the TF G1/Movie toy comparison thread.

As for original Grapple vs reissues... I only have the Hasblo reissue which is chrome and launcher mechanism raped but otherwise seems as good as the original. See dirge's review for a comparison with the Takara reissue (under 'variations').