daniel77350

Hey everyone, Im still really really mad at my wheels. Today I tried using clear coat remover to no avail. The only way to get these things looking decent is to pay someone else to do it, it sand them down until all the problems have been removed. :mad :cuss

But then I had a brain storm, instead of spending all that money paying someone to remove the problems and polish them, could I paint them? I mean I guess I could, its my car...but the question I have is, if I painted them rally wheel color, how would that look. What about white? Right now I cannot spend $50 a wheel to have someone polish them, the car has to much that "NEEDS" to be done before I can start to spend the money in things like having wheels polished, and so forth(Im doing "free" stuff until all my parts come in).

What are your thoughts on painting them?

Daniel
PS. I do not think that 6-8 hours working on one wheel is worth it. Some people might, but just for them to look like I hosed them down, is not worth the effort..

Cooter Tech

I have used a product called Never Dull on my wheels and they cleaned up pretty good. They were oxidized, but not pitted. If you know someone who knows how to use photo shop, give them a side view picture of your car and have them color the wheels the way you want them. It will give you an idea of how it looks. My 2 cents worth don't paint them! Roger

MIKER

Hi Daniel,
The thought of how painted or powder coated OEM aluminum rims would look on a C3 has ran through my mind before. I think that given the right color combination (car/wheel), it could look pretty darn good. I mean... I would never paint a decent set of OEM aluminum wheels to use on a really nice C3 but If I were trying to make a non-valuable / hashed out Vette that came with OEM aluminum wheels into a decent looking hot-rod thrasher for pennies, I WOULD DO IT!
Now, let's get back to YOUR car. Based on what I can tell from your signature photo, your car looks pretty darn good. In other words, it doesn't fall into the "thrasher" category. I also can't picture in my mind a wheel "color" that would work too well with the color of your car. But, if I had to choose, I would probably paint the rims high gloss BLACK.
Who knows, the NASCAR Vette look might just click!
Hmmm... I wonder how black rims would look on my Black on black '80.... Kinda road warriorish...

Why don't you start detailing some OTHER parts of your car for a while to give yourself time to think about it. I believe that you can find a solution for polishing your aluminum rims to a mirror finish. I did some research on it a while back and one wheel repair web site gave a step by step process on how to do bring aluminum wheels from what you currently have to a mirror like shine. I didn't save the site but I'm sure that you can come up with similar information if you do some surfin'.

Good luck, remember that it is YOUR CAR and dare to be different iffin' ya wanna!!! Wheels are EASY to change out at any time in the future.

Mike

1980 razz

hey daniel..i had the same problem with my vettes wheels when i first got it..the were in the worst corodid condition..i used steel wool to get all the chit off and then used mothers ..it wasnt that difficult and took about an hour a wheel..i repainted the insides after scuffing up with the steel wool and the paint has stayed on untill now without a problem and they look good..

KenSny

If you do decide to paint them be sure to use a good primer (for aluminum) otherwise the paint will peel off. Unless your rims are "classics" or not available anymore then dumping money into them might not be senseable. If you have to spend $50-100 per rim to get then polished or whatever, then apply that money towards some "cooler" rims and be HAPPY. Sometimes you have to live with what you got until you got enough to get better.....

bud snyder

Daniel,

I sure hope there not Corvette wheels!

mrvette

I think a good paint is Duplicolor Black Metallic....blue can...at parts houses...spray...glossy black metallic....put some clear over it for extra protection....looks good, and more 'charactor' than just plain black....

GENE

454Big

My choice would be:

1. Sand out all the blemishes
2a. Either polish them with good equipment to a high luster
2b. Media blast them with glass bead
3. Powdercoat the wheels either clearcoat when polished or fancy color.

Its about cheaper than painting the wheels every year and it looks not this odd like fading paint over the time.

Just my opinion!

Paul L

I would not paint them. Lacquer thinner takes the clear coat off very quickly. And fine sandpaper with a product like Mother's or a kitchen abrasive such as Bon Ami or SSO pads will remove aluminum oxide corrosion. I sourced this wheel (and three others, of course) from a salvage yard in Arizona two years ago. During the winter season when my car is stored I spent about three hours per wheel to get out minor dings, etc. Then polished them with very fine steel wool and Mother's. Two years later they only require a little polish job about once a month. They are not clear-coated. That yellows too quickly for me.






[Modified by paul79, 5:00 PM 10/14/2001]

utahrookie

When I was in the air force we had a shop called corrision control were they dipped everything prior to painting, to strip all aluminum parts. I don't know were you could find a shop that does this in your area, but what is the process for chroming ? Do they dip parts prior to chroming to prep parts ? Might not hurt to call.

Good luck.

Anar76

#9 Rubbing compound.
It's a life saver.
My wheels were painted, so were my side pipes, used that stuff.
Took about 15 mins on the wheels and about an hour each pipe.
Worked GREAT !

UKPaul

About 5 years ago I had the alloy wheels of my daily driver shot blasted & then powder coated silver. They looked OK & the powder coat, after total neglect, still cleans up well. No flaking or blemishes. It just doesn't look as good as mirror polished alloy.
I wouldn't paint the OEM factory alloys on the Vette. If you can get the clear coat off of them, then polishing them up shouldn't be too much of a problem. With the clearcoat still on there, & corrosion under it, you'll be fighting a losing battle trying to clean them up.
But.... what gets that clear coat off??? I've just spent all my spare time in the last week removing the clearcoat from the rear window trim, by hand, with 60 grade wet or dry!! Paint stripper didn't touch it, thinners, acid, cussing, nothing would touch it. What is that stuff made of???? :confused:
:cheers:
Paul

Alwyn678

Could you Chrome dip them??