Bodageta1995

I need info/experience on anyone that has had their 1988 or 1989 Wheels professionally refinished including the center hub caps. I had considered doing myself but decided to spend the money and have it done. I live in Atlanta GA and choose Allloy Wheel Repair. awrswheelrepair.com They are a national company with locations regionally across the USA and seem to have good reviews. I spoke to the company by email and asked about the center caps and had they done them before they said no problem. When I dropped them off the people accepting them were concerned they couldn't do the center caps. The company later was contacted and the rep said he didn't know what to do and is making some phone calls. I sent him a photo and he said they couldn't strip as it would harm the finish. I told him it might not as it is alum if you remove the emblem and rubber o ring gasket. I'm waiting but concerned I'm ruining my wheels? I want the OEM Factory Look (nothing custom). They CNC machine the wheels and cant do the caps (which I get). I'm concerned that even if I strip and reclear (which I can do I think myself) the machine finish could not match that of the refinished wheel and really stick out and look odd. Anybody have experience. Ive seem forum posts but not that really adresses this issue. I could get the whole wheels back but I was hoping they could fix miinor curb rash as well and I was willing to pay the money to get a better job. I'm keeping this car for life. I don't want to buy wheel outright as I know mine aren't bent and the wheel pressure transmitters work. Any thoughts???? Any experiences????

WVZR-1

If your primary concern is just the "polished flange" of the wheels have the shop just "match" the flanges, then you polish the rim flange surface and move on. If the center caps and the machined face of the wheel has issues then you need to address that. I've had maybe 6 sets of wheels "flange matched" so that when mounted on a car you can go wheel to wheel and they're a match. I've seen wheels refinished/machined and are returned without being "flange matched" and it stands out.

mlm0

I had same issue on my 89. Had a company cnc wheels? But would not do center cap. I have tried many things to get them to match , but no luck. I just polished them the best I could

Bodageta1995

Thanks for the feedback on matching the flange as well as the photo. If nobody has a solution I'll call the company Tuesday and have them cancel the work and I'll go pick them up. It's a little over an hour drive each way. I would love a solution. I don't have a machine shop but if there were enough demand I'm sure a fixture could be made to mount it like the wheel but to something that could be spun and cut. Might be hard to replicate the finish on the wheel still. I was hoping since they were supposed specialists they could handle it - especially since I asked in advance about the center caps and if they had ever done a set before.

WVZR-1

Are you only interested in doing the wheels back to OE?

That wheel takes color very well and looks very good in black. I wouldn't hesitate to do the wheels in black retaining the polished rim flange. The wheel and center cap in "car color" would work for some colors but not all. What color is your car?

kenmohr

had them chemical stripped and polished them my self.

WVZR-1

I believe the OP's concern is the center caps. Car looks great BUT let's show the OP the wheels and center caps, maybe a couple of them in more/better detail.

1bdvet

Your set looks great, place here did friends 89, and when completed looked like yours. They sure shine!

Your car looks great, white with red, perfect combinations, enjoy the what's left of summer.

shootnstarz

Am I understanding you want the factory machined finish look? I'm guessing only a metal lathe could do that. If you want wheels like the white car above you can do that with some wet sanding and metal polish.

AFTER you strip the clear coat remove the O rings and emblems from the center cap and reinstall them, polish wheels and center caps together. I twisted a stud off an emblem and had to buy a new one but that was trivial. I wet sanded with 400, 800, 1200 and the used Mothers metal polish, 7" rotary polisher with wool pad. They came out great.

Rick

Bodageta1995

Those Polished wheels look great. They really do, but I'm trying to preserve a factory look. The car is street driven though a couple of times a month on average. The company just asked if I could bring back the wheel locks. I have a feeling they are considering somehow milling the center caps while on the wheel, which might work provided the milling is minimal (too deep would remove too much recess for the emblem and for the lock and possibly hit the lock when milling. I'm going to ask more questions and if it sounds risky and they dont have history, I'll pick my wheels up as I dont want an experiment gone bad to happen on my wheels. I'll update as to what happens and the outcome. My wheels are in pretty good shape except for peeling of the clear mostly on the cap and some edge curb rash. I ordered a set of stripped and recleared caps earlier this year off ebay. Those caps didn't match the OEM finish and were darker. I still have them. I was hoping to use them with my wheels and get rid of the bulk of clear peel. If the company can't come up with something low risk I'll try to strip with chemical stripper and polish without removing the factory ridges and then reclear. Did anyone chemically strip, polish and clean off the polish contamination and then relclear with good results. If so what did you use? I would assume some final wash/pre paint oil and wax remover would work but I dont know if it will dull the aluminum or not? Regardless, thanks for the responses. I'll keep this thread up to date with progress for future/others and post photos if I can. Many Thanks

Bodageta1995

These are the wheels I want to refinish. I'll look for a close up photo.

kenmohr

Sorry tried to show the caps will match if you strip and polish them together. That was the only way I could get them to match. Had some pics showing progress while polishing but I can't find them. I may have erased them. I think you can see they do match if you do them together. I believe GM did not do them that way and all I tried to get to match didn't.

Thanks for the compliment. Love my 89

kenmohr

I did not sand at all. Had chemical strip done. I used Mothers also. Machining is all still there. I also used a 7" and 10" polisher. Yours looks great.

Bodageta1995

Kenmohr. So you had them chemically stripped (I assume took them somewhere and had them dipped is some type of stripper) - wheels and caps. The polished with mothers without sanding and then did not clear coat. You just keep them polished. Is that correct? FYI, your care looks great.

1bdvet

Looking at the wheels, they look good, BUT one suggestions, get rid of those weights, they damage the wheel, and don't look clean.
Have them balanced with stick on weights, that go inside the wheel.

Bodageta1995

Agree. I'm going to get rid of the weights but... The photo of my black 89 convertible is of the wheels "as is". They are in pretty decent shape but som clear is peeling, mostly around the emblems on the center cap. I just drove up and dropped off the wheel locks at AWRS. I assume they are going to try to machine with the wheel or the wouldn't need them. This could go bad or good. I told them if they aren't confident in their capability I'll come pick up the wheels and caps and strip and clear myself. They are closed today. I'll discuss with them tomorrow.

RUU

If you don't mind eating Kraft Dinner for a few months, just order a new set;
http://www.parts123.com/corvettecent...50f&ukey=33700

kenmohr

Yes that is correct. I would have stripped them myself but is was winter and had no well vented work area. After mothers I used Nu Finish to get final shine and protect. Whish I had the original pics of the wheels. They looked real bad. The finish was peeling everywhere and discolored. There was no scratches or gouges and the did come out great. Be patient and yours will too. I left my old ones on until I was done buffing. Every morning with my morn coffee I did another round of buffing. Three months with almost no effort.

Oh yea I used silver wheel paint in the ? (fan area). If you do that mask real well.

kenmohr

I tried that and they didn't match either. This project drove me crazy.

Bodageta1995

At least I'm not alone in the cap matching concern/condition. I've searched the Internet more than I should and haven't found much. I've found out through my internet searches that the guy I just happen to be communicating with on my wheels and caps I dropped off at AWRS is the founder and that the company has over 160 franchises and is now worldwide. He started the company in1985 from what I read. They have lots of high tech equipment and patents on processes. So if they can't do it I doubt anyone can (or should I say will). I know it can be done (center caps). It seems all of their work for full refinish turns the wheel on a lathe. I think they probably have a ton of established programs and seemed to have one for the 89 wheel. Hopefully they will modify to install and machine the cap at the same time. I would think a holder fixture could be machined as well. If they can't do it I'll do what others have here (strip/polish). I'm nervously excited to see what these AWRS folks can do.