renewing rims

jonny4523 · 07-17-2002, 03:04 AM

My vette had been sitting for a while before I got my hands on it and started my resto. I do not want to buy new rims. So what is the best way to make my old ones look like new? Or atleast close to it? Please keep money in mind.

82dukman · 07-17-2002, 11:05 PM

OK Jonny, I put a used set of 82's on my CE and had to "restore" them. Here's what I did, but I removed all of the clear coat as well.
You can remove the clea coat with checmical strippers, but I used #400 sandpaper, going around the rim. I followed that up with # 600 and finally #1500. This process stirips all clear coat off and you will also take the scratches out
Then I went to work with mother's wheel/mag cleaner to polish them.
I finally used a 4 1/2 grinder with buffing wheel and jewlers rouge to high polish them. Now they look like chrome, but it did take me about 3 hrs a wheel.