jkeithv

First post here. Looking forward to purchasing a GS in the near future and exploring all the Corvette and Accessory options. It seems all the wheels I've seen from the factory or on web pics show painted or chrome. Does anybody have stock wheels that are the polished aluminum? I'm planning on a white GS, and getting it with painted wheels then taking them to get polished. Any thoughts? I look forward to joining the Vette community!

Top_Fuel

Polished wheels were never an option on the GS. All GS wheels are painted or chrome. Now that I think about it, there isn't a polished wheel option on any C6 model (I think).

Slare

Your plan is a little risky because there is no telling the quality of the wheels underneath the factory paint. Often factory painted wheels have filler underneath them due to flaws in the casting, so polishing would be a problem.

You are stuck either taking that risk, or going with previous style Z06 10 spoke stars, which were available polished. I think those were the only wide-body compatible OEM rim that were available polished.

Top_Fuel

I think I misunderstood your original question.

Here is a link to a place that polishes wheels. I'm sure they could give you an idea of what to expect...and how much it would cost. The idea of a polished GS wheel sounds pretty cool. I prefer polished metal instead of chrome.

Check out this thread where a guy stripped and polished the wheels on his S10. Not bad for a guy working in his driveway.

red2012

polished wheel have a different alluminum alloy and content than painted wheels. when the manufacturer builds a wheel they intend to polish its a bit different from the painted version material wise. my advise would be to not polish a painted wheel as the desired effects are not attainable.

petermj

different aluminum content? There are only two methods to cast wheels and the composition of the alloy cannot be changed due to safety regulations. If you have a link to what you claim, kindly provide it because this is a complete news to me what you just stated. Any wheel can be polished. BTW, wheels are rarely painted these days, they typically get powdercoated or at least the clear over the color base is powdercoated for durability.

petermj

Are you implying there is body filler under the paint/powder coat? I have never heard of such occurence.

designerRob

Get a set of CCW's. They make beautiful, high quality polished wheels. I polish mine and seal them with Rejex twice a year.

red2012

just yesterday i went to have my split spoke rims polished at my wheel guy and that is what he told me. i wanted to get a different look than painted and he said they would not come right. you would think that if they could of he wouldn't turn down the business. he is a very competent shop and i had no reason to disbelieve him. but anybody could be wrong no? ill do some further investigation.

boraxman

I believe the 08-09 Gumbys can be either chrome or polished.

red2012

BTW there are many different types of alluminum 4043 5356 etc. i know cause im in the business but i know nothing about the different polishing properties of different alloys of alluminum. maybe some polish better than others but maybe some cant be polished to a high enough quality to meet the customers expectations.

speedraider

You can have your GS wheels powdercoated to look just like polished aluminum

last901

Filler on wheels designed to run at nearly 200 MPH? Seems odd to me. Why would a company as large as GM use filler rather than simply reject them or melt them back down? Must be pretty small defects. Lot of risk here if the wheel ever fails.

So, are you suggesting that the chrome wheels are actually of higher quality?

AORoads

true, the only problem being, they didn't come in the OP's GS sizes.

as to wheel composition, there is no one set formula for wheels but there is a standard for safety. that said, there are many compounds that can be used for alloy wheels.

petermj

Agreed there are many types of aluminum alloys. However, I seriously doubt that any manufacturer at all would be using different compositions based on the type of finish. As a matter of fact, you can buy unfinished wheels, with the final finish unknown at the time of production. The strength of the wheel would be affected by the alloy composition as well, this is subject to rather strict safety oversight.

I think what you may be thinking or been told is the difference between gravity and low pressure casting methods to make wheels although even then, porosity would be pretty rare event and unlikely to be seen to the naked eye. I would expect forged wheels to be EASIER to polish than gravity cast variety but in the end, you can polish them old, just the matter of time and money.

petermj

body filler is not temperature resistant, when you try to subject filler to high temp like during powder coating baking, it would all blister and fall off-this is how body filler can be removed from a metal part. You cannot plate filler either. I do like the notion of someone using body filler on wheels

ElectricGP

I aggree with 2012, I had some experience with this subject. Don't know if they've changed the alloy mix but I bought an 06 with polished wheels, They looked a little cloudy so I took them to my wheel guy who stripped the clear coat off, the polished are clear coated after polishing and had them re-polished and re-clear coated. after he did one, he called me told me to come look at it as it did'nt look any better than before. The clear coat looked better but the cloudyness wasjst as bad and was in the alloy not the clear coat. The alloy mix seemed to have a some copper which when polished smeared into the rest which caused a cloudy look. So I had them chromed. Still cheaper then all new wheels but cost more then just ordering car with chrome wheels.

mksz51

I have an 05 - polished wheels from the factory. They ARE clearcoated.

PaulB

Chrome wheels require a lot less maintenence. My friends that hove OEM and Aftermarket Polished Wheels liked them to begin with but after a while the upkeep is just way to much. I am in favor of the Chrome. I usually get the standard painted wheels when the car is new and go from there. i have tried to get a different look also. I inquired about getting outer areas Chromed (like a beauty rim) and leave the centers Painted. I was told this could be done but costs to do this would be ought of sight.

C7Joy

Here is my '06 vert with polished, clear coated original wheels.



(Brake rotors with rust blooms from a fresh wash! )