Cleaing the wheels
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Cleaing the wheels
Hye guys I am new to this forum and this is my first post but I hope to become an active member here because you all seem like a great bunch of people. I have a 1979 Corvette and the wheels on them are very grotty looking. I have tried everything to get them clean and to look nice and shiny but nothing seems to work. Do you all have any special way of cleaning them and making them shine again? Thanks for your help!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,958
Likes: 0
From: Middletown Connecticut
Cruise-In IV Veteran
take the wheels off.. scrub em with a cleaner/degreaser.. then use a buffing wheel of some kind with some aluminum polish.
I've got some stuff around here somewhere, I'll see if I got enough of it left to get a picture
I've got some stuff around here somewhere, I'll see if I got enough of it left to get a picture
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,677
Likes: 1
From: Potomac Falls VA
Go to
Car Care Online
Look at their assortment and give them a call / shoot them an e-mail. They are very helpful, knowledgeable and have great products.
I am a big fan of the P21 products.
Click on search by category and go to the bottom for wheel care.
Car Care Online
Look at their assortment and give them a call / shoot them an e-mail. They are very helpful, knowledgeable and have great products.
I am a big fan of the P21 products.
Click on search by category and go to the bottom for wheel care.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,943
Likes: 44
From: Florham Park NJ Port Credit Ontario
I like Nevr-Dull. It made my aluminum exhaust look like chrome!
You can also get some VERY fine steel wool...add a tiny bit to the wad of Nevr-Dull to remove tough areas.
You can also get some VERY fine steel wool...add a tiny bit to the wad of Nevr-Dull to remove tough areas.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,235
Likes: 0
From: Sick of these TOOLS & AZZHATS in DC
you may need to strip them of the old clearcoat first....then use some "Mothers Aluminum Polish and a buffing pad attached to a small angle/die grinder 
they will look "WOWZA!!!"
they will look "WOWZA!!!"
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
Welcome to the forum 
Your wheels are clean, you won't get them any cleaner/shiner than they are on the photo.... because..... the clearcoat is still on there and after 25 years it's dull.....
No problem: get some paint stripper and carefully apply to the rim (not the tire, that stuff is very aggressive) and remove the clearcoat.... unless you have pitting on the aluminum any chrome polish will work to get them shiny...personally I prefer Mothers or NevRdull
Your wheels are clean, you won't get them any cleaner/shiner than they are on the photo.... because..... the clearcoat is still on there and after 25 years it's dull.....
No problem: get some paint stripper and carefully apply to the rim (not the tire, that stuff is very aggressive) and remove the clearcoat.... unless you have pitting on the aluminum any chrome polish will work to get them shiny...personally I prefer Mothers or NevRdull
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,218
Likes: 47
From: Pomfret, CT
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
Originally Posted by NC C3
you may need to strip them of the old clearcoat first....then use some "Mothers Aluminum Polish and a buffing pad attached to a small angle/die grinder they will look "WOWZA!!!"
they will look "WOWZA!!!"
We did the wheels on my buddy's 80. They were BAD! It takes a lot of elbow grease to get the old, yellowing clear coat off..but once it is off....YEAH! THey look like new.A new product that I have found to be "maybe" a little better than the mother's is NXT Metal polish.
-Rick
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by yellow73sb
What about that new buff ball form mothers any tried that?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,507
Likes: 114
From: St. Louis Mo
Most 79 wheels were not very shiney when they were new. The easiest way to clean them up that Ive found is to take them off and lay them on a bar stool and go to work. The best stuff I have found is semi chrome, bought it at Harley dealer..................LT PS Its better to use a bar stool at home, the bar maid usually gets pissed!!!!111
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Richardson TX
I need my wheels cleaned up as well. I just had my car repainted and they look VERY noticibly unpolished now that the rest of the car is in good shape. I tried using some nevr dull, but it really didn't make much of a dent with the old clearcoat on there.
I thought about sanding the clear off and polishing them myself, but there is also a local company that will take them, mill down the surface to remove the clearcoat and any scratches in the surface, then reclear and paint them (the black areas) for ~$160 a wheel. I've been told they have a very quick turnaround and can even do them overnight here in Dallas.
Not cheap, but it might be worth it to have the whole process taken care of unless you just enjoy spending the time on it. I find joy in many things I do to my corvette, but polishing aluminum for hours isn't one of them. I've done that before on my motorcycle forks (removed clearcoat, and polished underneath) and it wasn't fun.
I thought about sanding the clear off and polishing them myself, but there is also a local company that will take them, mill down the surface to remove the clearcoat and any scratches in the surface, then reclear and paint them (the black areas) for ~$160 a wheel. I've been told they have a very quick turnaround and can even do them overnight here in Dallas.
Not cheap, but it might be worth it to have the whole process taken care of unless you just enjoy spending the time on it. I find joy in many things I do to my corvette, but polishing aluminum for hours isn't one of them. I've done that before on my motorcycle forks (removed clearcoat, and polished underneath) and it wasn't fun.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,776
Likes: 142
From: North of Atlanta GA
St. Jude Donor '05
Mother's Billet polish and a buffing ball attached to power drill. easier if you take the wheels off, I did mine and could not believe the difference. The photo that Greghost posted above, using "The world's Easiet Metal Polish" look very good also.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
Originally Posted by chupacabra1974
I need my wheels cleaned up as well. I just had my car repainted and they look VERY noticibly unpolished now that the rest of the car is in good shape. I tried using some nevr dull, but it really didn't make much of a dent with the old clearcoat on there.
I thought about sanding the clear off and polishing them myself, but there is also a local company that will take them, mill down the surface to remove the clearcoat and any scratches in the surface, then reclear and paint them (the black areas) for ~$160 a wheel. I've been told they have a very quick turnaround and can even do them overnight here in Dallas.
Not cheap, but it might be worth it to have the whole process taken care of unless you just enjoy spending the time on it. I find joy in many things I do to my corvette, but polishing aluminum for hours isn't one of them. I've done that before on my motorcycle forks (removed clearcoat, and polished underneath) and it wasn't fun.
I thought about sanding the clear off and polishing them myself, but there is also a local company that will take them, mill down the surface to remove the clearcoat and any scratches in the surface, then reclear and paint them (the black areas) for ~$160 a wheel. I've been told they have a very quick turnaround and can even do them overnight here in Dallas.
Not cheap, but it might be worth it to have the whole process taken care of unless you just enjoy spending the time on it. I find joy in many things I do to my corvette, but polishing aluminum for hours isn't one of them. I've done that before on my motorcycle forks (removed clearcoat, and polished underneath) and it wasn't fun.
Do it yourself....It won't take but 3 hours...the hard way .....on the Vette...Remove clear coat with 400 grit wet/dry and polish..or.you can follow the 400 with 1000.....
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Richardson TX
Originally Posted by rihwoods
$160.00 a wheel !!! Do it yourself....It won't take but 3 hours...the hard way .....on the Vette...
Remove clear coat with 400 grit wet/dry and polish..or.you can follow the 400 with 1000.....
Do it yourself....It won't take but 3 hours...the hard way .....on the Vette...Remove clear coat with 400 grit wet/dry and polish..or.you can follow the 400 with 1000.....
I haven't committed to doing it and may try going the "do it yourself" route to see how it turns out (it certainly can't hurt except for the time involved), but if you look at the price of a new set of similar wheels you'll find it might be well worth the $160 to make the ones you have look brand new.
Last edited by chupacabra1974; Jul 7, 2005 at 03:35 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by chupacabra1974
I appreciate the advise and would tend to agree with you on slightly tarnished wheels, but 400 grit sandpaper isn't going to remove some of the larger gauges in the wheel left from things like grazing curbs over the years. I also don't know that 3 hours takes into account polishing, painting, AND reapplying clear coat to all 4 wheels.
I haven't committed to doing it and may try going the "do it yourself" route to see how it turns out (it certainly can't hurt except for the time involved), but if you look at the price of a new set of similar wheels you'll find it might be well worth the $160 to make the ones you have look brand new.
I haven't committed to doing it and may try going the "do it yourself" route to see how it turns out (it certainly can't hurt except for the time involved), but if you look at the price of a new set of similar wheels you'll find it might be well worth the $160 to make the ones you have look brand new.
The curb damage can be fixed with a file, sandpaper and maybe a Dremel...
There's no need to put clearcoat back on the rim, it looks so much better without it. You'll have to polish them with some chrome poilish every 2 weeks or so but that's no big deal...
For $160 per rim you can almost buy the TT2 rims......
Last edited by MYBAD79; Jul 11, 2005 at 02:49 PM.