What would you do??
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
What would you do??
Hey folks...some cosmetic issues that need attention before the season...
Rust on chrome rims
Peeling chrome on spokes
Bad clear coat around emblems, nose and gas cap
For now, changing the wheels is not an option...maybe in 2007. I'd like to make them presentable until then. Wheel shop says they're perfectly safe, just look lousy.
Many thanks,
Steve
Rust on chrome rims
Peeling chrome on spokes
Bad clear coat around emblems, nose and gas cap
For now, changing the wheels is not an option...maybe in 2007. I'd like to make them presentable until then. Wheel shop says they're perfectly safe, just look lousy.
Many thanks,
Steve
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
Originally Posted by stingraymaniac
repaint the gas cap the nose dosent look so bad 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,009
Likes: 11
From: Philadelphia, sub burbs Wynnewood, PA
As far as your wheels go…….I would take a piece of steel wool and use it on the rust spots……..that should take care of that. The Gas cap is easer to fix b/c you can remove it, take the badge off and repaint the whole cap. If I were you I would also think about new badges too. The nose badge I would leave alone until you are ready to repaint the whole car. That’s just my two cents.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
AutoZone sells an aircraft stripper that will take the clear coat off quickly. You can then polish the wheels and apply a new clear coat. Polishing is labor intensive but you should be able to get a couple more years out of the wheels.
Rick B.
Rick B.
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Pro
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 623
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From: Chicago IL
Rust wise, my rims were in as bad of a shape or even worse than yours. They haven't been touched in over 20 years. 
I used some turtle wax chrome polish and some elbow grease and they came out pretty good. On the area with alot of rust on it, just keep going at the area and keep adding the chrome polish to it. So some harder spots, I would leave it one for 20-30 mins. I'm serious though, it should take you a couple hours per wheel. I also had some peeling chrome,but not as bad as yours. I just left it alone, because I don't think there's anything else you can do to it other than get it rechromed. I was then going to get that mother's ball thing and use that on the rims after I polished them inorder to clean them up better but I decided to focus on the engine first.
Here are my pictures . I had better detailed ones, showing before/after but I lost those pictures after my computer crashed. So these are the only ones left.
I used some turtle wax chrome polish and some elbow grease and they came out pretty good. On the area with alot of rust on it, just keep going at the area and keep adding the chrome polish to it. So some harder spots, I would leave it one for 20-30 mins. I'm serious though, it should take you a couple hours per wheel. I also had some peeling chrome,but not as bad as yours. I just left it alone, because I don't think there's anything else you can do to it other than get it rechromed. I was then going to get that mother's ball thing and use that on the rims after I polished them inorder to clean them up better but I decided to focus on the engine first.Here are my pictures . I had better detailed ones, showing before/after but I lost those pictures after my computer crashed. So these are the only ones left.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
Originally Posted by rihwoods
Did they put clear coat on chrome wheels ?
BTW, DON'T use the aircraft stripper on the gas lid. It will take all of the paint off, not just the clear. If the edges of the clear coat on the lid are feathered down, a few new coats of clear should improve the appearance quite a bit.
Rick B.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
Originally Posted by Demonic Possession
Good Luck with your rims 
Your pix are encouraging! I'll take your advice and tackle the rust then go after the peeling chrome. I'm thinking of sourcing some self stick laminate that I can cut and attach to the spokes instead of trying to paint the offending areas...TBD. Any leads or thoughts on this approach?
http://www.alsacorp.com/products/sal...inates_spk.htm
http://www.tape-works.com/Default.htm
Thanks again,
S
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
I've seen Chrome paint at AutoZone and I believe Eastwood sells some also. That might work. I would think that the stick-on stuff would be hard to apply without wrinkles. It is possible to paint over chrome if you sand the surface enough to dull it. The paint probably wouldn't last as long as it would if applied over bare metal, but it might get you throuhg until you can buy new wheels.
Rick B.
Rick B.
