Rally Wheel Refinishing?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 12
From: Kalispell MT
Rally Wheel Refinishing?
I just scored an extra set of Rallys from a '73 to use as a winter storage set so I can keep the drivers with weight off over the winter & keep weight on the shocks while stored. Anyway it's time to clean up my stock set which have some minor visable oxidation in the typical crevice where they can hold water. My plan is to sand blast the affected area or maybe the entire exterior surfaces then repaint with silver wheel paint.
1. Should your primer first? If yes, with what.
2. What color is the backside of the wheel supposed to be? Silver too or black??
3. Can you harm the bead seal if you blast the inner wheel surface?
4. How do you repaint the center cap fin sections? Mask and paint or can you steel wool off the chrome parts? Masking looks like a major tedious job.
5. What am I forgeting?
The '73 set wound up being a good deal, complete with original rings and center caps. Four BFGs w/ RWL 245/60/15s, two of which still have the **** on the surface tread. Oddly enough the guy had them mounted blackwall out. $425 for the set. It also allowed me to test fit the 245/60's on my car before ordering that size, since it had 225/70's when I bought it.
Thanks in advance for the help!
1. Should your primer first? If yes, with what.
2. What color is the backside of the wheel supposed to be? Silver too or black??
3. Can you harm the bead seal if you blast the inner wheel surface?
4. How do you repaint the center cap fin sections? Mask and paint or can you steel wool off the chrome parts? Masking looks like a major tedious job.
5. What am I forgeting?
The '73 set wound up being a good deal, complete with original rings and center caps. Four BFGs w/ RWL 245/60/15s, two of which still have the **** on the surface tread. Oddly enough the guy had them mounted blackwall out. $425 for the set. It also allowed me to test fit the 245/60's on my car before ordering that size, since it had 225/70's when I bought it.
Thanks in advance for the help!
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 5
From: Sacramento California
This kit from Eastwood is real good, I have used it before and liked the results.
http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/p...iProductID=154
http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/p...iProductID=154
Pro
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 550
Likes: 2
From: smithfield nc usa 27577
Hi
You can hand sand or blast...if you blast them you need to use eching primer afterwards.Do not touch freshly blasted items with your bare hands,the oils will cause problems.
Walmart sells satin black for a $1 a can and it works great...close to the cheap crap that gm used. You can buy argent silver there too.
Auto zone has it as well...I use dupicolor.
You can buy it in hi-temp if you like.
Prime the wheel
Then paint the back black
Then paint the front,the wheels had overspray on them from gm so dont mask off the backside when you do the front.
I would not recommend blasting the lip or any of the mounting surface.If it has a little rust ,just rub it down with sand paper.
I have repainted caps two ways....one was to take it apart and shoot black on and clean the overspray off before the paint is totaly dry.
The other is to mask the whole thing then shoot it.
Blue masking tape is the best if its going to be on long....
Both are time eaters....
I dont use steel wool...I use my finger nails....get that paint when is set enough not to rip, but before its dry.
Any other ??? lmk.
Kyle
Almost forgot you can also use paint pens on the caps black lines.
You can hand sand or blast...if you blast them you need to use eching primer afterwards.Do not touch freshly blasted items with your bare hands,the oils will cause problems.
Walmart sells satin black for a $1 a can and it works great...close to the cheap crap that gm used. You can buy argent silver there too.
Auto zone has it as well...I use dupicolor.
You can buy it in hi-temp if you like.
Prime the wheel
Then paint the back black
Then paint the front,the wheels had overspray on them from gm so dont mask off the backside when you do the front.
I would not recommend blasting the lip or any of the mounting surface.If it has a little rust ,just rub it down with sand paper.
I have repainted caps two ways....one was to take it apart and shoot black on and clean the overspray off before the paint is totaly dry.
The other is to mask the whole thing then shoot it.
Blue masking tape is the best if its going to be on long....
Both are time eaters....
I dont use steel wool...I use my finger nails....get that paint when is set enough not to rip, but before its dry.
Any other ??? lmk.
Kyle
Almost forgot you can also use paint pens on the caps black lines.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
I just blasted 4 Rally Wheels.
I blasted the entire wheel.
The crevice where the slotted face meets the outer rim is difficult.
I first cleaned the crevice out with a utility knife (razor blade).
The heavy gooey stuff (rubber) on the tire bead area must be scraped off first because the media (sand) just bounces off of it.
I blasted, scraped, and re-blasted.
After I blasted them, I fine wire wheeled them.
Next, rubbed them down with paper towels & lacquer thinner.
Takes many passes until the paper towels come away clean.
Then used a small xacto knife to remove the grains of sand stuck in the crevice.
Then rubbed them down again.
Primed them with self etching primer (green), hit the backs with black lacquer, and the front with silver wheel paint... Advance Auto.
Mounted the tires and away they went.
No issues whatsoever with blasting the entire rim.
Go for it.
Edit: Forgot to mention I removed the tire valves before blasting, and installed new ones after the paint was dry.
I blasted the entire wheel.
The crevice where the slotted face meets the outer rim is difficult.
I first cleaned the crevice out with a utility knife (razor blade).
The heavy gooey stuff (rubber) on the tire bead area must be scraped off first because the media (sand) just bounces off of it.
I blasted, scraped, and re-blasted.
After I blasted them, I fine wire wheeled them.
Next, rubbed them down with paper towels & lacquer thinner.
Takes many passes until the paper towels come away clean.
Then used a small xacto knife to remove the grains of sand stuck in the crevice.
Then rubbed them down again.
Primed them with self etching primer (green), hit the backs with black lacquer, and the front with silver wheel paint... Advance Auto.
Mounted the tires and away they went.
No issues whatsoever with blasting the entire rim.
Go for it.
Edit: Forgot to mention I removed the tire valves before blasting, and installed new ones after the paint was dry.
Last edited by Tom454; Feb 7, 2007 at 02:56 PM. Reason: Added info
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 12
From: Kalispell MT
Great tips guys! Thanks!!
The rims are in pretty good shape on the outbaord side and I'm thinking I can get away with spot blasting the "crevice" area where the slotted backs meet the tire well. The backs need to be totally shot however. The self etching primmer is a real good idea in case of body oils or even residual road/engine hydroCs. I bought argent and black wheel paint from Eastwood's a few of weeks back in anticipation of the project, now I need to get the primer.
I've never used or even heard of the paint pen for doing the center caps. When do you get one? Is it something you load with your own paint or are they pre-loaded? My original thought was to blanket mask it and cut out the areas with a scalpel, then paint. The pen sounds like a simpler method. I might try the door kick plates as a practice area since the work area is much larger.
Wire wheeling the tire beading lip prior to sand blasting I would not have thought of. I would have guessed that the media would easily undercut the rubber and sealer to remove it. A final sanding of the tire bead lip & maybe valve stem sealing surface with emory cloth prior to primer/paint sounds like a good idea.
Hopefully global warming will reach me soon and I can think about a drive. Thanks again!
The rims are in pretty good shape on the outbaord side and I'm thinking I can get away with spot blasting the "crevice" area where the slotted backs meet the tire well. The backs need to be totally shot however. The self etching primmer is a real good idea in case of body oils or even residual road/engine hydroCs. I bought argent and black wheel paint from Eastwood's a few of weeks back in anticipation of the project, now I need to get the primer.
I've never used or even heard of the paint pen for doing the center caps. When do you get one? Is it something you load with your own paint or are they pre-loaded? My original thought was to blanket mask it and cut out the areas with a scalpel, then paint. The pen sounds like a simpler method. I might try the door kick plates as a practice area since the work area is much larger.
Wire wheeling the tire beading lip prior to sand blasting I would not have thought of. I would have guessed that the media would easily undercut the rubber and sealer to remove it. A final sanding of the tire bead lip & maybe valve stem sealing surface with emory cloth prior to primer/paint sounds like a good idea.
Hopefully global warming will reach me soon and I can think about a drive. Thanks again!
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 473
Likes: 6
From: New Port Richey FL
for the center caps, I took the "hat" off the cap by removing the 4 screws that hold it on. Then get a blue shop towel with some paint thiner on it. Spray the "hat" with some black spray paint and while the paint is still wet, knock off all the fins with the towel, go around the top edge with it where the fins stop to end the black lines and wipe off the top so the letters and the two circles stay nice and black. Much easier than hitting them with a paint pen, and no brush marks. If you like the paint marker idea, you can get them at k-mart, wal-mart or any other -mart in the model car area. They are pre-loaded and work pretty much like a marker.
Last edited by Green73; Feb 7, 2007 at 10:33 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 12
From: Kalispell MT
Thanks Green73. I didn't realize the hat was removable, I'll check it out. Hve you ever seen hat only replacements? The spare set of wheels I picked up are in really good shape with the exception of one hat that has some curb rash or something on it. I'd like to fix if possible but it's too deep to buff out.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 958
Likes: 1
From: In the Beautiful Shenandoah Valley of VA
Steve
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
When I painted my first Vette (C2) I noticed GM had painted the
bird cage with some funky green primer.
So, since I was selling DuPont products at the time, I checked their catalog.
They had a "self etching primer", I think it was 215S
I used it on the bird cage... it had a very peculiar odor.
The Duplicolor product at Advance Auto has the exact same peculiar odor.
Don't know if it's the same formula, but it sure smells the same.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
... The backs need to be totally shot however. The self etching primmer is a real good idea in case of body oils or even residual road/engine hydroCs.
===> I believe the "etching" refers to etching of bare metal... I don't think it will help to cut through grease etc.
Wire wheeling the tire beading lip prior to sand blasting I would not have thought of. I would have guessed that the media would easily undercut the rubber and sealer to remove it. A final sanding of the tire bead lip & maybe valve stem sealing surface with emory cloth prior to primer/paint sounds like a good idea.
===> You also need to wire wheel the metal AFTER sandblasting prior to painting. Blasting leaves a "puffy" or rough surface which will cause your paint to be rough.
===> I believe the "etching" refers to etching of bare metal... I don't think it will help to cut through grease etc.
Wire wheeling the tire beading lip prior to sand blasting I would not have thought of. I would have guessed that the media would easily undercut the rubber and sealer to remove it. A final sanding of the tire bead lip & maybe valve stem sealing surface with emory cloth prior to primer/paint sounds like a good idea.
===> You also need to wire wheel the metal AFTER sandblasting prior to painting. Blasting leaves a "puffy" or rough surface which will cause your paint to be rough.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 299
Likes: 1
From: San Antonio TX
Good info on painting the rims, but along those lines, where is a good place to get the deep trim rings at? Most the ones I see are not as deep as the ones on my '71. Somewhere along the line mine wound up with wide wheels (225s tires were about an 1 to 1.5 inches too narrow and the 255s fit great) and most the replacement ones you see are not wide/deep enough.
