painted wheels
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
painted wheels
so my 80 is getting painted, and the owner of the body shop suggested i remove the paint from the wheels and polish them....it is a pretty much bone stock L-82 with 60K...is this a bad idea?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 365
From: The Motor City
Remove the old, yellowed.clear-coat. I used CitrusStrip from The Home Depot, rinsing/plastic brushing after sitting harmlessly over night. polish them almost to a chrome-luster per my earlier post. You will not regret the effort for one minute.
The reviews are mixed about re- clear coating.
The reviews are mixed about re- clear coating.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 365
From: The Motor City
The aluminum wheels came clear-coated from the factory per the owner's manual and experience with the '82, all-original time capsule C3 that I bought.Btw, I'm only referring to the OEM alloy wheels, as I can't be certain with this cell phone (can't see photo details in bright sunlight which we're finally getting today) whether the original poster is referring to original wheels or aftermarket which is obviously anybody's guess.
Last edited by Lakeside49; Jun 3, 2014 at 12:52 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
If they do have clear coat then yes remove and polish, if they don't have clear coat then yes polish. I did mine and they look great! I don't know if my 76 had a clear coat but I used the citrus strip stuff on the centers (painted black), and had to do quite a bit of sanding due to MANY years of neglect. I also bought a metal polish kit from eastwood and went to town, spent about 4 hours per wheel, well worth the time 
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
I'm thinking 80-82 YJ8s were not clear coated. Earlier years were. The set on my 80 L-82 do not appear to be clear coated, but that doesn't mean one of the two POs didn't get there before me.
Check that. The Judging Guide very plainly says the 80-82 aluminum wheels had a protective clear coat on them. I've only read through the Judging Guide a couple of hundred times since I got it. You would think I would remember that little tidbit.
Check that. The Judging Guide very plainly says the 80-82 aluminum wheels had a protective clear coat on them. I've only read through the Judging Guide a couple of hundred times since I got it. You would think I would remember that little tidbit.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Jun 3, 2014 at 06:01 PM.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 365
From: The Motor City
I'm thinking 80-82 YJ8s were not clear coated. Earlier years were. The set on my 80 L-82 do not appear to be clear coated, but that doesn't mean one of the two POs didn't get there before me.
Check that. The Judging Guide very plainly says the 80-82 aluminum wheels had a protective clear coat on them. I've only read through the Judging Guide a couple of hundred times since I got it. You would think I would remember that little tidbit.
Check that. The Judging Guide very plainly says the 80-82 aluminum wheels had a protective clear coat on them. I've only read through the Judging Guide a couple of hundred times since I got it. You would think I would remember that little tidbit.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran