I just got my car back from the paint shop-a gal run a red light and hit me in rear-plus the previous owner painted the frt bumper and it was a hair darker than the rest of the car. My painter couldn't get the quarter and the frt bumper to match either (it was closer-but not 100%) so he gave me a heck of a deal to paint the whole car.
I read through the numerous wheel resto threads (there are a bunch of great looking mirror finished wheels as well as a wealth of info and numerous different processes to get there) cause I need my wheels to match my new paint.
My original thinking was to strip the black center (I can't paint-plus I liked the pics of ya'lls 80-82 w/out the blk) and sand and polish to try to get the mirror finish like others here. Got my Mothers Polish and Mothers Ball buffer-Aircraft paint stripper-600/1000/1200 grit sand paper (mine weren't pitting bad-just dull and oxidized).
But after taking off and cleaning wheels good-the black isn't bad (looks like somebody redid it at one time) and after putting a first coat of polish on I liked the results so I skipped the sanding (know I won't get the mirror finish). Spent an hour and 1/2 or so on the one wheel and am happy with the results. I can get the correct center caps (along with some lugs) and leave the blk centers.
1st pic has unworked wheel on left with the one I worked on the right to compare.

 

That's a nice job. I know how much work that is. I only do it when the car's off the road for the season, and not often enough.

 

Do you plan on keeping the shine? Are you spray coating with a good automotive grade clear?

 

I love alloy wheels and i think how you did yours are sweet,
Sometimes that fully mirror finish is too much,

Ill be doing a set of ansens the same way but they need a lot of cleaning

 

I would like to-knowing since they are polished aluminum I'm going to have to keep them polished through the year. From what I read here-you really do not want to put any coating on them-except for a good carnuba wax.

 

I've done that same job on a few sets of the Corvette alloy wheels over the years since the 70's. Results are typically the same and the wheels just look classic on most C3's.



I've found that even living in Hawaii for 3 years (100 yards from the beach), the bare aluminum needed polishing just once a year to maintain the mirror finish. Unless I'm actually showing the car, wash and wax is all it takes to keep them looking as close to chrome as I care to get. When I do polish, I just use Simichrome available at most autoparts stores and even Walmart.

Good luck and enjoy the look! Oh and welcome to the Corvette Forum!

GUSTO

 

Lots of work but it looks great.