jwatty

I have noticed that on most 78 - 82 vettes that the aluminum alloy wheels have a shine that almost allows you to see yourself, but every now and then I see a set of wheels that appear to be made from different material. They have more of white shine rather than a mirror look. Can anyone explain the difference?

Darkness

That might be because some are polished aluminum and others are brushed aluminum, I don't know if chevy had them polished of the assembly line but I've seen a lot of them like that.
Paul

Rockn-Roll

The white ones are just oxidized! Mine were white as ghosts, until I bought some Mothers Aluminum and Chrome polish. Now I can use them as a mirror. The aluminum will get dull after about a year in the sun.

I don't think the factory actually "polished" them, but new aluminum has the mirror finish on them. But if the wheels had been sitting for a year or so, then the dealer's detail person would polish them up before displaying them on the lot.

Neo Fender

The '80 - '82 and pace car wheels have a silver/chrome center and a higher polish on them than the earlier wheels do. The '79 and earlier alloys have a black center, the others are chrome.

The pace car wheel also has a red pinstripe

Pete79L82

Anytime you use an acid based cleaner on aluminum it will give them a whiteish haze. The it is is time to get out the polish and start rubbing. :yesnod:

brians79vette

I always wondered the same thing! I want mine shiny! When I bought my car they look dull so i guess mothers polish will do it. But I did try some polish last year and it didn't work well... I know it was mothers but I don't know exactly what...my wheels do look liek brushed aluminum rather than shiny...thanks for some ideas

PrarieShark

You may have to use a polish with a with more grit.

gq82

More often than not on 80-82 wheels a whitish cast is due to the clear coat gone bad. To get that shine back the clear coat has to come off. :smash:

Paul L

An oxidized aluminum alloy wheel will be dull white/grey. Bad clear-coat is normally yellow.

gq82

Sorry but a bad clearcoat on my 82's wheels was not yellow . :rolleyes:

KorbenDallas

Mine have been chromed. A lot easier to take care of than aluminum.. but then again when my 17" hopsters come in I'll have to take care of lots of aluminum then :seeya

Paul L

Thank you for correcting me.

Gary79

if your wheels are really ,really oxidized, try some 00 or 000 steel wheel to cut thru the oxidized stuff and then try mother's mag polish. i tried some rubbing compound a few yrs ago and found it cut thru the white layer but didn't shine the aluminum,kind of dulled it.

bud snyder

The aluminum wheels started in 76 and were a natural aluminum finish that was then clear coated. They later ones were polished, I am not sure when it started, but I think 78 was the first year.
You will probably have to strip off the clear coat, then polish them, and then have them recoated to avoid having to due it again.

CharlieF

I had my rims refinished....they look almost like chrome.