Reconditioning Rims/Wheels
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 17,640
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From: Lenoir City TN
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Reconditioning Rims/Wheels
I might be in the wrong section, but does anyone know of a company that can refinish the wheels on my 86, these are the stock rims, I guess I would like them buffed, repainted in the vent slots and then clear coated. I have tried the over the counter stuff and nothing really seems to help. Thanks.
Bob
Bob
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 1999
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Cruise-In II Veteran
Last edited by Wildride; Sep 20, 2005 at 07:42 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,191
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From: Wallingford Vermont
Aren't '86 wheels natural aluminum finish in the wheel vents. I thought just the '84-'85 were painted.
Anyway, strip them (it's not hard). Then clear coat them or buff them. I used an old vette wheel bearing and mounted it on a "buck" so I could spin the rim while I sanded and polished mine. Now they shine like chrome. THAT was a bit of work
But I guess worth it considering the compliments I get...
Don't bother trying to clear coat a (highly) polished rim. The clear won't stick. I've tried (twice)
Anyway, strip them (it's not hard). Then clear coat them or buff them. I used an old vette wheel bearing and mounted it on a "buck" so I could spin the rim while I sanded and polished mine. Now they shine like chrome. THAT was a bit of work
But I guess worth it considering the compliments I get...Don't bother trying to clear coat a (highly) polished rim. The clear won't stick. I've tried (twice)
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 17,640
Likes: 1
From: Lenoir City TN
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Thanks a bunch I will check into each source, the 86 vents have a light gray finish in them opposed to the black in earlier models, this gray is comming off in certain areas which led me to think it was paint.
Bob
Bob
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Michael S. Palmer
Race Director
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The argent gray paint you describe means that the wheels are 87. 84-85 were black, 86 was natural, 87 wheels are gray. You can strip the paint off the 87 wheels to make the correct look for 86. The wheels are all the same from 84-87. They do have different widths. 8.5 and 9.5.
Pro
Joined: May 2003
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From: Annapolis MD
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 128
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Ceramic coating
We can ceramic coat your wheels.
It look like polished stailess steel when done properly and won't crack like chrome.
Also helps dissipates the heat from the brakes.
http://www.racevision.com/products/p...glow/index.htm
It look like polished stailess steel when done properly and won't crack like chrome.
Also helps dissipates the heat from the brakes.
http://www.racevision.com/products/p...glow/index.htm
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 380
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From: New Hampshire There's nothing like a 'Vette
I just finished the stripping, sanding, polishing, painting thing. 
My '85 is down off the jackstands for the first time in over 2 weeks. I still have to clean up and install the lugnut covers and give the car a good bath. I polished the "face" of the wheel and repainted the slots and center black with POR 15 Topcoat. Regular spraycan wheel paint doesn't seem to hold up well to wheel cleaner, so I thought I'd try the POR 15. We'll see. It was alot of work in terms of time, but not difficult. I didn't reclear. It's not a daily driver and sleeps in the garage, so a little polishing once in a while won't be a big deal. The biggest PITA was masking it to paint the black areas. 
I did find one thing that was interesting. I ordered some POR stripper along with the paint. It's sprayed on with a squirt bottle. I also had some aircraft stripper already. The POR Strip was much faster acting than the aircraft stripper, which suprised me. Great stuff. I'll post pics once I get her cleaned up. 
My '85 is down off the jackstands for the first time in over 2 weeks. I still have to clean up and install the lugnut covers and give the car a good bath. I polished the "face" of the wheel and repainted the slots and center black with POR 15 Topcoat. Regular spraycan wheel paint doesn't seem to hold up well to wheel cleaner, so I thought I'd try the POR 15. We'll see. It was alot of work in terms of time, but not difficult. I didn't reclear. It's not a daily driver and sleeps in the garage, so a little polishing once in a while won't be a big deal. The biggest PITA was masking it to paint the black areas. I did find one thing that was interesting. I ordered some POR stripper along with the paint. It's sprayed on with a squirt bottle. I also had some aircraft stripper already. The POR Strip was much faster acting than the aircraft stripper, which suprised me. Great stuff. I'll post pics once I get her cleaned up.
