95VETTEINMEMPHIS

Gosh and WOW is all I can say folks get that clearcoat off those rims. Buff out that aluminum and paint those sawblades. Its worth it!

87 vette 81 big girl

I use Aviation paint stripper in an areasol can last week to strip old paint from a set of vintage "Mickey Thompson" Pontiac V8 valvecovers.
Boss gave me the valvecovers laying underneath a workbench for the last 25 years.

"Told me they were really old."



The aviation paint stripper had the old paint off in 5 minutes.

I refinished them valvecovers last weekand with VHT Black Crinkel- wrinkel paint.

Ebay $$$.

pghjeeper

I have the 85 rims I don't think you can polish them.

jesredvette

I have used regular paint stripper and found it very effective. Is aircraft stripper more potent? Where do you get it?

Charleston2012

I may have to strip my wheels and repaint. Can you show pics and products used?

leesvet

If you choose to repaint, just make sure the surface has been etched and primed or the new paint may not stick. If you choose to polish, the result is amazing. I did my sawblades and the difference is nite & day. Keep in mind that the polishing will take about 6 hrs (each) sanding and grinding on the rough casted aluminum to get it even close to a smooth enough surface to polish.
I'm not old enough to post pics here, but you can read the small print in a newspaper ad in the reflection.

jaa1992

The brand name is Aircraft.
IIRC from 10+ years ago when I used it to strip the clear coat on wheels from an 88 it was the only thing that worked to get it all cleaned out of the machined grooves.

Auto parts stores ususally carry it.

93VettePilot

What airline are you flying? I never get to see airplane strippers.LOL

Keystring

Sure you can.

These are from an 86. Same wheels. And the link says '86polished'.
So I know they aren't chromed.. A member has polished ones here as well.
Just takes a lot of 'elbow grease'.
http://www.joby.se/corvette/div/corv...6polished.jpeg

joesgulfstream

That was great.

engle1147

Did your VHT rattle can crinkel paint job "dry" well?
Reason I ask is I tried a can of that stuff ( I followed the directions)and it seemed to dry pretty well (used a heat gun to get an even wrinkle effect on the second coat) on the surface but after a few days if you set the painted part in the sun for a few minutes or let it get hot from an ambiant heat source you could slide the crinkel finished paint surface around. I ended up stripping the stuff off and using something else.

87 vette 81 big girl

You need a bright & warm sunny day around 70 - 80 degrees at least, relative humidity around 50% or less.

The bright sunlight combined with the fresh black paint absorbs just the right amount of heat to cure slowly & start to Crinkle/ wrinkle.

You have to apply 3 coats.
pretty wet & heavy coats of that VHT wrinkle paint.
It does not run easily with wet coats.
Just don't go overboard spraying each coat.
Keep moving your left or right arm & shoulder.
Not your wrist.
Keep an even coat of the stuff that way.

Apply the 1st coat in a horizontal or left to right direction.
2nd coat in a Vertical direction or up & down.
3rd coat in a diagonal line direction.

Wait 10 minutes between coats.
The paint dries very slowly.
may appear "wet" for some time.

By the 2nd or 3rd coat you may see wrinkles start to appear.
As the paint cures in the sun the wrinkles will appear more uniform & eye pleasing.

Be patient.

Infrared heat lamps could be used too.
I don't have those heat lamps to use.

VHT makes a RED Crinkle/ wrinkle paint I want to try next time.

I like the Old School Vintage WW2 Aviation engine style finish of the Black Crinkle paint alot.

Something different from most everyone else today.

Everyone has polished aluminum everywhere.


Brian

87 vette 81 big girl

The paint dried well & is rock hard after 2 days.

Maybe there was a slight bit of residue of some sort on your parts.

I final washed my parts in Hot soapy water, laundry detergent in the kitchen sink.

Used the sun to dry my parts before spraying.

JrRifleCoach

Yes you can. Using water based stripper and some scotchbrit pads to assist removing the clear coat. Then hand or power polish the bare aluminum. I kept the "brushed" OEM look by not sanding to a smooth finish. They always looked good until 16" tires were difficult find.

95VETTEINMEMPHIS

I put the stripper on each wheel twice but the first time got most of it off. Just be sure to wear gloves. Hose it off and WOW already then very fine steel wool all over. I even got the paint off of the sawblade with the stripper and then light sanded it. then brake out the polish and get to scrubbin. I any black residue is left over just put on a mild cleaner should get it off. I used super clean. Then hose off the steel wool residue then dry. I bought some alumn. paint from Lowes enamal paint of course. Then painted the sawblades with a small fine brush. The results are awesome!