Refinishing C4 alloy wheels
Racer
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 345
Likes: 0
From: Rochester NH
It depends on what you want to accomplish. If you want the stock look then take the clearcoat off, polish them a little and have them recleared at a body shop.
Some people take the clearcoat off and then polish them up. It is very time consuming, but looks good. I am not sure how long it lasts.
I heard carb cleaner will take the clearcoat right off. I haven't tried it.
I plan on having my sawblades glass bead blasted and then powder coated black leaving a polished silver lip around the edge. Should look sweet.
Some people take the clearcoat off and then polish them up. It is very time consuming, but looks good. I am not sure how long it lasts.
I heard carb cleaner will take the clearcoat right off. I haven't tried it.
I plan on having my sawblades glass bead blasted and then powder coated black leaving a polished silver lip around the edge. Should look sweet.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,365
Likes: 3
From: Huntsville AL
Like Swirk said, you'll need to remove the clearcoat using some type of stripper (the chemical ones, not the kind you give money to). Are the wheels on the '89 clear coated? Might want to find that out first.
After that, you'll need to sand using progressively lighter grades of sandpaper, then polish the heck out of them (lots of info and techniques for this on the web, do some searching). This will be extremely time consuming and hard on the hands and fingers, but the result will look great. To preserve your work, you'll probably want to use a metal sealant, or just respray clear. Or, if you don't mind polishing them every couple of weeks, you can leave them naked (easier to repair blemishes when they don't have a clear coat).
Or, you could take them to a wheel repair/refinishing shop and pay about $100 a wheel to get them back to factory condition. In my opinion, considering the work that's involved, $100 is a DEAL.
After that, you'll need to sand using progressively lighter grades of sandpaper, then polish the heck out of them (lots of info and techniques for this on the web, do some searching). This will be extremely time consuming and hard on the hands and fingers, but the result will look great. To preserve your work, you'll probably want to use a metal sealant, or just respray clear. Or, if you don't mind polishing them every couple of weeks, you can leave them naked (easier to repair blemishes when they don't have a clear coat).
Or, you could take them to a wheel repair/refinishing shop and pay about $100 a wheel to get them back to factory condition. In my opinion, considering the work that's involved, $100 is a DEAL.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,024
Likes: 0
From: Long Island New York
A friend of mine used a wood cabinet stripper purchased a home depot for about 10 bucks to get the cearcoat off of his wheels; brush on type. It worked really well! Very messy, yet cheap and effective! 
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1989, 1994, 96, alloy, c4, corvette, reconditioning, refinish, refinished, refinishing, restoration, sops, vette, wheel, wheels
