jrp1588

I just got my hands on a set of stock size aftermarket chrome Z06 wheels for $200. The chrome is in ok shape, they look really good from a few feet away, but up close they are fairly pitted and chipped. I'd like to get them sandblasted and repaint them myself.

I have a black car, I was thinking of either painting them flat black, gloss black, silver, chrome paint, or possibly just polishing up the bare aluminum. Anything I do, I'll have to do to the caps as well to make them match. What would you suggest?

Black 02

If you just want them flat black you could plasti dip them. $15-20 tops to do it.

jrp1588

I'm familiar with plastidip, but I'm wanting something more permanent, plus flat black was at the bottom of my list.

jcsperson

Competition Gray might look cool. It's light enough to provide just enough contrast with your black car and the fronts won't instantly look different from the rears when you get a little brake dust on them.

Black 02

Since they are chrome, you'd need to get them stripped before painting or polishing them. Most chrome shops will be able to do it for you. By the time you are said and done on refinishing these professionally, it may be cheaper to just sell the reps and get some OEM Z06 wheels.

jrp1588

I'm refinishing them myself, I just need to get the chrome removed. Google tells me sandblasting will do this just fine.

Black 02

Good luck!

jrp1588

Are you saying sand blasting won't work?

jrp1588

Also, I just now realized at 9.5" and 10.5" wide, my current tires aren't going to work on these wheels. Looks like my wagon wheels and Extreme Contact DWS tires are going on winter duty.

Vetteman Jack

I was at a Dodge dealer today and saw a brand new SRT Viper there. Had hyperblack wheels on it and I must say, those wheels looked awesome. If you could do a similar treatment to your wheels, I think they would look great.

jrp1588

That is a nice look. Ugh, it's going to be a good while before I can afford to put the proper rubber on these to use them. I just dropped $700 on my all-seasons a few months ago. I really can't afford another $800 for a set of summer tires now. Oh well, I have plenty of time to get these wheels right I suppose. Just how bad would it look/would it even work to put stock sized coupe tires on c5 z06 wheels?

wamara

They'll work (rears more so than the fronts), just not optimum sizing for the Z06's widths from a performance standpoint. As to looks, I suppose they'll be stretched a bit - whether it will bother you I can't say. Good luck whatever you decide.

3boystoys

I think they need to be chemically dipped to remove the chrome, sandblasting can be bad for wheels I think, especially if there not steel wheels.

jrp1588

I think I will look into having them stripped at a chrome shop. The more I read about sandblasting chrome wheels, the riskier it sounds. Sounds like they either have to use a softer blasting material that would take forever and cost a lot, or use sand and risk ruining the wheels. Not sure if we have any shops in the area that chrome things though.

3boystoys

Generally, unless the wheel is rare or really expensive, it almost never pays to do this, new wheels most of the time are about the same price (many times less).

Black 02

Agree. He should sell these and buy some oem z06 wheels if that is what he wants. If not, these will be the most expensive cheap wheels out there.

jrp1588

Having them dipped to remove the chrome then repainting them myself would be prohibitively expensive? You have an estimate of how much it might cost just to remove the chrome?

3boystoys

If you went through the hassle of stripping them, you would want to powdercoat them too. Regular paint won't last long on wheels, even the factory electrostaticly paints wheels. First time tires were mounted, you paint would probably have "issues". I see the Grey OEM Z06 wheels all the time on craigslist.

jrp1588

Plastidip is looking more and more attractive as an option, at least in the short term. Or, the chrome on these isn't that bad, maybe I'll just leave them be for a while.

NHolds

you can glossify plasti dip. I sprayed black, then a copper metalizer on them... look pretty good