When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
A friend of mine received a Corvette from her father. The problem is, the wheels look like hell. I’ve included pictures of the wheels, and want to know if these wheels can be cleaned up. What should be used to clean them, or are they too far gone.
Toast you can have them refinished but cheaper to replace. They will clean up some but they are pitted and the finish is flaking in some places. Also a thought Did he have track brake pads on it. The damage looks like it.
Toast you can have them refinished but cheaper to replace. They will clean up some but they are pitted and the finish is flaking in some places. Also a thought Did he have track brake pads on it. The damage looks like it.
Thanks for the response. Never tracked, but was stored for several years in an old shed. I guess she’ll have to get replacements. Kinda what I thought.
Are those pictures after they were washed? If that is after they have been washed, you may have to replace.
Things I would try AFTER a few major washes using a brush:
- Rub with Bar Keepers Friend (liquid) - use a microfiber towel (do this a few times, wiping clean each time)
then
- Use a mothers cone (sponge on drill bit adapter) with Meguiars M205 (use M105 if corrosion is really bad) - apply using medium speed
then
- Use a mothers cone with Mothers Chrome Polish or SemiChrome Polish
If they look horrible after that - well, then you have your answer. Good Luck!
Pretty much toast. I'd hit them up with some Iron x, iron remover first then polish like mentioned above. Might turn out decent especially from a distance.
You got nothing to loose but time by trying to clean them up so why not
I would take them off the car and use a soft brush and carwash soap to clean off as much of the dirt as possible . Then I would buy some Maguires wheel polish, a cone polishing wheel and go to town .
I had those wheels on my C5 , there is no coating on them , just polished aluminium . I bet with a little elbow grease they will turn out fine
Dave
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Originally Posted by Dcasole
You got nothing to loose but time by trying to clean them up so why not
I would take them off the car and use a soft brush and carwash soap to clean off as much of the dirt as possible . Then I would buy some Maguires wheel polish, a cone polishing wheel and go to town .
I had those wheels on my C5 , there is no coating on them , just polished aluminium . I bet with a little elbow grease they will turn out fine
Dave
If those are the stock C5 high polished wheels, they do have a clear coat on them. I had those wheels on my ‘00 and they were certainly clear coated from the factory.
For those wheels, I would just buy a set in better shape. They can be had relatively cheap anymore. Or do as YO-EL mentions.
They could be hi-polish wheels with the clear coat. It has been a long time since I had a set of Y2K C5 wheels but these ones seem to look different than the ones that I am familiar with. They don't look like the cast or forged versions produced by Speedline. They look more like aftermarket repro chrome wheels. If they are OEM they can tell by removing the wheel and looking in the back to see the GM and Speedline markings.
my understanding is, if they are real chrome wheels, they are difficult to re-chrome. but that doesn't mean they can't be PVD-chromed which is a very different painting process. still, I wonder if the wheels are worth the cost/aggravation, and that replacement would be just as efficient and less costly to do.
Dirty wheel experts!
