One of my online buddies and “mentors” in the USA is Bob Heine.
A man of many talents and much wisdom.
THREAD: www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=319566
I commented on wanting to do the “new” truck wheels myself and he wrote the response below.
So we know there are a few products out there, some terrible rubbish and some that would tear your face off with a smile.
Alloy is porous and could harbour residue stripper that leads to reactions with paint of clear lacquer.
So what in the UK qualifies as “Aircraft Paint Stripper”
Bobs post below
Rian, I would get some aircraft paint stripper and test the finish on the wheels. If you can remove the finish I believe you can buff the spokes to a bright shine and paint the insets yourself (probably have to heat up the welding booth/caravan).
To shine up really old and tarnished aluminum wheels you should get a pneumatic die grinder, buffing wheel(s) and a white buffing compound bar. A pneumatic angle grinder with 2-inch Roloc disks in various grits would be good if there are deep gouges on the edge of the rim.
Back in the early '80s I helped a friend resurrect a 1959 Corvette drag car. He did all the bodywork and paint prep and I helped him with the black lacquer. We put on about 8 coats and wet sanded between coats. While he was doing the final paint prep for the Miami World of Wheels car show, I prepped the four aluminum rims. He bought the set of four rims for $10 and they looked a lot like yours. Spent three Saturdays with the die grinder and white compound. We spray bombed the centers with gold and put chrome lug nuts on to finish it off. No money for center caps but the car came out pretty nice. It won first place in the "Early Custom Sports Cars" class against five professional entries.
It's a bit of work but you will be surprised at the transformation.
Thanks guys.
A man of many talents and much wisdom.
THREAD: www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=319566
I commented on wanting to do the “new” truck wheels myself and he wrote the response below.
So we know there are a few products out there, some terrible rubbish and some that would tear your face off with a smile.
Alloy is porous and could harbour residue stripper that leads to reactions with paint of clear lacquer.
So what in the UK qualifies as “Aircraft Paint Stripper”
Bobs post below
Rian, I would get some aircraft paint stripper and test the finish on the wheels. If you can remove the finish I believe you can buff the spokes to a bright shine and paint the insets yourself (probably have to heat up the welding booth/caravan).
To shine up really old and tarnished aluminum wheels you should get a pneumatic die grinder, buffing wheel(s) and a white buffing compound bar. A pneumatic angle grinder with 2-inch Roloc disks in various grits would be good if there are deep gouges on the edge of the rim.
Back in the early '80s I helped a friend resurrect a 1959 Corvette drag car. He did all the bodywork and paint prep and I helped him with the black lacquer. We put on about 8 coats and wet sanded between coats. While he was doing the final paint prep for the Miami World of Wheels car show, I prepped the four aluminum rims. He bought the set of four rims for $10 and they looked a lot like yours. Spent three Saturdays with the die grinder and white compound. We spray bombed the centers with gold and put chrome lug nuts on to finish it off. No money for center caps but the car came out pretty nice. It won first place in the "Early Custom Sports Cars" class against five professional entries.
It's a bit of work but you will be surprised at the transformation.
Thanks guys.