Refinishing wheels - repainting and polishing?
12-11-2009, 05:58 PM
#1
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Refinishing wheels - repainting and polishing?
Over christmas break I'm going to be replacing all my front suspension (just got most of my parts from FedEx today!) so to match all my new suspension I want to make my wheels look as close to new as possible.
Now whoever owned the car before me painted the centers black, which I kind of like. I would simply repaint them, but there are rivets along the center that are still supposed to be metal colored. I could repaint over them but I think they will look better if shinny...
What is the best way to go about painting these wheels? What paint should I use for the black centers for best looks and durability? What's the easiest way to cover up the rivets or take the paint off of them afterward? And last but not least what's some good buffing pads and compound to buff the wheel lips?
The last thing I plan on doing is buying the cragar center caps so the ugly, rusted, dented centers aren't showing through.
The rims looks good from 10-15 ft but up close you can really see the age in them, the slight rust forming, and chipped page. Here's the rims I'm working with:
and how they look on the car:
Now whoever owned the car before me painted the centers black, which I kind of like. I would simply repaint them, but there are rivets along the center that are still supposed to be metal colored. I could repaint over them but I think they will look better if shinny...
What is the best way to go about painting these wheels? What paint should I use for the black centers for best looks and durability? What's the easiest way to cover up the rivets or take the paint off of them afterward? And last but not least what's some good buffing pads and compound to buff the wheel lips?
The last thing I plan on doing is buying the cragar center caps so the ugly, rusted, dented centers aren't showing through.
The rims looks good from 10-15 ft but up close you can really see the age in them, the slight rust forming, and chipped page. Here's the rims I'm working with:
and how they look on the car:
12-12-2009, 03:00 AM
#3
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Texas
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Over christmas break I'm going to be replacing all my front suspension (just got most of my parts from FedEx today!) so to match all my new suspension I want to make my wheels look as close to new as possible.
Now whoever owned the car before me painted the centers black, which I kind of like. I would simply repaint them, but there are rivets along the center that are still supposed to be metal colored. I could repaint over them but I think they will look better if shinny...
What is the best way to go about painting these wheels? What paint should I use for the black centers for best looks and durability? What's the easiest way to cover up the rivets or take the paint off of them afterward? And last but not least what's some good buffing pads and compound to buff the wheel lips?
The last thing I plan on doing is buying the cragar center caps so the ugly, rusted, dented centers aren't showing through.
The rims looks good from 10-15 ft but up close you can really see the age in them, the slight rust forming, and chipped page. Here's the rims I'm working with:
and how they look on the car:
Now whoever owned the car before me painted the centers black, which I kind of like. I would simply repaint them, but there are rivets along the center that are still supposed to be metal colored. I could repaint over them but I think they will look better if shinny...
What is the best way to go about painting these wheels? What paint should I use for the black centers for best looks and durability? What's the easiest way to cover up the rivets or take the paint off of them afterward? And last but not least what's some good buffing pads and compound to buff the wheel lips?
The last thing I plan on doing is buying the cragar center caps so the ugly, rusted, dented centers aren't showing through.
The rims looks good from 10-15 ft but up close you can really see the age in them, the slight rust forming, and chipped page. Here's the rims I'm working with:
and how they look on the car:
Where are the center caps?
As for the slight rust you can use real fine steel wool and some chrome polish afterwards.
I don't know, but repainting them with spray paint may look bad. If you do that, you will have to tape off all of the rivets.
Last edited by tx65coupe; 12-12-2009 at 03:02 AM.
12-12-2009, 04:01 AM
#4
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Those wheels probably came that way. I had a set just like them that were American Racing on my 65 back when it was still an I6. I liked them.
Where are the center caps?
As for the slight rust you can use real fine steel wool and some chrome polish afterwards.
I don't know, but repainting them with spray paint may look bad. If you do that, you will have to tape off all of the rivets.
Where are the center caps?
As for the slight rust you can use real fine steel wool and some chrome polish afterwards.
I don't know, but repainting them with spray paint may look bad. If you do that, you will have to tape off all of the rivets.
The whole rivet thing is my problem though, I want to get new paint on there but I don't want to paint over the rivets, that would look cheesy to me. Maybe there are some circle tape things I can find to peel off and cover them? lol
EDIT: they are cragars not american racing, the AM wheels had 12 holes in the rim, the cragars 10, and mine have 10. Very very similar rims though... almost identical
Last edited by 4reboy; 12-12-2009 at 04:07 AM.
12-12-2009, 04:25 AM
#5
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anybody think I can do this method?
http://www.floridagerman.com/forums/...ad.php?t=10341
this guy simply took out the bolts holding his centers in and repainted them. I know my rivets have bolts on the back from when I last checked them out, can I do this without hurting the wheel? i know the rivets will have to be torqued back on properly, I'm sure someone here will know how much to torque them to
If I can disassemble the rim that would be great, can spend some good time painting the centers and then buff the rivets individually, but is it worth it?
http://www.floridagerman.com/forums/...ad.php?t=10341
this guy simply took out the bolts holding his centers in and repainted them. I know my rivets have bolts on the back from when I last checked them out, can I do this without hurting the wheel? i know the rivets will have to be torqued back on properly, I'm sure someone here will know how much to torque them to
If I can disassemble the rim that would be great, can spend some good time painting the centers and then buff the rivets individually, but is it worth it?
12-12-2009, 10:34 AM
#6
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Location: Marquette Mi
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Its worth it if you enjoy doing that sort of thing, you do a good job of it, and you dont mind not buying some shiny new wheel.
The way I would go about repainting them is take the tires off, pulling them apart if they come apart, bead blasting the center, then epoxy primer and tractor enamel or powder coating. Get some rouge and polishing wheels and have at the rims until they have that thousand mile deep look again, the clear powder coat them. Reassemble.
If they dont come apart, tape off the rivet heads and the rim, beadblast, and then paint/powder coat. Keep in mind that brake fluid does really nasty things to most paint. That is why I would go tractor enamel, its pretty tough. Powder coating would be the best way to go about it, and that is probably what is on there already.
Drop the front end about an inch, should be half a coil, maybe 3/4 coil from the front springs, when you rebuild the front end. It looks like a 4x4 man...
The way I would go about repainting them is take the tires off, pulling them apart if they come apart, bead blasting the center, then epoxy primer and tractor enamel or powder coating. Get some rouge and polishing wheels and have at the rims until they have that thousand mile deep look again, the clear powder coat them. Reassemble.
If they dont come apart, tape off the rivet heads and the rim, beadblast, and then paint/powder coat. Keep in mind that brake fluid does really nasty things to most paint. That is why I would go tractor enamel, its pretty tough. Powder coating would be the best way to go about it, and that is probably what is on there already.
Drop the front end about an inch, should be half a coil, maybe 3/4 coil from the front springs, when you rebuild the front end. It looks like a 4x4 man...
12-12-2009, 01:28 PM
#7
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Good advice thumpin, I'm thinking I might just tape off the rivets and spray it with a good enamel and then clear coat. I'm not looking to powder coat, lots of money and I don't think it's worth it on rims I'm going to replace in the future anyway (neither is the effort for taking apart the rim). But if I do take them apart, it would be a good reason for my dad to get that blast cabinet he was going to get for his car stuff anyway 
Where would I get this tractor enamel though, just a normal auto parts store or what?
and yes, I know it looks like a 4x4 that's the main thing people say about my car ever since I've got it. But luckily, I have all my new suspension sitting in my living room right now, including 1" drop springs. I'll be using those as well as doing the shelby drop, so hopefully I can get all the drop I need out of those. I have a feeling someone put big block springs in there or something, because after 40 years these cars are supposed to sag, not raise up to give a 3-4" wheel gap. After some time and the springs don't settle much I'll cut some off...
then after that hopefully my rear springs are good enough for me to put stock shackles on, or at least drop it down to the first notch. I wasn't able to afford rear springs yet so I'm just hoping they haven't sagged too much and theyw ill make due from there.
Where would I get this tractor enamel though, just a normal auto parts store or what?and yes, I know it looks like a 4x4 that's the main thing people say about my car ever since I've got it. But luckily, I have all my new suspension sitting in my living room right now, including 1" drop springs. I'll be using those as well as doing the shelby drop, so hopefully I can get all the drop I need out of those. I have a feeling someone put big block springs in there or something, because after 40 years these cars are supposed to sag, not raise up to give a 3-4" wheel gap. After some time and the springs don't settle much I'll cut some off...
then after that hopefully my rear springs are good enough for me to put stock shackles on, or at least drop it down to the first notch. I wasn't able to afford rear springs yet so I'm just hoping they haven't sagged too much and theyw ill make due from there.
12-12-2009, 06:26 PM
#8
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I have no center caps I was planning on buying some from summit. It is my understanding that these rims are Cragars, they have one on their website that looks just like it only it is all chrome. I'll look into american racing and see if it actually their rim.
The whole rivet thing is my problem though, I want to get new paint on there but I don't want to paint over the rivets, that would look cheesy to me. Maybe there are some circle tape things I can find to peel off and cover them? lol
EDIT: they are cragars not american racing, the AM wheels had 12 holes in the rim, the cragars 10, and mine have 10. Very very similar rims though... almost identical
The whole rivet thing is my problem though, I want to get new paint on there but I don't want to paint over the rivets, that would look cheesy to me. Maybe there are some circle tape things I can find to peel off and cover them? lol
EDIT: they are cragars not american racing, the AM wheels had 12 holes in the rim, the cragars 10, and mine have 10. Very very similar rims though... almost identical
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