Polishing Wheels

[turismo177]

Howdy folks, Just trying to pick up some advice/tips on how to get my original slotted wheels to shine. These wheels oxidize (as I'm sure we've all experienced) and I like to try to buff/polish them myself as I checked with a professional and they are saying about $75 a wheel. I bought some meguires polish as well as a polishing ball but I'm sad to say I didn't make them look much better than they did when I started.

Has anyone attempted to shine them up themselves and if so any tips on how to do a professional job myself?

Thanks

 

[6880 Mike]

You need regular polishing compound and elbow grease. They will begin to clean up and shine the more you work the polishing compound.

Krylon semi-flat black in the rattle can is a near perfect match for the black accents.

 

[Yoda]

here are a couple of blasts from the past on this very subject. Both of these references are good reads and full of good information

Reference #1

Reference #2

Bud

 

[turismo177]

Thanks all, looks like I have some work to do.

 

[topless82vette]

spin the rims on another car at about 20-25mph and sand them with 120/180/400wet/600wet then hit with tripoli then white rouge and they will have a awesome shine to them. Will take you about a hour a wheel.

starting sand paper choice is dependant on condition of wheels. If no pits or gouges start with 180. Probably cost you 30.00 in sand paper and 50.00 in buffing supplies. But you will have a professional shine to them.

 

[Yoda]

Jeff,

I make this comment "Tongue in Cheek" and I mean no disrespct or dis in anyway, I just can't remove this image going through my head

If I'm running 20-25 mph to maintain the same speed as my car, won't me and wheel be going at the same speed the other thing is I doubt I can keep up that speed for an hour, let alone Four Hours :eek (hey I'm an old man with a bad hip otfl )

OK back to the serious subject matter (I still have this image of me or someone else running along side RARE trying to polish the wheels) :L

PM me Jeff if you want me to delete this post, I'll be more than happy too

Bud

spin the rims on another car at about 20-25mph and sand them with 120/180/400wet/600wet then hit with tripoli then white rouge and they will have a awesome shine to them. Will take you about a hour a wheel.

starting sand paper choice is dependant on condition of wheels. If no pits or gouges start with 180. Probably cost you 30.00 in sand paper and 50.00 in buffing supplies. But you will have a professional shine to them.

 

[oceangal]

heehhee

I use this product called Gliptone that my husband brought back from the syracuse Nationals. There are three different ones http://search.store.yahoo.net/cgi-bin/nsearch?catalog=RODI&query=gliptone cotton&vwcatalog=RODI

(the first three on the page).

I must say the one on one of the links posted above looks interesting but unfortunately the before and after photos are gone.

 

[topless82vette]

Jeff,

I make this comment "Tongue in Cheek" and I mean no disrespct or dis in anyway, I just can't remove this image going through my head

If I'm running 20-25 mph to maintain the same speed as my car, won't me and wheel be going at the same speed the other thing is I doubt I can keep up that speed for an hour, let alone Four Hours :eek (hey I'm an old man with a bad hip otfl )

OK back to the serious subject matter (I still have this image of me or someone else running along side RARE trying to polish the wheels) :L

PM me Jeff if you want me to delete this post, I'll be more than happy too

Bud

Toooooo ...... Just a easier way to do it is all. Did mine like this while I sat on a step stool and had a cold beer by my side.

But I meant with car on jackstands LOLOL not running along side it hahahah

 

[topless82vette]

Toooooo ...... Just a easier way to do it is all. Did mine like this while I sat on a step stool and had a cold beer by my side.

But I meant with car on jackstands LOLOL not running along side it hahahah

I should have also mentioned don't try this with spoked rims .... Could lose a hand easy .... But does work great on dished rims or flat surface rims.

 

[spikebot 81]

I used steel wool course to fine and mothers mag polish with the polishing ball. It took some time and adult beverages, but the results where worth it.

 

[Dunzvett81]

I use AUTOSOL. Excellent product! makes all the chrome have an incrediable shine.

 

[Dunzvett81]

Here is a pic of the wheels.

 

[topless82vette]

Here is a pic of the wheels.

Is this a factory blue color? if so whats the code?

 

[Dunzvett81]

It has been repainted. That is actually a one year old paint job. Factory code was 28, however the repaint is not quite the same. It is more a "deep" metallic blue, very shiny, I am really happy with it.

 

[topless82vette]

It has been repainted. That is actually a one year old paint job. Factory code was 28, however the repaint is not quite the same. It is more a "deep" metallic blue, very shiny, I am really happy with it.

Almost looks like fords MK blue that they used to put on in the late 80's and early 90's

 

[hotshotzny]

I used steel wool course to fine and mothers mag polish with the polishing ball. It took some time and adult beverages, but the results where worth it.

what he said.....including the adult beverages worked great on my 82, and gonna see how it works on my 84 later today if all goes well

 

[White75]

I used Mother's aluminum polish with the powerball and it worked fantastic on wheels that hadn't been touched in years and didn't even look polished (swap meet find). I used rustoleum high wear black paint for the slots and the middle. Shined up really nice and the paint holds up to the wear very well.

 

[hotshotzny]

I used Mother's aluminum polish with the powerball and it worked fantastic on wheels that hadn't been touched in years and didn't even look polished (swap meet find). I used rustoleum high wear black paint for the slots and the middle. Shined up really nice and the paint holds up to the wear very well.

i love the paint job on the bug in the background.. very retrootfl

 

[Curtis]

I got a polishing/refinishing kit from Eastwood about 8 years ago.. included buffs and three different compounds.. the wheels look like chrome when finished. took me several hours per wheel. there is NO maintenance after this polishing job.. Nothing seems to stick to them now,, not even brake dust. Just hose them off and go. I'm happy. If you do this, keep in mind that the dust it creates is very gritty and will scratch the paint on your car if it settles there and you try to wipe it off. Rinse the dust off with lots of water.

 

[Emtmike]

I had the same problem with my '81. I tried several ways, and products to polish my slots up, but they never looked as good as I wanted ad. I was even told to use wet sanding with 2000-2500 grit, then use a polishing wheel, or ball to take the minor scratches out hnoes. I finally used Never-Dull wadding polish, and ended with Mothers Powermetal Aluminum. All this is done by hand but the Mothers can be applied with a buffer . This is what I got for results. :cool

For the slots, I took the wheels off....cleaned the rear with brake dust cleaner, and wiped them down with alcohol. I then used a semi-gloss spraypaint. I layed the wheel front down on paper, and sprayed. Then I polished the wheels after the paint dried with very little overspray on the aluminum.