wheels ... strip the finish ???

[65-to-00]

Now that I got the HRE wheels on the car and they look good I am "stuck" with a set of polished alu spoke wheels that I think are OEM.

With the protective coating a mess you can't do anything to brighten them up or make then look good again without removing that protective coating.

So ............. any ideas how or what chemicals to use???

It's driving me nuts looking at them in the corner of the garage. They were damned good looking wheels.

The HRE's are the "old school" generation (sensors held on by epoxy and bands) ... and I don't mind hitting them with a bit of Mothers polish .... it was a nightmare two weeks trying to get them mounted. But ... I do at least the way they look and the folks at HRE were real nice even though they were bought used ..... they e-mailed me instructions and spoke with me on the phone a few times.

So props to the nice folks at HRE ....

But ..... now what do I do with these "orphan" wheels. Call me stupid cause I get attached to a set of spoke wheels .... but I have to do something positive with them .....

Like get them where I can polish them or ...... get them powder coated or something????

 

[Toms007]

There is an aircraft stripper that people claim to be the schnitz for taking off the clearcoat. Then get to polishing those badboys. I'd like to do that with mine as well, beings I can't afford the wheels I'd really like.

 

[Shaggyvette]

This is how I did my 82 aluminum wheels. Spray Aircraft Stripper on. Let set for a few min. Spray again and start rubbing with fine steel wool. Spray with water to get the stripper off. When all the clear coat is off the fun starts. Rub, rub, rub, rub (get the point) and rub some more with Mother Aluminum Polish. When they start to shine, start rubbing with Eagle One Polishing Wads (silver can-sold in any auto parts store.) You can get these alum wheels to look just like chrome. Let us know how it turns out. Good Luck!

Dave

 

[bucket]

Now that I got the HRE wheels on the car and they look good I am "stuck" with a set of polished alu spoke wheels that I think are OEM.

With the protective coating a mess you can't do anything to brighten them up or make then look good again without removing that protective coating.

So ............. any ideas how or what chemicals to use???

It's driving me nuts looking at them in the corner of the garage. They were damned good looking wheels.

The HRE's are the "old school" generation (sensors held on by epoxy and bands) ... and I don't mind hitting them with a bit of Mothers polish .... it was a nightmare two weeks trying to get them mounted. But ... I do at least the way they look and the folks at HRE were real nice even though they were bought used ..... they e-mailed me instructions and spoke with me on the phone a few times.

So props to the nice folks at HRE ....

But ..... now what do I do with these "orphan" wheels. Call me stupid cause I get attached to a set of spoke wheels .... but I have to do something positive with them .....

Like get them where I can polish them or ...... get them powder coated or something????

....
there is no substitute for experience and knowing what to do...
take them to the chrome shop and have them chemically stripped
cheap , quick and professionally done

 

[6 Shooter]

Chrome Wheels & Roadster's Rule!

 

[65-to-00]

Dang ............. .................. Thank Yooooooooooooooo

That, is what they deserve and I have the "Mothers Ball" to take some of the work out of work.

But ....... Where do you get aircraft stripper ??????

There may be a shop at Teterboro Airport since they have some large maintenance shops up there but most places ..... "lil' FBO's" .... never saw any more than charts and head sets for sale.

Thanks again .... my head has been spinning over this and I was even figuring on brass wool or those kitchen pads.

Those wheels, 6 shooter, look sooooooooooooooo good and I can't bear to toss out perfectly good wheels they deserve better than that.

Or am I ready for the "net squad" ..... :bash

 

[gmjunkie]

I'd say bout any automotive paint store will have a spray on striper that will work!!
I get aircraft stripper in a aerosol in Asheville at the Dupont,Sherwin Williams,PPG,Dimont,
and every other kind of automotive paint store "Asheville Motor Parts"!!
Theres not a spark plug or head gasket on the premises,Just Paint and Body supplies!!:L:L:L

 

[65-to-00]

Drove by the "old place" ....... where I used to get paint in the old neighborhood and the building wasn't even there. That was about all they had was paint, papers and rubbing compound.

I thought ............... maybee ........ these guys were sending the new guy on a hunt like we did in the Navy. I was a paint and structures guy in a Naval Air squadron .... VAP-61, but we painted never polished them.

We would send the newbees out for a "quart of fuselage" or "gallon of prop wash" .... thought they might be yanking my chain ... since that ain't hard to do!

 

[Toms007]

Nah, we wouldn't do that! I've seen the stuff at the local AutoZone.

 

[Pac-man]

Polished aluminum looks way better that chrome. Chrome looks and is cheap. Spend the extra time and effort on the do it yourself project and you will have an extra set of awsome, polished wheels that you did yourself. It's a classy, quality look.

 

[bucket]

bah humbug
chrome rules

 

[6 Shooter]

YEP - Chrome Wheels Rule!

Chrome Rules!

​

CHROME...​

​

Later . . . . . .
6 Shooter

 

[Pac-man]

Obviously, they are cheaper for production purposes, and much easier to maintain. Oh, and how dare you throw a ZR-1 in my face, haha. I would NEVER disrespect the wheels that come on the King of the Hill.

 

[6 Shooter]

It takes a special person to like black wheels on a Vette!

 

[gmjunkie]

Really!!

 

[Pac-man]

Got a 70 Monte w/ polished aluminum

 

[6 Shooter]

WOW Great - The Big Dog has polished Alcoa's, but I'd rather have Chrome on it!

Got a 70 Monte w/ polished aluminum

CHROME...​

​

 

[Pac-man]

That was a cool polished aluminum blower, and polished aluminum wheels in the Chrome video, hilarious.

 

[6 Shooter]

I thought you'd like it since your such a humorous person!

 

[Pac-man]

I'm so misunderstood, haha. This thread went right down the tubes, lol. What was it about again? How awsome the chrome ZR-1 wheels are, I think.