Slowest alloy refurb.. Ever!

[ChrisKaye]

Started October last year!

Finally ready to go on the car tomorrow!

Life, kids and weather got in the way, slowing priming, painting and lacquering to a crawl....

From this:

To this:

To these beauts (ok they aren't perfect but a hell of a lot better!):

My alloys were so corroded on the rim bead that the tyre fitters wouldn't put new rubber on them.

Soooo, tomorrow I'll have another two bare rims to refurb.

One of the rims in the pic was the spare, the other was one I got on eBay for £35 delivered...!

My words to the wise, don't even bother doing this at home if you don't have free time! But if you have somewhere sheltered to spray, the cost to do 5 wheels at home is the same to have one done professionally.

1 spray can of UPOL etch primer will do 2 wheels (without tyres on)

1 can of silver base coat per wheel (the Lidl Baufix rim paint went on great and was £3 a can, and the colour is great)

1 can of Tetrosyl 1k lacquer per wheel, found after much trial and error with inferior products which meant much stripping and recoating- avoid Halfords and Hycote lacquer like the plague. This stuff needs only 3 mins between coats and touch dry in less than 20mins, fully dried in 24hrs, ready for polish and wax!

Once all the wheels are done (and thanks to Goose's recent plasti-dip post) I might have a play with different coats, knowing you can peel it off every year or so, and may act as a skin to keep the corrosion at bay!

If any one wants more info on what worked and didn't, let me know!

Chris

[is200 Newbie]

Nice job - done mine a few years back and came out really well. Very satisfying seeing what they started off like to what they looked like when finished. I didn't take the rubber off tho.

[ChrisKaye]

Just started cleaning up the two rims that came off the car when I popped the refurbs on last week. These are some of the worst wheels I've seen.

The one with big patches of paint missing was my spare that looks as if it had been refurbed before but really suffered from being strapped under the car and forgotten about!

After first light clean with wire brush, and Brillo pad:

And the fun starts all again!

[g00se]

Fair play to you for sticking with this...  I'm pretty sure i would have found someone to sandblast them by now, and just get to stick to the fun stuff like the painting :)

I know a bloke in Reading who does old car panels for £20 each...  he also does bike frames, wheels, floor pans etc

goose

 

[ChrisKaye]

Actually, I don't mind the sanding - have managed to source a few useful drill attachments for a couple of pounds from eBay that takes the time and effort out of the work.

The painting is usually where I come unstuck - especially having to do it outdoors, however I have learnt so much from the first two rims and they key is definitely working with good products - the Tetrosyl lacquer has been a revelation!

Chris.