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I have a stock pair of rims that have been terribly painted gray and I hear sandblasting is best. However, in the stock photo below it seems like the rims are a mix of polished aluminum and black or gray powdercoat? Im trying to do a restore and want to make it as accurate as possible. Has anyone done this and knows what to use or color codes. I plan to take this to a wheel refinisher but I figure I should at least know what im trying to do!
Last edited by Archangel3090; Oct 12, 2019 at 02:49 AM.
It's been done by guys on here a few times. Best way to do it would be to remove the tires from the wheels, strip the entire wheel down to bare aluminum, polish the bare aluminum spots and paint the rest with a high-quality wheel paint. I've heard it's a ton of work and extremely time-consuming, but the end result is pretty cool to say the least.
For stock look, you need the wheel re machined. I found one place in Washington state that does this for $140 US per wheel. Below is a picture of a polished but not machined wheels that I found from StansPolishing in Australia.
Last edited by Richard Miller; Oct 13, 2019 at 04:17 PM.
I sanded and polished my blackened oxidized wheels. It took 12 hours per wheel using a drill when possible, and by hand. The wheels must have sat 1/2 submerged before I got the car. in 1990. This was the boringest thing I've ever done on the car.
The black portions of the wheel are actually a grey color originally. The fade and age to a black and most people just leave them black after that as most people think they're black anyways. But to answer your question, those colored portions are painted and then cleared with the rest of the wheel.
The black portions of the wheel are actually a grey color originally. The fade and age to a black and most people just leave them black after that as most people think they're black anyways. But to answer your question, those colored portions are painted and then cleared with the rest of the wheel.
thank you! Thats helpful i think i get it now. Diamond cut is a different finish on the silver portion. For the gray areas could you point me toward what shade? Like a dark charcoal? Light gray etc? Id love to know what paint code they used originally
Last edited by Archangel3090; Oct 14, 2019 at 12:24 PM.
Why not go for the real '80's style and do red for those recessed areas? Oh, you are going for OEM classic. I like the Richard Miller's polished wheels look better. I think the diamond cut looks dirty. and on my wheels I would like to make the all the recessed areas shiny metal.
The best looking wheels are the 5 spoke muscle car Cragen wheels from the '60's. They are statically (from a static equilibria college course) physically (college physics course) structurally sound where no metal a wasted making things look cute. I hate those wheels that are twisted or mimic airplane propellers. And those spinning rims are an abomination. I also hate the fake knock offs on old datsun z cars that mimic functional knock offs on english 60's roadsters.
It is great that I have my life so much together, that I can hate wheel styles.
ps...what is hilarious is to watch movies from the 1960's where the cars are enlonged, bouncing all over the place, rolling on turns, and they have those chrome high light strips attached to the body, rocket ship tail fins, and huge chrome bumpers that look like breasts.
Last edited by midnight mechanic; Oct 14, 2019 at 01:23 PM.
OP, not sure if you're willing to spend big bucks on a restoration, but if you just want nice original FB rims, people are always selling them in good condition. I had a beautiful set on here for a long time that I couldn't give away.
OP, not sure if you're willing to spend big bucks on a restoration, but if you just want nice original FB rims, people are always selling them in good condition. I had a beautiful set on here for a long time that I couldn't give away.
well i dont know whats best. Im in canada and think ahipping them would be as much as refinishing
So I have an 84 rx7 gls. I’ve heard these wheels are hard to find but I bought mine with them on it. These aren’t mine but just a pic. Mine are nicer and not dirty. Haha
