Polished stock 17s

[billseast]

I have started and it going to take a log time to finish i will have one wheel done soon http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 07061212a.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 07061212.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 07061059.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 07061504.jpg

[license-2-drill]

Nice...if you can, keep track of how long it takes you and what you use to do it. I'd love to give it a try if yours come out well...Keep up the good work!

[04IBM GTO]

Looks good, Clearcoat them afterwards....There a PIA to maintain if you don't.

[Bigpollack]

OK, what did you use to strip the paint off ?

[billseast]

I have an update been working on the one wheel for about 6 hours right now. This what it will look like when its done i have one little part done http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 08061315a.jpg

[larrygto]

They will look awesome! I love that look, But man thats alot of work!

[Ross]

The thing I really don't like about polished wheel is the amount of work it takes to keep them looking good. Even then they require repolishing every other year or so.

Personally, powder coat is the way I'll go if don't sell the extra set of wheels in my garage.

[billseast]

if you clear the wheels when the are done being polished will not have to re polish them

[Robofuzz]

I have an update been working on the one wheel for about 6 hours right now. This what it will look like when its done i have one little part done http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 08061315a.jpg

I like that look. I wouldn't want them polished to the point that they look like chrome.

[AshyLarry]

That looks damn good. I couldn't do that, especially the hard to get place.

[DeepBlueZ]

if you clear the wheels when the are done being polished will not have to re polish them

doesn't look nearly as good though. Factory vette wheels are clearcoated....they're nowhere near as shiny as uncoated polished aluminum.

[billseast]

doesn't look nearly as good though. Factory vette wheels are clearcoated....they're nowhere near as shiny as uncoated polished aluminum.

Yes i know but its not done yet i need to get some 2000 grit sand paper to finish the pic is of 1000 grit

[B/STOCK]

doesn't look nearly as good though. Factory vette wheels are clearcoated....they're nowhere near as shiny as uncoated polished aluminum.


One of the reasons Vette wheels don't look as shiny is because there is a lot less spoke surface. Plus, a lot of us don't like CHROME shiny. My Vette came with painted wheels because polished were on constraint. I went out and bought OEM chromed. Big mistake. Didn't like the look at all. Had to wait over a year to get the polished OEMs from the parts dept. They had supplier problems on the wheels and even after they shipped cars with them you could not buy them from parts.

The polished GTO wheels look fantastic and I admire anyone who has the dedication to take on that job. Gotta clear coat them unless you want to do the work every year. Just my .02

[DeepBlueZ]

Yes i know but its not done yet i need to get some 2000 grit sand paper to finish the pic is of 1000 grit

oh no no, i didn't mean your polishing job....that looks to be coming along NICELY!:)

I was just saying that clearcoat over polished aluminum never looks anywhere near as good as CLEAN uncoated polished aluminum. ;)

Obviously though, the maintenance is a bitch, which is why the centers of my Boyds are powdercoated grey....:p

[caritter3]

Looking good so far...

[Jontall]

How much would it cost to have them professionally polished?

[B/STOCK]

How much would it cost to have them professionally polished?

There was a post mentioning that awile back. I will see if I can dig it up. It had a URL to the business. It was reasonalbe if I recall correctly. Something like $100-$125 per wheel. My 18s just came in so I need that info myself. I think I am going to send them out to be polished. I will get back to ya.

[GTO-TO-GO]

I have done wheel polishing before and have learned a few helpfull tips.My first set was on my 78 Formuls Firebird in 1981.
The hard way was to use a drill with small polishing wheels. It took days to do one wheel.
The next set came off my 1988 Turbo Toyota Supra.
The easy way is .....

#1 Go to the local auto paint supply store and buy some paint remover used for airplanes. I got mine from a PPG paint supplier. Spray it on and let it sitthen hose it off. The can has a photo of a plane on it. It is made for use on thin plane wings so it doesn"t harm the wheels and works great. No sanding to get rid if orig wheel paint.
#2 Next look in local phone book for metal polishing suppliers. They sell the sissle(course) and cotton (med and fine) wheels needed to do a great job. They will help you with the correct type of rouge and pollishing compounds needed to cut thru the fine scratches to make your wheels look like chrome.
#3 I was in the pool industry so I had access to a pump motor. I used a 3/4 hp 56 frame 115volt 2 speed motor with the polishing wheels and I was able to do one wheel in a day. Needles to say they came out like apro had done them because I had used what the pros were using to polish with.

I have used this setup to polish wheels, Turbo intake tubing and small parts for motorcycles. I polished my 1987 BMW k-Series motorcycle valve cover and oil pan to show chrome shine.
Funny thing is that I have kept that 3/4 hp motor and all the polishing supplies over the years never knowing when I will need it. The motor realy doesn't need to be 2 speed, but the slower RMP helps with smaller projects.

I hope this info helps.

GTO-TO-GO

[Midnight Goat]

Anybody need 2 stock wheels to play with?
<.<
>.>

Nice job by the way!

[rdobroski]

There was a post mentioning that awile back. I will see if I can dig it up. It had a URL to the business. It was reasonalbe if I recall correctly. Something like $100-$125 per wheel. My 18s just came in so I need that info myself. I think I am going to send them out to be polished. I will get back to ya.

I would be interested in getting mine done professionally also - I could not find the post.

[Greeny5005]

i wonder how this would look on a QS, i have a spare set of rims im thinking of trying this on.

[billseast]

The main problem with polishing the gto wheels is that they are not smooth under the paint the wheels is textured

[B/STOCK]

I would be interested in getting mine done professionally also - I could not find the post.

Here it is. http://www.chromeandperformance.com/wheels.html
Not sure if they clearcoat but it's a start.

[Lorider680]

smoke dip chrome hereVVVVVVVVVVVVV

[DallasSleeper]

Here it is. http://www.chromeandperformance.com/wheels.html
Not sure if they clearcoat but it's a start.


I like that look, $560 isn't bad either. A lot cheaper than the route I was looking at going.

[rdobroski]

Here it is. http://www.chromeandperformance.com/wheels.html
Not sure if they clearcoat but it's a start.

Thanks - I am seriously considering this. I have TSW vortex rims for the summer and just put the stockers back on for winter. It is amazing to me how much smoother the car is with the stockers. When I have the TSW on the car the steering wheel shakes and I am tired of it. Hub rings didn't do the trick either. Thanks for the link!!

[B/STOCK]

Thanks - I am seriously considering this. I have TSW vortex rims for the summer and just put the stockers back on for winter. It is amazing to me how much smoother the car is with the stockers. When I have the TSW on the car the steering wheel shakes and I am tired of it. Hub rings didn't do the trick either. Thanks for the link!!

I was at a club (Corvette) Christmas party last Saturday and the discusion turned to wheels. I got some names of a few local, 50 miles, people that do it and then apply a clearcoat. I have to check to make sure the info was correct. I would rather not send them out but if I have to I will. Good luck.

[Cyclone05Goat]

How are the wheels coming? I noticed that people started talking about paying for this. Im more interested in the original posters technique/progress.

[billseast]

i havent had much time to work on them this week but as soon i get everything done i will tell ya the best way to do it

[billseast]

update got the face of one wheel done
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 16061505.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 16061504.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 16061505a.jpg

[Greeny5005]

im gonna start my set tomorrow or monday i like enough for my to atleast try it. ill take some photos when i get some progress and post them up as well.

[billseast]

make sure you have some air tools it makes it easier

[DeepBlueZ]

update got the face of one wheel done
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 16061505.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 16061504.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 16061505a.jpg

that's very cool man, it almost looks like a machined finish....:)

[DallasSleeper]

It looks great, but I have to assume that your car is parked for the winter.

[billseast]

no not parked i have extra set of wheels and its a daily driver every day is on the road

[DallasSleeper]

ahhhh OK, I was going to say. There is no way I could spend that much time on one project for my car. But if you have an extra set then it all makes sense. Very nice looking though.

[license-2-drill]

what are u using to strip and polish so far?

[Midnight Goat]

Looks great!

[GOATHEAD55]

Looking good....

[Pontiac Addict]

Are the wheels in fact like many other painted wheels where they are a little rough under the paint?

My drag wheels are a set of BMW wheels that I stripped and sanded smooth. The problem with them is that they are very pourus, so no matter how much I polished them they still had pits. Once I removed the paint, they also had a material similar to undercoating applied to the wheels to make them smooth before they had been painted.

My Mom works for a Jeweler's supply company so I have access to just about any polishing stuff I need, PM me if anyone needs supplies as they will ship them if you can't find the roughes and abrasives locally.

I had considered polishing mine by blasting sawdust or similar through my sand blaster. Anyone tried that before?

[billseast]

Are the wheels in fact like many other painted wheels where they are a little rough under the paint?

That is right pain in the rear to smooth out this is what im using
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem. taf?Itemnumber=94196
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/billseast/12 19060817.jpg

[cjmatt]

any updated pics?

[larrygto]

Did you ever finish those rims? Wouldn't blame you if you didn't looks like alot of work!

[jamesbiz]

Here it is. http://www.chromeandperformance.com/wheels.html
Not sure if they clearcoat but it's a start.

mmm. i'd love a polished TB and they got a really cool coil pack relocation kit.

[NeveGTO]

you ever finish this?

[PATRON]

Has anyone done this to the OEM 18's?

Hasta...

[Bjorn]

How did this project turn out?

[rdobroski]

holy back from the dead