Got the clearcoat removed from rims and polished them

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Apr 24, 2002 | 12:05 AM

socal85tam

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From: L.A.

Car: 1988 IROC-Z

Engine: 383 HSR

Transmission: 4 speed Automatic

Axle/Gears: 4:10

Got the clearcoat removed from rims and polished them

I decided to polish my wheels to see if I can make them look beter
This is a before pic

Last edited by socal85tam; Apr 24, 2002 at 12:03 PM.

Apr 24, 2002 | 12:10 AM

socal85tam

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From: L.A.

Car: 1988 IROC-Z

Engine: 383 HSR

Transmission: 4 speed Automatic

Axle/Gears: 4:10

This is the remover doing its job

Last edited by socal85tam; Apr 24, 2002 at 12:48 AM.

Apr 24, 2002 | 12:12 AM

Mark A Shields

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From: Someone owes me 10,000 posts

Car: 99 Formula

Engine: LS1

Transmission: T56

Axle/Gears: 342

I'm gettin red xs.

Apr 24, 2002 | 12:12 AM

socal85tam

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From: L.A.

Car: 1988 IROC-Z

Engine: 383 HSR

Transmission: 4 speed Automatic

Axle/Gears: 4:10

and this is the finished work. Still needs a little more polishing

Last edited by socal85tam; Apr 24, 2002 at 12:50 AM.

Apr 24, 2002 | 12:15 AM

Mark A Shields

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From: Someone owes me 10,000 posts

Car: 99 Formula

Engine: LS1

Transmission: T56

Axle/Gears: 342

Apr 24, 2002 | 12:16 AM

socal85tam

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From: L.A.

Car: 1988 IROC-Z

Engine: 383 HSR

Transmission: 4 speed Automatic

Axle/Gears: 4:10

Quote:

I'm gettin red xs.

Thats weird mark, I can see the pictures. Can any body else see them, or just me?

Apr 24, 2002 | 12:26 AM

socal85tam

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From: L.A.

Car: 1988 IROC-Z

Engine: 383 HSR

Transmission: 4 speed Automatic

Axle/Gears: 4:10

Last edited by socal85tam; Apr 24, 2002 at 01:11 AM.

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Apr 24, 2002 | 12:27 AM

StngKlr

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From: Paris, Tx. USA

Car: 89 RS

Engine: LS1

Transmission: TH350

Nope.

Apr 24, 2002 | 12:37 AM

Mark A Shields

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From: Someone owes me 10,000 posts

Car: 99 Formula

Engine: LS1

Transmission: T56

Axle/Gears: 342

I want to see, I want to see,

Apr 24, 2002 | 12:40 AM

#10

socal85tam

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From: L.A.

Car: 1988 IROC-Z

Engine: 383 HSR

Transmission: 4 speed Automatic

Axle/Gears: 4:10

sorry, give me 15 minutes to try to fix this mess guys

Apr 24, 2002 | 12:54 AM

#11

socal85tam

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From: L.A.

Car: 1988 IROC-Z

Engine: 383 HSR

Transmission: 4 speed Automatic

Axle/Gears: 4:10

I hope you can see the pics now

Apr 24, 2002 | 12:58 AM

#12

StngKlr

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From: Paris, Tx. USA

Car: 89 RS

Engine: LS1

Transmission: TH350

Cool.

Apr 24, 2002 | 01:03 AM

#13

squirrelybird

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From: Lutz, FL USA

cool...do those rims have the machining grooves like my 15" firebird rims? i know those are the earlier trans am ones i think, so i wasnt sure. thanks

Apr 24, 2002 | 01:07 AM

#14

socal85tam

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From: L.A.

Car: 1988 IROC-Z

Engine: 383 HSR

Transmission: 4 speed Automatic

Axle/Gears: 4:10

Quote:

do those rims have the machining grooves like my 15" firebird rims?

Yes they do.

Apr 24, 2002 | 08:13 AM

#15

Mark A Shields

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From: Someone owes me 10,000 posts

Car: 99 Formula

Engine: LS1

Transmission: T56

Axle/Gears: 342

Looks real good, the first pic, I was like that looks like crap, till I saw the title.

Apr 24, 2002 | 09:49 AM

#16

kiztope

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From: Austin, Tx

Car: 92 Formula

Engine: L98

Transmission: A4

Sweet! These are just what I was looking for.... I have decided! This summer, the bird is getting her shoes cleaned!
:hail: :lala:

Apr 24, 2002 | 10:09 AM

#17

Florida Bird

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From: Clearwater, FL, USA

Car: 1991 Pontiac Firebird

Engine: 305 TBI

Transmission: 700R4

Rims look GREAT

What process did you use? I was just wondering because I'm looking through the Por-15 catalog and they have a kit for polishing your rims for $129.00. Just wanted to know if it could be done cheaper.

Apr 24, 2002 | 10:53 AM

#18

Mark A Shields

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From: Someone owes me 10,000 posts

Car: 99 Formula

Engine: LS1

Transmission: T56

Axle/Gears: 342

As an estimate took about $50 for mine.

Apr 24, 2002 | 12:00 PM

#19

socal85tam

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From: L.A.

Car: 1988 IROC-Z

Engine: 383 HSR

Transmission: 4 speed Automatic

Axle/Gears: 4:10

Quote:

Rims look GREAT What process did you use? I was just wondering because I'm looking through the Por-15 catalog and they have a kit for polishing your rims for $129.00. Just wanted to know if it could be done cheaper.

The clearcoat remover costed me like 8 bucs or so, and the mothers polishing compound, like 5, I believe.
Tools needed:

Clearcoat remover for aluminum surfaces
Plastic putty knife ( or something soft that will not scratch the wheel surface).
Mothers aluminum polishing compound

The process, is
1.-Cleaning your wheels,
2.-aplying the remover on the wheel and wait until the clearcoat gets soft ( about 20 min)
3.-Remove the clearcoat with a plastic putty knife
4.- Wash the wheel and scrub it with a plastic brush.
5.-Dry the wheel, and polish it with the polishing compound.

Apr 24, 2002 | 01:00 PM

#20

383 Smoka

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From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Good job man.... Looks sweet....

Apr 24, 2002 | 01:09 PM

#21

Mark A Shields

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From: Someone owes me 10,000 posts

Car: 99 Formula

Engine: LS1

Transmission: T56

Axle/Gears: 342

Quote:

Originally posted by socal85tam

The clearcoat remover costed me like 8 bucs or so, and the mothers polishing compound, like 5, I believe.
Tools needed:

Clearcoat remover for aluminum surfaces
Plastic putty knife ( or something soft that will not scratch the wheel surface).
Mothers aluminum polishing compound

The process, is
1.-Cleaning your wheels,
2.-aplying the remover on the wheel and wait until the clearcoat gets soft ( about 20 min)
3.-Remove the clearcoat with a plastic putty knife
4.- Wash the wheel and scrub it with a plastic brush.
5.-Dry the wheel, and polish it with the polishing compound.

You didn't use sandpaper?
Also I found the 3M Aluminum Restorer before polishing helps.

Apr 24, 2002 | 04:00 PM

#22

88 WS6 TransAm GTA

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From: Cherry Hill, NJ

Car: 92 Trans Am 'Vert

Engine: 305 TPI

Transmission: 5 Speed

Looks great, but make sure you reclearcoat them! That is, unless you feel like polishing them every week to protect them...

Apr 24, 2002 | 04:10 PM

#23

Mark A Shields

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From: Someone owes me 10,000 posts

Car: 99 Formula

Engine: LS1

Transmission: T56

Axle/Gears: 342

Quote:

Originally posted by 88 WS6 TransAm GTA
Looks great, but make sure you reclearcoat them! That is, unless you feel like polishing them every week to protect them...

That kind of defeats the purpose of polishing them doesn't it. Just use windex to clean them and I've heard carnuba wax helps protect.

Apr 24, 2002 | 05:15 PM

#24

socal85tam

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From: L.A.

Car: 1988 IROC-Z

Engine: 383 HSR

Transmission: 4 speed Automatic

Axle/Gears: 4:10

[QUOTE]You didn't use sandpaper?

No, I didn't sand them at all.

Apr 24, 2002 | 05:59 PM

#25

redbird_400

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Joined: Sep 2001

Posts: 4,231

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From: Manassas, VA

Car: 89 Formula Firebird

Engine: 305 - Demon 525

Transmission: 700R4

Didnt sand mine either. Just the stripper and me, I know what your thinking. hehe...

Apr 24, 2002 | 06:30 PM

#26

DFIance

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From: over there

where did you get the clearcoat remover?

Apr 24, 2002 | 07:17 PM

#27

Mark A Shields

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From: Someone owes me 10,000 posts

Car: 99 Formula

Engine: LS1

Transmission: T56

Axle/Gears: 342

Wal-Mart, Autozone and other stores like them. I got the spray kind.

Apr 25, 2002 | 12:46 AM

#28

socal85tam

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From: L.A.

Car: 1988 IROC-Z

Engine: 383 HSR

Transmission: 4 speed Automatic

Axle/Gears: 4:10

I got mine at Kragen's, you can apply it with a small brush.

Apr 25, 2002 | 05:20 PM

#29

Ukraine Train

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From: Cleveland, OH

Car: '87 Camaro LT

Engine: 355 L98

Transmission: T56

is paint remover the same as that aircraft remover?

Apr 25, 2002 | 05:27 PM

#30

socal85tam

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From: L.A.

Car: 1988 IROC-Z

Engine: 383 HSR

Transmission: 4 speed Automatic

Axle/Gears: 4:10

Don't know, but it works wonders

Apr 25, 2002 | 05:31 PM

#31

Mark A Shields

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From: Someone owes me 10,000 posts

Car: 99 Formula

Engine: LS1

Transmission: T56

Axle/Gears: 342

Quote:

Originally posted by Ukraine Train
is paint remover the same as that aircraft remover?

I believe the air craft remover is stronger.

Apr 25, 2002 | 06:58 PM

#32

86FyrBrd

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From: Quakertown, PA

Car: 1992 Camaro Z28 Convertible Z03

Engine: 383 SuperRam

Transmission: 700R4

Axle/Gears: 2.73

This is what removing the clear coat, then sanding for a while will do, set of 4 of these will be for sale soon.....3 more to go :lala:

Attached Thumbnails

Got the clearcoat removed from rims and polished them-tire.jpg

Apr 26, 2002 | 12:12 AM

#33

squirrelybird

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From: Lutz, FL USA

86fyrbrd......what did you sand with? hand block? electric? drill? what grits? how long? ...i think i might wanna sand those grooves off before i polish.