I love the chrome polished look on the stock wheels. I was wondering how to do this, or if the only option is to buy them that way. Thanks for the help.

big tex

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1992 305 TBI RS
Flowmaster cat-back exhaust, 14X2.5 open air element...and a T-5 on the way!

 

Check out some of the other post on this subject. There are many.

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'82 Firebird, dead stock, 9 bolt disc rear, over 200,000 miles and still going strong, more to come...
http://www.spinfrenzy.com/stingerssx...easures.html#4

 

i searched the archives and didn't find a damn thing. maybe you could point me in the right direction.

 

Several ways.

Here is a successful procedure I have used over the years.

Buy Aircraft paint remover (available at Walmart).

400, 600, 800, 1500, sand paper.

3m marine polish restorer

Mothers aluminum polish

Strip clear coat from wheels using aircraft remover, then clean them. Sand with 400, then 600, 800, 1500. Buff out with 3m polish.

Westand with 1500, buff out with 3m polish again followed by Mothers polish.

Bingo, high polished wheels.

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91 Formula
305 TPI 5speed
1LE/G92/WS6

Paxton SN92, SLP airfoil, ported/polished plenum, March pulleys, Crane AFPR(43psi),Crane Gold 1.6rrs,MSD coil,MSD6AL,MSD boost-master,Holley 9mm wires, custom fastchip,Ford SVO 24# injectors,Bosch O2sensor, Bosch in-line pump(w/stock pump), SLP 1 5/8" headers,SLP catback,short shifter,3:73s w/Auburn posi,170* t-stat,JET 195* fan switch, Macewen white face gauges, Autometer gauges, Zoom hi-performance clutch.

 

I started polishing my rims with a dremel cone brush in a drill, like it says in the tech article. It was tedious and I didnt get the look I wanted. I found A site that sells polishing tools. http://www.caswellplating.com/
Get a sisal wheel, Spiral sewn wheel, and a Loose cotton, also get 1 black bar of polish 1 brown and 1 white. If you have a drill get the arbor adapter you you can use your drill to polish. If you have a grinder get a 6 or 8 inch polishing wheels and put the wheels in place of the grinding disk.

Strip the clearcoat with aircraft remover
sand the rim
Use the sisal wheel with black compound
Use the spiral sewn with the brown compound
( It looks great from here but if you reall want it to shine finish with the white compound.

Check out the website they have a buy one get one free deal going on now

Austin

 

will one of each of those sand papers work for all of the wheels, or would I need to buy four of each, one for each wheel. Thanks for the help.

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1992 305 TBI RS
Flowmaster cat-back exhaust, 14X2.5 open air element...and a T-5 on the way!

 

big tex,
Check out my wheels from a 2000T/A that are going on my IROC. I have them ready to go now!, just need the car done now.
I removed the brand new stock finish with aircraft remover, and some steel wool. ALOT of work but turned out pretty good.
From there i wet sanded every wheel, and then took them to a local powdercoating place and had them powdercoated in clear.

Here is a couple pictures



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1987 IROC-Z L98 350 SuperRam, Edelbrock Performer 6085 Aluminum Heads, LPE RollerCam 219/219, Crane Gold Race 1.6RR, TF 1 pc Moly Pushrods, Underdrive Pulleys, Edelbrock TPI High Flow Base Manifold, Accel 58mm TB, ADS 24#, Crane AFPR, K&N, Edelbrock TES Headers, Catco Hi Flow Cat, 3" Borla Cat-Back, Accel Cap & Rotor, MSD 8.5mm, MSD 6AL Ignition, MSD Blaster 2 Ignition Coil, Hayes Clutch, 1LE Aluminum DS, 94' Z28 Disk Rear, Wilwood Adjustable Proportioning Valve, Torsen Series 3 Posi Carrier, Precision 3.73 Gears, Southside Machine Sub-Frame Connectors, Hotchkis Lower Control Arms, KYB Shocks/Struts, Suspension Techniques Lowering Springs, Polyurethan Bushings all over the place, Moog Upper/Lower Ball joints and Tie Rods ends/Idler Arm,

To see the ROC, Check out the webpage Here

 

Oh yea, i forgot to mention that i polished them before the powdercoating ;P

 

All those ways mentioned will work.

But mine is the easiest and you will DEFINITELY get a high polished mirror shine.

Like said before, stay away from the dremel when you polish.

 

can i polish the center cap on my wheels too

 

Polishing the center cap depends on the wheels you have. If you have the 16 inch rims some rs's in 91 and 92 and the z's in 91 and 92, then yes, just remove the sticker and following the sanding procedures above, just don't sand too much, because they are plastic under the metal.

 

yeah, those are the ones that I have, i appretiate it

 

how long did it take you guys to polish your wheels. i am going to do mine soon but i am wanting to know how much time it is going to take. i have to go and get my wheels which are in a diff town about thirty minutes away and i was wondering if it took longer than a week. and if i am not mistaken you did not have them clearcoated again after you were done. is that good or bad for the rims, and how many times do you have to polish them in a year, more than once i suspect, after you have driven on them, there is always brake dust what do you do to keep that off. and not ruin the rim or get in the finish.

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1990 IROC-Z L98 350 TPI
AFPR 49PSI, GUTTED AIR BOXES, K&N, RAM AIR, UNDERDRIVE PULLEYS, PORTED PLENUM, B&M SHIFTER, 3.23 LIMITED SLIP, DUAL CATS, STOCK SUPER TURBO EXHAUST, COOPER COBRA XST's
ALUMINUM DRIVESHAFT OFF A 98 Z IN GARAGE READY TO GO ON. ALSO MAGANFLOW MUFFLER READY FOR INSTALL
DAILY DRIVER: 1991 S10 2.5L/5SPD WITH CAMARO RIMS
MUSTANGS...ONLY 4 LUGS....HAHA THAT IS HILARIOUS.

 

at least a day

 

I did my rear rims following theformula's method and it took me about 4 hours for just those...so yea, a day sounds about right... I suggest takeing your time... I think that made one heck of a difference in how my rims turnt out.

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89 IROC-Z 350 TPI

-Flowmaster Catback
-Performance Resource Chip
-700R4 (Rebuilt) Too much done to actually list
-K&N Airfilters
-Ported Plenum
-2.77 Gears (not much to brag about but eh, its there)
-MSD 8.5 mm plug wires
-Problems every other day with the car (probably not a mod, but to me it sure makes a difference)

 

It took me about a day for each rim todo the way I did mine.

I stripped the wheels with Aircraft paint remover.

then I started using 240 grit wet in a 1/4 sheet palm sander and worked my way through the differnt grits of sand paper (320,400,600,800,1000,1500 and 2000)

Then I went over the rim with my drill and a wool buffing wheel using Mothers Aluminium wheel polish.

Thats how they turned out

Kat

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90 RS 305 TBI A4
Dumb ***/**** poor/orginating memeber of the infamous NE Crew
Time to see, believe this in me,This pain that i feel deep inside