I finally finished my wheels. I've got about 90-100 hours of hand sanding, polishing, buffing in the set. No more machine grooves, they're completely smooth. I even stripped the grey paint out of the inserts and repainted them black.

I know there are several people out there that hate these wheels and think I'm crazy for spending that much time on them. I think they look great on the 91-92's...they just flow with the car. Plus, I'd rather put the $400-500 cost of new rims toward a paint job I'm saving up for.

They looked terrible when I started. Pitted, faded, stained...but here is what can be done with them. If I had used power tools (sander and buffer) my time would have been alot less.

The pics don't do them justice...they've got a almost perfect mirror finish in person.

My sanding progression after the paint/clearcoat was stripped:

100 grit dry sand to remove the machine grooves
220 wet sand
320 wet sand
400 wet sand
600 wet sand
0000 steel wool
3 coats of mother's

 

Looks good.

 

I think that first picture looks great. I've had quite a few of those wheels and they look good on all 3rd gen Firebirds!

Good job!

 

I can see what your trying to do and kudos for the efforts but you really gotta get some 16" rims

 

Maybe one day eventually I'll get a set of 16" Formy rims, but for now I'm more concerned about looks than performance. After all, I'm only running a stock LO3 with an open element.

Next order of business is body and paint work. Divetrain, suspension, and interior are all done.

 

They look good. I still got my original set. I need to get them out and refinish them too. I had a set of GTA black ones I refinished years ago B4 the Ronals were put on. I redid the black center and polished the lip...left natural and no clear. Those look better than the 91-92 GTA wannabes that are on the car in the 1st pic. I hate those! It was like a tiny GTA wheel..insulting