Hi.
I didn't find any photo of stock iroc wheels fully polished (and I spent a long time to try to find on the forum). All the photos I saw, were face polished and painted inside the spokes.

I would like to polish my wheels inside the spokes and on the face to have a mirror finish. But I don't know if it is possible. May be it's a lot of work to do? Does anyone did it? If so, why I can't find any photo?

Could you tell me please, if you think that I can do it? Do you think that it would be nice, or would it be better to let the wheels stock?

Thank you for your help.

Jean Luc
from France.

 

Years ago I tried it on my 91/92 Z28 wheels and found out that it would be hours and hours of work. You would need to start off with sanding cartridges on a die grinder to get the cast look smoothed down and then it would be working your way up through the grits by hand err I mean finger tips. I just settled for polishing the spokes and lip and painting the grove portions.

 

To do it right is a lot of work. It would be a bit less time and I actually prefer just the faces polished and the inside of the spokes and stripes painted.

91-92 style, but you get the idea.. Polished, pre paint


Painted

 

Hi Tibo.

Thank you for your answer. I didn't do yet anything on my wheels, so I don't realize exactly the needed work to polish four wheels. As you say, it would be a lot a work to full polish the wheels, and may be when I'll do just the spokes and lips, I'll have enough to not want to go further.....

When I'll do it, I'll post photos here, may be fully polished, may be .....not. Thank you again.

If someones have any advice or comment, alls welcome.

Jean Luc

 

Hi grngryoutmyway.

Thank you for your answer and the photos you posted. Nice work

Would you have please a photo of the wheel polished vertical? I wonder if with the shadow, and the dark background when the wheel in on the car (vertical), the result is not almost the same than a painted wheel. May be it is not worth to do so much work for a final result not far from a painted wheel. What do you think?

Thank you.

Jean Luc

 

On the car the inserts are painted. Top photo the face is polished and the inserts are just sanded down ready to prep for paint.

 

Ok thank you. I think that I'll do like you. Less work and good result.
Jean Luc

 

Fully Polished 88 IROC Wheel

 

Thank you Racer350 for the photo. Nice job. What technique did you used, particularly for the painted parts? The result is pretty nice.

 

It's been a while, but I did a couple of sets of wheels. One set were IROC and another set from a '92 Z28. I did a full polish, including in the spokes. It takes a little time, but there are some specialized tools and materials that make it much easier.

I started a set of '89 GTA diamond lace wheels, but got side tracked and never finished them.

 

I brought them to a local powder coating company and they sanded everything down. Then they polished the entire rim and put a clear powder coat on them. It makes them very easy to clean with just soap and water.

 

Thank you for the information about specialized tools and materials.

 

It's the best way, it's sure. But if I find someone here in France in the area where I live, I'm afraid it will be expensive to do it. So, I'll do it by my self. I'll have to clean it 3 or 4 time a year with a product for alloy. But thank you for the information. It will be helpful for the ones who would want to do it.

Jean Luc

 

No problem.
If you don't understand that it can be done, you wouldn't understand the tools.

Google is your friend, or hire someone to do it.

 

Thank you TireSmokin'