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restoring old rims????help

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Old Apr 2, 2008 | 10:30 PM
  #1  
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From: richmond/Virginia
Car: 1984 z28 camaro
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restoring old rims????help

i would really want to know how to restore my rims. i always hear people talking about how they restored their rims and what not and i see it done. and it looks great, i want to restore mine because i kinda dont like aftermarket rims unless they look really good plus i dont wanna spend all kinds of money on some rims.

any advice would be very apreciated
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Old Apr 2, 2008 | 11:06 PM
  #2  
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Re: restoring old rims????help

you have the factory 15" Z28 rims?

Years ago I sanded blasted a set--primed them and painted bright silver. Turned out pretty good.

I also did a set of 15: Pontiac Ralley rims. Same procedure but I had to mask---thats a bitch!

Had my 16" High Tech Pontiac rims professionally done.
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 12:28 AM
  #3  
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From: NORTH EAST GA
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Re: restoring old rims????help

those would look killer polished............ruff sand em with 320 and get all the color off, then water sand with 400, then 600, then 1000, then 1500, spray em with clear coat and they should look real good, if they aint any nicked places on them
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 08:10 AM
  #4  
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Re: restoring old rims????help

so how expensive is all this and what would i need
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 10:52 AM
  #5  
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Re: restoring old rims????help

Originally Posted by jay_d
those would look killer polished............ruff sand em with 320 and get all the color off, then water sand with 400, then 600, then 1000, then 1500, spray em with clear coat and they should look real good, if they aint any nicked places on them
Everything he said is true, except you are going to need an aluminum polishing kit to get them to shine. Those can be pricey so don't jump in till you know what you want to do.
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 11:28 AM
  #6  
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Re: restoring old rims????help

i kinda wannd just repaint the gold parts on the rim
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 11:34 AM
  #7  
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From: Putnam Valley, NY
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Re: restoring old rims????help

Back to prep work for you then bro. Make sure you prep the parts of the rim to be painted, ie. medium-high grit sand paper wet first, then high-really high grit sand paper wet, then a really extensive cleaning, then tape off, then paint of your choice, not nearly as expensive as polishing, and probably a bit less time consuming. Just rememer if you are rattle canning it, prime with the same company as your base coat color, ie. rustoleum auto primer with rustoleum gold with rustoleum clear. It'll all work better most of the time within the same company because of the chemicals they use to make their specific types of paint.
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 11:53 AM
  #8  
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Re: restoring old rims????help

so rustoleum would be the best to use?
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 12:09 PM
  #9  
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From: Putnam Valley, NY
Car: 1992 RS 6spd
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Transmission: Built T56
Axle/Gears: Soon to be Strange S60
Re: restoring old rims????help

Thats the company for rattle cans I like the bast. See what you like, I just like the mid level thickness of rustoleum.
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 12:12 PM
  #10  
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Re: restoring old rims????help

so i need what colors of rustoleum
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 12:16 PM
  #11  
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From: Putnam Valley, NY
Car: 1992 RS 6spd
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Transmission: Built T56
Axle/Gears: Soon to be Strange S60
Re: restoring old rims????help

Thats up to you man. I would use a gray or white primer if doing the gold over in the same color. Basically this is what I would do. Pick your primer according you your color coat, the lighter the color the lighter the primer, the more vibrant the color, go with gray primer, and of course if you do it black go with black primer. As for clear coat, remember to hit the newly painted and dried surface with like 1200 grit wet paper, clean it, dry it, then LIGHTLy apply coats of clear till desiered shine is achieved.
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 12:28 PM
  #12  
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Re: restoring old rims????help

so what about the chrome around the gold parts.....????
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 01:43 PM
  #13  
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From: Putnam Valley, NY
Car: 1992 RS 6spd
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Transmission: Built T56
Axle/Gears: Soon to be Strange S60
Re: restoring old rims????help

Lots of polishing I guess, thats more out of my league with the chrome and the gold, if it were my rims I'd do black and gold but thats just me.
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 03:38 PM
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Re: restoring old rims????help

if you sand the polished parts with 1500 itll come out slick and you wont see any scratches
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 07:37 PM
  #15  
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Re: restoring old rims????help

what if the chrome is faded and have grease stains/brake dust
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 11:23 PM
  #16  
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From: NORTH EAST GA
Car: 84 z28
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Axle/Gears: one wheel peel
Re: restoring old rims????help

id say it will sand off and look decent after you clear it
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Old Apr 3, 2008 | 11:31 PM
  #17  
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Re: restoring old rims????help

yea i wet sanded my old rs rims and cleared them i really wish i kept them for drag tires,o well i like my torq thrust
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Old Apr 4, 2008 | 09:10 AM
  #18  
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Re: restoring old rims????help

My only additional suggestion would be cleaning and degreasing your rims really good first before you start your sanding or you risk embedding some oil or grease into the rims and then possibly ending up with fish eyes when you paint.

Not saying it will happen, just you increase the chance of it, if you start sanding on dirty rims.
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Old Apr 4, 2008 | 01:50 PM
  #19  
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Re: restoring old rims????help

what do you think the rim would loook like if it was all black gloss with gold panels??
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