Wheel question (slow response from appearance)
Thread Starter
Supreme Member
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,375
Likes: 0
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Car: '99 Trans Am, '86 Camaro
Engine: LS1, Scrap
Transmission: T56, T5
Axle/Gears: 3.42 Stock ZT, 3.42 Open
Wheel question (slow response from appearance)
As seen on the impossibly slow to give one sketchy response Appearance board...
What material are the base model 5 spoke rally wheels (ones that look like the oughta have hubcaps on 'em) made of.. looks like aluminum to me but I'd like to be sure since I'm polishing them down.. don't want to rust my wheels off. In case they do turn out to be a rustable material I'm only working on one at the moment (not like I can work on more than one anyway.. this paint is *layered*) They look really sexy underneath, but I don't know enough about how polished metals look to tell if it's steel or aluminum. If steel, how can I leave them bare and protect them from rust?
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'86 Camaro SC, black /w silver racing stripes
2.8l MPFI/700r4 /w special 2nd gear delete option
In search of new v8 engine & transmission, now contemplating t5 swap to get me out of this mess.
MSD coil, Accel 8mm wires, SplitFire plugs, Gabriel hijackers, possible performance chip I don't know about.. gotta crack open the ECM and check sometime
What material are the base model 5 spoke rally wheels (ones that look like the oughta have hubcaps on 'em) made of.. looks like aluminum to me but I'd like to be sure since I'm polishing them down.. don't want to rust my wheels off. In case they do turn out to be a rustable material I'm only working on one at the moment (not like I can work on more than one anyway.. this paint is *layered*) They look really sexy underneath, but I don't know enough about how polished metals look to tell if it's steel or aluminum. If steel, how can I leave them bare and protect them from rust?
------------------
'86 Camaro SC, black /w silver racing stripes
2.8l MPFI/700r4 /w special 2nd gear delete option
In search of new v8 engine & transmission, now contemplating t5 swap to get me out of this mess.
MSD coil, Accel 8mm wires, SplitFire plugs, Gabriel hijackers, possible performance chip I don't know about.. gotta crack open the ECM and check sometime
Supreme Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,777
Likes: 0
From: First one out of liberty city, burn it to the ground
i dont think their aluminum. One of my friends tried to sand and polish them and they turned black 
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1989 Firebird
2.8 v6, t5 swapped in
Ram Hi-po clutch, Cold Air, 1.6 rockers (ready to install), Lakewood LCA's, Lakewood Lift bars, 3" y-pipe, Random Tech Cat, 3" I-pipe, Flowmasters, MSd 6a, MSD Coil (Fireball in future) Accel 8.8 wires, MSD Ignition Module, 4th Gen Seats (not front yet)
" I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to NOT run at all ".

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1989 Firebird
2.8 v6, t5 swapped in
Ram Hi-po clutch, Cold Air, 1.6 rockers (ready to install), Lakewood LCA's, Lakewood Lift bars, 3" y-pipe, Random Tech Cat, 3" I-pipe, Flowmasters, MSd 6a, MSD Coil (Fireball in future) Accel 8.8 wires, MSD Ignition Module, 4th Gen Seats (not front yet)
" I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to NOT run at all ".
Supreme Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 13,414
Likes: 6
From: Central NJ, USA
Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
Doesn't aluminum get a coating of black on it as it's being polished?
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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
[This message has been edited by TomP (edited April 02, 2001).]
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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
[This message has been edited by TomP (edited April 02, 2001).]
Aluminum gets a light coating of black because of the reaction of the bare metal with oxygen. Pur aluminum will blacken in to a noticible degree when exposed. That is why most aluminum is porous because if it has a smooth finish it would look pretty crappy. Anyeays I think the base camaro wheels that Smurf is refering to are like a stamped steel wheel. Someone on here should know for sure. Thats the best I can do
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FOR SALE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
86 Trans Am 355 TPI Rebuilt 700R4 with Corvette servo, modified valve body, and a B&M Torque Converter (2000 rpm stall w/ lock up), 87 350 block bored .30 with new crank. Reworked 305 heads with 3-angle valve job. Added in the rebuild was an SLP TPI cam, BBK 58mm Throttle Body,MSD 6A, Hypertech Power Coil,MSD Wires, 1.5 Crane roller tipped rocker arms, SLP Intake Runners and Port matching in upper intake including fully ported plenum, TPIS adjustable fuel pressure regulator @ 46psi, Hooker shorty style headers w/ Thermotech heat wrapping, Custom 3” exhaust with Flowmaster muffler and chrome quad tips, Hypertech Thermomaster Computer chip, K&N open element cone filter on modified MAF per TPIS specs, removal of A/C hardware and added a 1LE firewall cover installed. Also there has been a PST front suspension kit with Hotchkis strut tower brace added.
Stereo has 2 Clairion Pro Audio dash plates, 2 Sony 6X9s, 2 Kicker 12's in a custom Carpeted box with a custom amp rack Holding 3 MTX 280 Amps, and a MTX electronic Crossover all wired with EFX cable.
Asking $4200 with all extra Parts that are needed to fix most apearance flaws. ie Complete hatch and wing from a 91 GTA
http://geocities.com/feltsb/kyle.html
Kills:
95 Talon TSI, 96 Probe GT, 91 T/A L98, 89 RS, 86 Mustang GT, 88 Mustang LX 5.0, 92 Thunderbird V8. couple or ricers that I think were Civics or Preludes not sure what year, 95 Celica GT-S, 94 Chevy 1/2 ton 350, one of those NASCAR F150's
The Third Gen Will Never be Forgotten
------------------
FOR SALE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
86 Trans Am 355 TPI Rebuilt 700R4 with Corvette servo, modified valve body, and a B&M Torque Converter (2000 rpm stall w/ lock up), 87 350 block bored .30 with new crank. Reworked 305 heads with 3-angle valve job. Added in the rebuild was an SLP TPI cam, BBK 58mm Throttle Body,MSD 6A, Hypertech Power Coil,MSD Wires, 1.5 Crane roller tipped rocker arms, SLP Intake Runners and Port matching in upper intake including fully ported plenum, TPIS adjustable fuel pressure regulator @ 46psi, Hooker shorty style headers w/ Thermotech heat wrapping, Custom 3” exhaust with Flowmaster muffler and chrome quad tips, Hypertech Thermomaster Computer chip, K&N open element cone filter on modified MAF per TPIS specs, removal of A/C hardware and added a 1LE firewall cover installed. Also there has been a PST front suspension kit with Hotchkis strut tower brace added.
Stereo has 2 Clairion Pro Audio dash plates, 2 Sony 6X9s, 2 Kicker 12's in a custom Carpeted box with a custom amp rack Holding 3 MTX 280 Amps, and a MTX electronic Crossover all wired with EFX cable.
Asking $4200 with all extra Parts that are needed to fix most apearance flaws. ie Complete hatch and wing from a 91 GTA
http://geocities.com/feltsb/kyle.html
Kills:
95 Talon TSI, 96 Probe GT, 91 T/A L98, 89 RS, 86 Mustang GT, 88 Mustang LX 5.0, 92 Thunderbird V8. couple or ricers that I think were Civics or Preludes not sure what year, 95 Celica GT-S, 94 Chevy 1/2 ton 350, one of those NASCAR F150's
The Third Gen Will Never be Forgotten
Thread Starter
Supreme Member
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,375
Likes: 0
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Car: '99 Trans Am, '86 Camaro
Engine: LS1, Scrap
Transmission: T56, T5
Axle/Gears: 3.42 Stock ZT, 3.42 Open
Well.. I need a definite answer.. rusting wheels is bad =P I'm beginning to think I'll just take them down most of the way, reprimer them, repaint them, and clearcoat the hell out of them.. might end up being easier...
------------------
'86 Camaro SC, black /w silver racing stripes
2.8l MPFI/700r4 /w special 2nd gear delete option
In search of new v8 engine & transmission, now contemplating t5 swap to get me out of this mess.
MSD coil, Accel 8mm wires, SplitFire plugs, Gabriel hijackers, possible performance chip I don't know about.. gotta crack open the ECM and check sometime
------------------
'86 Camaro SC, black /w silver racing stripes
2.8l MPFI/700r4 /w special 2nd gear delete option
In search of new v8 engine & transmission, now contemplating t5 swap to get me out of this mess.
MSD coil, Accel 8mm wires, SplitFire plugs, Gabriel hijackers, possible performance chip I don't know about.. gotta crack open the ECM and check sometime
well if ther rusty thatn they must be steel seeing as how aluminum dosent rust. i would sand blast, prime, paint, clear coat the wheels
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when the green flag drops the bull$hit stops
Curent: 350,performer RPM intake ,650dp, 700r4, headers, 3inch exhast
Spring 01: 406, Comp 282 solid cam, 2400 stall converter, every thing else the same.
R.I.P #3
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when the green flag drops the bull$hit stops
Curent: 350,performer RPM intake ,650dp, 700r4, headers, 3inch exhast
Spring 01: 406, Comp 282 solid cam, 2400 stall converter, every thing else the same.
R.I.P #3
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