35th Anniversary Wheel Project

[BP_Z28]

you can get through with all this Joel

the camaro gods have faith in you!

[Lucky SOB]

media blast em and be done with it. if you want the machined look then just get some sand paper and do it.

[JoeliusZ28]

Is all the paint off the rough cast portion of the wheel.....can't tell from the pics.

actually no. there seems to be some kind of base coat there that was under the paint and is EXTREMELY tough. I have gotten approximately 1/3 of that off overall. The paint on the cast part, however, is all gone. If i didnt get that off i could deal with it, thats getting painted over anyway... its the outer face thats most important.

x2...or some buffing compound could work...

i did try carb cleaner last night too, and if i rub on each individual spot about 50 times i can get it off with that

I also tried billet polish in one spot and it discolored the spoke

still seems if you completely submerge the front half of the wheels in stripper for a while you would see better results than just putting a layer on.

yea if i could do that to each wheel for like 3 days straight, i think it would blow right off.

you can get through with all this Joel

the camaro gods have faith in you!

oh believe me, i havent given up yet. What i have done so far looks too good to turn back now. Worst comes to worst I could go the sand paper and polish route, but after seeing the look of this machined surface i would much rather stick with that.

[JoeliusZ28]

James here's a little outlining in paint that shows what i mean about the base coat. The particular spot of the wheel makes it look like i have most of it off, however that is not the case:
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This base coat didnt move at all unless physically scratched or blasted with the powerwasher. I thought i was through to the metal before and wasnt.

[96BlackBetty]

thats gonna look really sweet after ur done. i just checked out what itll look like and thatll look awsome on ur car.

[WMCCjames]

I see.....well at least you won't have to remove that primer coat off the cast areas.....just hit it with some 320 grit to smooth it out before you repaint. I know the factory uses a special primer on aluminum before painting and it's real tough stuff.

Looks like you are getting close though on the machined surfaces.....I know it was a real chore when I did my old IROC wheels. I ended up using a jelly form of stripper and let is sit a LONG time with copious amounts heaped on it. I think it took about 4-5 applications to get it all off...and that was all the painted surfaces too.

[JoeliusZ28]

I see.....well at least you won't have to remove that primer coat off the cast areas.....just hit it with some 320 grit to smooth it out before you repaint. I know the factory uses a special primer on aluminum before painting and it's real tough stuff.

Looks like you are getting close though on the machined surfaces.....I know it was a real chore when I did my old IROC wheels. I ended up using a jelly form of stripper and let is sit a LONG time with copious amounts heaped on it. I think it took about 4-5 applications to get it all off...and that was all the painted surfaces too.

what chemical did you use? Im on the lookout for stronger stuff.

[WMCCjames]

Zip-Strip, its in a yellow can...you try that yet?

[JoeliusZ28]

Zip-Strip, its in a yellow can...you try that yet?

Zep strip? yea, tried that last night... however i only gave it a half hour to do its thing because i was doing it at my dad's facility. also only had one can so couldnt use it very liberally.

do you know where i can buy that stuff? Might be worth a second attempt with a longer soak time and more of it.

[TSTONE]

believe it or not you might try easyoff oven cleaner - ive used it to strip paint and anodizing coating from aluminum bike rims many times

[JoeliusZ28]

believe it or not you might try easyoff oven cleaner - ive used it to strip paint and anodizing coating from aluminum bike rims many times

thanks ill look into that

[WMCCjames]

No, this one is called Zip-Strip...just looked at the can. I think I bought it at our local true-value hardware store.

[JoeliusZ28]

alright ill look for it thanks

[JoeliusZ28]

i found a picture of what the wheels would look like if i went the polishing route. might do this instead, i have to think about it.



mine would be shinier though

[GETGONE]

Polish em and do the insets the color of your scoop instead of black.