DIY Wheel Refurb

namaste

Member
Messages
212
IMG_20170403_123239b.jpg



Just taken the wheels off the car. They're currently standard grey and have had some pretty poor scuff repairs sometime in the past. Am changing the colour to Grigio Mercury and will take some photos along the way. Hopefully they'll turn out well.
 

namaste

Member
Messages
212

namaste

Member
Messages
212
Here's the standard wheel. The arrow is pointing to where some curbing has been 'repaired' in the past. Basically they just flattened out the marks and in doing so rounded out the peak that runs the length of the spoke. This has happened on all of the wheels to some extent.

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I don't know if this is a manufacturing defect or again, someone just grinding out curb marks. But see the flat along the top.

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So after rubbing the wheels down I started remaking these peaks using some metal filler. It looks a lot but most of it ends up on the floor after filing down.

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Here's a couple of pictures with the peaks restored. It mainly seems to be one front wheel and one back wheel affected, which makes me think some owner in the past was parking on the street in the same direction and curbing one side.

4.jpg5.jpg


As I'm not taking the wheels down to base metal, I thought it best to sharpen up all the pointy bits of the wheels, otherwise these details might get lost under the extra layers of primer/paint/laquer. This is where I'm at now. Hoping to get a coat of primer on this evening ready for spraying tomorrow. Its been a busy day.

6.jpg
 

namaste

Member
Messages
212
Grigio Mercury. Mixed at my local paint shop £30 for a litre. Weathers good. Fingers crossed.

9.jpg
 

namaste

Member
Messages
212
They turned out well :thumb: Really pleased with them. Three coats of colour seemed to be sufficient and a couple of coats of laquer. The laquer finish is really smooth. There's a couple of runs I've noticed that will need to be flattened out, but on the whole, looking good.

My phone isn't reproducing the Mercury colour in daylight, its obviously a lot darker than this. You're just seeing the laquer finish. I'll take a couple of photos when it gets darker out.

10.jpg
 

namaste

Member
Messages
212
Some night time photos. With the center caps I used paint stripper. After painting and before laquering, I flattened the emblem down to metal. There was no way I was going to be able to mask out the emblem, or hand paint it. So its a brushed metal emblem rather than a painted emblem. But it laquered over fine and looks good.


Rears
11.jpg


Fronts
12.jpg


Center Caps
centers.jpg
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,543
Thanks C!

I'm going to install that exhaust valve mod sometime soon. I got the solenoid and switch. Just need to find a route through the bulk head.

Which bulk head? Mine is routed from the engine bay underneath to the valves.

Do you want to do my wheels? :)

You can do my centre caps as well!

C
 

namaste

Member
Messages
212
Which bulk head? Mine is routed from the engine bay underneath to the valves.

Do you want to do my wheels? :)

You can do my centre caps as well!

C

For the cables. I'll probably just unplug the cigarette lighter and use that 12v supply and ground, so I'm looking for a way through the bulkhead for the cables to the solenoid. Haven't looked at anything yet, so don't know how cables from in the cabin are routed to the engine bay.

And your wheels look fine :p Are they black?
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,543
Mine is under the hood. I used a piggy back fuse holder in the fuse box, and then mounted the valve front left as you stand in front of the car. That makes it close to the vacuum bottle.
With the cover plates back (by which I mean 'When I get round to putting the covers back') it's completely invisible.

Where are you based? If it's anywhere near me, you could bring it over and we can do it together (oooerrr)

C
 

namaste

Member
Messages
212
Mine is under the hood. I used a piggy back fuse holder in the fuse box, and then mounted the valve front left as you stand in front of the car. That makes it close to the vacuum bottle.
With the cover plates back (by which I mean 'When I get round to putting the covers back') it's completely invisible.

Where are you based? If it's anywhere near me, you could bring it over and we can do it together (oooerrr)

C

I'm having a switch inside, probably tucked up under the center console trim out of the way. So what I'm thinking is 12v from cigarette lighter plug through bulk head to solenoid under the hood, then ground from solenoid back though bulk head to switch, then switch to ground of cigarette lighter plug. That way I can switch the valves on and off whilst driving.

Lol thanks for the offer. I should manage, but if I get stuck, we can twosome it. I'm not THAT far away actually. Essex boy myself.