I took off on wheel on my car and cleaned it all up. The plan is to see if I can do a good job of sorta polishing it out to get and Idea how long it will take me.
1st it did basic clean up before the tire and valve stem were removed.
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/ipsd1/WheelF.jpg)
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/ipsd1/WheelR.jpg)
Then I had the tire and stem removed. That made the unit much easier to handle so I Did more cleaning on the inside of the wheel. I used some steel wool to get rid of the nasty baked on brake dust I even found a chunk of Grape gum stuck to the back side. Then I used a steel cup brush in the Dremel to get the 10 holes clean quick and easy. Here are some pics of where I'm at on them right now.
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/ipsd1/BackNT.jpg)
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/ipsd1/SideNT.jpg)
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/ipsd1/FrontNT.jpg)
Now it is time to start working on bringing out the Shine in the wheel. I've got a plan on how if it works I'll tell you how and show you how I did it.
ipsd-Over and over that grease and grime when it's all gone your wheels will shine !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looks like those wheels weren't that bad to begin with. My 10-holes were trashed. I fixed 'em up using the patented "Thunder Chicken 10-hole wheel restoration program (http://"http://www.foxthundercats.com/tech/wheelrestoration.htm")" - I also intend on doing this to the snowflakes before they go on...
Very nice work but I have to ask, how did you know it was grape gum?
TED
The gum was purple and smelled like grape when I sed it off. Maybe that means it was watermelon! LOL Yeah these 10 holes aren't to bad. My method involves the wheel spinning but not on a jacked up car. Mine is gonna be turn it on let it run and come back to change the pads and see you awesome looking wheel. It gonna make shine them real nice I do believe.
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Update time. I was off work today so I worked on the one wheel I have been working on. I took 180grit sand paper to it. Then went back with some 320 then on to some 600. I then went over it with a FINE grade gray 3M scuff pad. Then one quick coat of Mothers Billet. I still have more work to do but here are some pics for now.
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/ipsd1/comparison.jpg)
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/ipsd1/reflection.jpg)
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/ipsd1/PolishedWheel.jpg)
Gonna take it to the next level gonna break out the 800 then the 1000, 1500, 2000. Then back to shinny shine. Gonna clear coat them after I'm done with them.
it looks great!!!
Very nice work. It looks way better than my attempts at restoring the 10-hole wheels.
I like how you got the wheel to match the center cap! Looks very nice.
Agree now time 2 clean my TC wheels or just save up and get me some GT500s with some NT555s. Great job your wheels look nice now best of all they match the center caps.
Check out this link... it's great info on how to polish aluminum. It's also a great read with plenty of pictures. Hope you enjoy.
http://www.s10forum.com/how_to_polish_aluminum_wheels (http://"http://www.s10forum.com/how_to_polish_aluminum_wheels")
Dang that looks nice!
Im on those forums lol. I might have to try both approaches to my ZQ8 wheels. His are aftermarket Boyd Coddingtons, not ZQ8's.
Wow. Sweet:D
looks good i have some of the same wheels. a good friend of mine was going to send them to the crusher with a bird. so i got them for free.and some other parts off the bird. i was curious about the wheels and called a guy who sold wheels. he said the center caps
were not available on the market anymore.but the wheels were around $450 each retail.