steveyb4342

Hey everyone,

Im new here. Great site! My name is Steve I have a 85 z28 {in the middle of a bunch of modifications while still being driven lol}. I live in Nova Scotia, Canada. To get right to the point. I read an article on here about how to remove clear coat from your rims and polish them. The article was centered towards IROC rims. I would like to do it to my 91-92 16" 's. The problem is the centre cap {which covers lug nuts and says "camaro"} will obviously not be polished due to the fact that its plastic. So the rims will look... well terrible. Any idea on how to "polish" the centre caps? is there something they can be treated with? Is there somewhere I could send the caps to have them refinished? etc etc.

Thanks Steve

85MikeTPI

iTrader: (2)

If they are in bad shape, just replace them. The same caps were used on 4thgen "Salad shooter" rims and can be found at swap meets, etc. all the time.

In a pinch, you can still order new ones from GM (P/N 10119598 )

BTW, I've used the POR Clearcoat to finish my 91-92 rims after cleaning/polishing. (http://www.por15.com/s.nl/it.A/id.14...2&category=234)

mike

tourville

iTrader: (2)

i didnt clear coat them after i refinished them.... after they are the way you want just use the same wax you put on your car on them.. itl keep just about everything off and def keeps off the break dust, then you can also repolish them every couple months and not have to worry about sanding off and refinishing them again =D i also painted the grooves black. heres a pic probably the best pic i have, have not had to much time to take pics latly and looking for a new camera. hope you dont mind me posting it

steveyb4342

My centre caps are gone kind of a greyish colour, like the rims. Is there a clear coat you strip of them as well? or how to you bring them back to look like the polished rims? Will a cleaner wax and wax do it? Or do they need to be stripped or what?

Thanks Steve

tourville

iTrader: (2)

not sure, i actually did not touch my center caps, i was thinking of just buying ones that are in good shape or brand new from gm. i have not read anything about restoring the old ones, just read one post about someone painting them black i think or chrome

camaronewbie

I have the same rims as those in the pic of the blue Camaro above. Had the same thing - bad looking centercaps. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I did a centercap. I put the aircraft stripper on them with a cloth, let it sit just a minute or two, and washed it off. Then I went over them with the metal polish. The end result - the stripper stripped off the clear from the centercap, as well as the three stripes and the word "Camaro" - but the polish made them shine up well, except in a few tiny spots where they'd gotten pitted over the years. I had nothing to lose, and they turned out decent.

Sorry, no pics - they are still a work in progress. On the rims, I'm sanding out all the casting bumps, until the entire rim is smooth, starting with 220 and working my way up to 2000 grit, then White Diamond metal polish - but I won't clear coat them again, just some wax and 5 minutes of repolishing with the White Diamond every so often.

UNCLE TOM

iTrader: (1)

the plastic can be cleaned up and polished to look almost new . there are lots of polishes for plastic . i used brasso metal polish on my tailights a year ago they looked like new then and today . used to use it [ brasso ] on aircraft canopies and windsheilds when i was on active duty . takes time but it does work well . [ im retired i have time ] good luck !!!

86NiteRider

iTrader: (10)

My center caps are polished just like the rims. You are right it will look crazy if they are not polished. Strip them and buff them just like you do the rims.


notice the reflection of the ground in the center caps...

FSTFBDY

iTrader: (33)

Rims look good !

I agree deff. gotta polish the plastic center caps also. I did my rims and caps.
(I forget but someone on here bought my rims a few years ago)
http://www.cecoatings.com/images/Car...s/DSC01484.JPG
http://www.cecoatings.com/images/Car...s/DSC01486.JPG
http://www.cecoatings.com/images/Car...Z/FrontRim.jpg
Even shined in the snow.
http://www.cecoatings.com/images/Car...92Z/GFandZ.jpg

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

GM used that size/fit for a lot of their center caps.

Impala SS center caps will fit...
S10-SS center caps will fit...etc.

When I put Impala SS wheels on my Tahoe, I didn't want the Impala logos, so I traded out for a set of the S10-SS caps, that have a red bowtie.

Just trying to point out, there are other options for center caps, besides the stock ones.

86NiteRider

iTrader: (10)

That car looks cold but the beautiful young lady looks very warm...LOL

FSTFBDY

iTrader: (33)

lol.. Thanks , and thats my wife BTW... been together goin on 10years. (yes im an old guy.. well not that old just 32)

steveyb4342

Hey everyone, Id like to try and polish my rims before I get back to school. The problem is Im having a hard time finding the clearcoat stripper. I can get paint stripper will that work? If not any idea where I could get it? I might have to go to Halifax.

Thanks Steve

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Yeah paint stripper is what you need.




Mine dont look as good as some others on here... I think I'm gonna go over them again before I put them on the car.

86NiteRider

iTrader: (10)

Your local parts store will have Aircraft Stripper which will get the job done faster than paint stripper. What ever clearcoat GM used it is thick and tough as hell so just be ready.

steveyb4342

Ok thanks thats what I was looking for.

Steve

castro

Hey guys anyone have any advise on how to sand and polish the valleys or grooves? Each spoke has 2 of them.

camaronewbie

I haven't gotten that far on mine yet - but my thought was to get a small square aluminum rod-like thing from local hardware store (in same section as threaded rods), wrap the sandpaper around the tip, and get in there with that. Or else, just fold the sandpaper into pieces that fit in the groove, and rub my fingers off (like I did on the rest of the rim). It ain't gonna be easy, I know that - none of the rim was - some days I bled from too much sanding, and I still have many days worth left to go.

jimmy92rs

iTrader: (3)

im gonna get goin on polishing my wheels this winter. its gonna be timely, but well worth it.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Bead might cost a little extra, but less blood & time. I like the less blood part!

I'm definitely going with bead blasting, if my GTA ever need redone

castro

You may want to reconsider bead blasting. Glass bead blasting can actually cause marring of the aluminum. I have even been told that using something a little less aggressive such as I believe its wood something would still cause issues.

camaronewbie, wow has it been really that tough to sand the aluminum? What grit's are using and which one are you upto? Would love to see a picture.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

I personally don't think that would look good or be worth the time to do it at all.

The sides of the spokes on the other hand might be worth doing but that's even more work than sanding out the machining grooves...

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

No. I've seen aluminum coke cans bead blasted. Bead blasting ONLY strips the paint, not hurting the surface.

castro

Stephen would love to see your when you try it. Originally I wanted to bead blast my clear coat off but got many no's from people.

Ok so no one is actually sanding the 2 small grooves on these rims then? But everyone is removing the clear coat?

Also what have people done about the back of the rims? You know the messy part that gets gunked?

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

I won't be doing mine anytime soon. No need for years to come, I'm sure.

steveyb4342

Hey everyone. I originally started this thread. I stripped the clear coat off mine but then as soon as i touched it with metal polish { I did a small test area first} I got a really nasty kinda rainbow looking thing that didnt buff out {I wasnt using a dremel or powerball just a cloth}. So I just left them stripped without polishing. They look mildly better than they did but not very good.

Any idea what happened? I didnt do any sanding what are you guys talking about sanding? That wasnt on the tech article.

Thanks Steve

castro

Steve how about a picture to show us?

Did you clean the wheels before polishing them? Also sounds like you bypassed the whole sanding process which is going to mean the aluminum is going to have uneven exposed pours which will not look good no matter how much polish you put on by hand.

steveyb4342

The spot I did isnt really enough to show by picture and the fact my camera is not very high quality if ya know what I mean lol. I stripped them, nuetralised the stripper then cleaned with mineral spirits as directed by the instructions on the stripper/nuetraliser.

I didnt do any sanding because it didnt say to do that on the tech article. What are you guys doing for sanding?

Steve