DIY wheel refurb log - Picture heavy

Regy53 said:
afraid to say for 4 hours labour plus materials per rim I would much rather spend the money having it done for me. That said I dont have the time nor patience to do it.

nice job on the cheap, how much should the materials cost in the end?
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Well I already had a lot of the stuff (tack cloths, panel wipes, wet and dry paper etc) so total costs so far are at around £35 for all four wheels and this was just for the paints and primers and that alloy filler, the two other wheels have no damage just some scratches in places so will just get a quick once over.

For an hour or two at night id rather do something like this than sit and watch the television or do anything to do with work, for me this has actually been fun :eek:
 
I understand where some of the people in here are coming from around the level of effort the OP has put in, but everyone has different aims.

1) It's a new skill tried/learned
2) Some people have time in more willing supply than money, so it's down to circumstances.

I couldn't lay my car up to do this so I'd always go the pro route, but every credit for doing this, and the end result is looking good!

I know photos are hard to tell, but looks like a really consistent finish you've got for a spray can there, good effort!
 
Diy wheel refurbs have their place. Say spending £40 on a set of rattle of cans and spraying some beater winter alloys, track alloys or just tarting up alloys on a banger daily but the effort needed for a proper job I much rather pay the extra couple of hundred and get them done properly.
 
I respect the time and effort that has gone into it. Looks good. It also a much better feeling doing something yourself and learning a new skill.

Hell, i could pay someone a couple of hundred pounds to fix my car when it breaks, or i could spend hours researching the problem myself, taking a chance on buying the right part and then spend a couple of hours crawling around on my back, swearing, and getting filthy fitting it - but you know what, i love doing it!
 
Gaygle said:
I respect the time and effort that has gone into it. Looks good. It also a much better feeling doing something yourself and learning a new skill.

Hell, i could pay someone a couple of hundred pounds to fix my car when it breaks, or i could spend hours researching the problem myself, taking a chance on buying the right part and then spend a couple of hours crawling around on my back, swearing, and getting filthy fitting it - but you know what, i love doing it!
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You and me both, I have the porka in lots of bits in the garage right now and have genuinely enjoyed stripping it back and replacing the cooling system. There is a lot to be said about brandishing the spanners and getting stuck in :)
 
another way of looking at it

If the OP does enjoy doing it, it doesn't really matter if doesn't last more than one winter. He could do them 3 or 4 times over and it still be cheaper overall than a pro job.

OP would probably find it a lot easier and quicker the 4th time round too, having learnt so much from his previous efforts.
 
Gaygle said:
I respect the time and effort that has gone into it. Looks good. It also a much better feeling doing something yourself and learning a new skill.

Hell, i could pay someone a couple of hundred pounds to fix my car when it breaks, or i could spend hours researching the problem myself, taking a chance on buying the right part and then spend a couple of hours crawling around on my back, swearing, and getting filthy fitting it - but you know what, i love doing it!
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Saving money fixing a car is one thing as you can do as good or even a better job than the mechanic fixing it but on a wheel refurb you would have to spend a lot on a chemical dip setup, a spray booth and somewhere to bake the wheels. Thats not even including a machine to remove the tyres and balance. Paint is one of those things where you really need the equipment to get the finish as well.

For the sake of £300 (minus the £100 in gear you would have spent for a rattle can job) it just isn't worth it.
 
I got my wheels done (ok it was 10 years ago) for £80 cash in hand from a proper outfit though that did all types of shotblasting/coating not just wheels.

The place was very dry and hot.

Seen a Rep from ICI enter as I left.

I told him I was in no hurry as car was off road getting mods, went back in 1 week or 10 days later he had shotblasted/coated and fitted my flush fitting valves I provide and my directional Yokohama's.

Job was 100% mint and I was very happy.
 
adam cool dude said:
Saving money fixing a car is one thing as you can do as good or even a better job than the mechanic fixing it but on a wheel refurb you would have to spend a lot on a chemical dip setup, a spray booth and somewhere to bake the wheels. Thats not even including a machine to remove the tyres and balance. Paint is one of those things where you really need the equipment to get the finish as well.

For the sake of £300 (minus the £100 in gear you would have spent for a rattle can job) it just isn't worth it.
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100 quid seems a bit much, everything to do mine cost £35. I guess the proof of if they are any good or not will come with time. Worst case scenario they go bad and I end up £35 out of pocket and get them done properly. On the other side, if all goes well and they are hard wearing, I save myself a few hundred quid, enjoyed myself doing so and learned that spraying stuff isn't as easy as it looks.

Either way I am happy.
 
I've done a few sets now pretty much same method as you, the colour on my current car with elcheapo lacquer is almost 3 years old and is still perfect and they've survived a few kerb rubs, cost me roughly 40quid in spray cans when EPC had a sale on so considering our crappy roads+salt+kerb knocks, was good value if I have to do it again!

However sanding alloys is mind numbing :p
 
Vince said:
100 quid seems a bit much, everything to do mine cost £35. I guess the proof of if they are any good or not will come with time. Worst case scenario they go bad and I end up £35 out of pocket and get them done properly. On the other side, if all goes well and they are hard wearing, I save myself a few hundred quid, enjoyed myself doing so and learned that spraying stuff isn't as easy as it looks.

Either way I am happy.
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I was talking about all four wheels fully not just the front face. You would need a can of 2k for each wheel. Thats £60 before you even factor in primer, paint, filler and sanding/stripping materials. I have done it before and will never do it again after I realised how little a professional job costs.
 
Well I laid down the clear today. looks pretty good but i will have to keep you all waiting as my phone is out of battery so no pictures until I have charged it. Car also got a massive bunch of presents. All new cooling system including radiators, uprated water pump and thermostat. All new air con system, and all the service parts, fuel filter etc. Some pics in the "what have you done to your car today thread.

All I need to do now is re-assemble.
 
DIY'd my track wheels on my 182 a few months ago, they looked great.
First track day the lacquer melted and all the brake dust got stuck in the lacquer.
Needless to say I'm getting them powder coated next. :mad:
 
degen said:
DIY'd my track wheels on my 182 a few months ago, they looked great.
First track day the lacquer melted and all the brake dust got stuck in the lacquer.
Needless to say I'm getting them powder coated next. :mad:
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Ouch, I don't imagine these will go back on the car for another few weeks. So plenty of time for them to harden. The laquer on my wheels is dry to the touch already and i only sprayed them a few hours back. As soon as i have enough battery for flash I will get some pics.
 
So I promised a few pictures of the wheels once I had put down the clear coat and today with the decent weather, I decided I would work on the car. The wheel is not perfect but it is so much better than it was I still need to take the clear coat back with some p2000 and polish it to bring out the shine:

The method I used was to mask up, give it a quick dust over with with silver again and then wait 15 mins and lay down a dust layer of clear, wait another 10 mins and then lay over a thicker clear followed by another thinner coat after another 10 mins or so.

Here is the wheel outside once painted:



And the wheel out of its masking and back indoors:

 
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I spent 10 minutes polishing the wheels with some lightly abrasive polish today and took it outside to have a look in the sunshine, this is the finished article:



I haven't refurbished the centre cap yet as I am waiting for some new crests to get here. Once they come I will give them a quick once over.
 
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