Refurbing your own alloys!

[paradigm]

Influenced by the hot weather, and the want to be outside doing something to the car, I looked at my rather kerbed (by the previous owner) wheels, and thought they needed a touch up!

So one trip to halfords later, I had some Isopon 38, some wet & dry, some grey primer, some alloy wheel paint (deep steel), and some laquer.

The wheels were pretty scratched, gouged, and generally dull (as you can see in the first pic below). They needed a good "keying" with some rough-ish wet & dry (used 400 grit), and then the rougher marks and chips filled in with the isopon (which dried stupidly quick in this heat!).

A layer of primer later and they were left to dry (again in this heat, superb, its like having your own baking oven). Then onto the colour, sprayed and left to dry. 4-5 hours later, sprayed with a deep coat of laquer, and left to cure for 24-hours before fitting to the car!

They have come out very well IMO.




I have gone for a deeper colour then the original wheels (decided it would be a good opportunity to try something new!), they are much closer to being body coloured now.

Finally for a view of one on the car, front wheel is the old colour, rear the new: http://fukclan.co.uk/Wheels/OcUK/car.jpg

 

[Poppy]

Nice one, im in the process of painting my Accord Type-R wheels in white. Ive got 2 done, i was going to get another done today but i melt in this heat. So ill see what the weather is doing tomorrow.

I assume youve been painting your wheels outside? If so ... have you had much problems with those little pesky black insect things getting to your wet paint? I did, and have been wet/dry sanding the little buggers off!

 

[Firestar_3x]

Good few hours work imho, they needed doing so bad, love the choice of colour they look much better on the car than the original more silver ones.

Sorry i couldn't come round sooner but i was messing around with a friends VX220

Problem is you have made me want to referb mine to get me through the period of wearing out current tyres to buying new wheels and tyres!

 

[paradigm]

Problem is you have made me want to referb mine to get me through the period of wearing out current tyres to buying new wheels and tyres!

Get them done, you have seen how easy it is!

 

[thebrasso]

I'm still finishing stripping a set using Nitromors and some wire wool. I think to get a decent finish they needed stripping, then re-primering, painting and lacquering. The paint was bubbling pretty badly.

I'll be using some of that filler, saw it mentioned in a thread Muncher posted from another forums.

They have come out very well IMO...

 

[Townlea]

They look great mate, They look proffesionally done

Fancy doing mine?

 

[Morba]

going ot get the tyres taken off my M3 alloys and refurb them, then retyre and stick them on

 

[F355]

They look excellent and the colour was a good choice

1 down, 3 to go

 

[Dreadi]

mine are stupidly in need of tarting up/rubbishing

 

[Sone]

any idea's what to do with these http://www.aowh72.dsl.pipex.com/mondeoalloy.jpg

Thinking of pulliung off the remaining brass colourbits, getting a dremel to clan out holes, fill and spray.

 

[paradigm]

They look excellent and the colour was a good choice

1 down, 3 to go

Cheers Ian. And actually its 2 down 3 to go (I started with the spare incase I ****** it up )

 

[paradigm]

They look great mate, They look proffesionally done

Fancy doing mine?

For the cost of materials + a few beers, I could be tempted

any idea's what to do with these

[BIG IMAGE]

Thinking of pulliung off the remaining brass colourbits, getting a dremel to clan out holes, fill and spray.

Thats what i'd do with those, remove the fake bolts, sand the rust/mess down with a dremel or similar, them fill, sand and paint. Should come out quite well!

I'm still finishing stripping a set using Nitromors and some wire wool. I think to get a decent finish they needed stripping, then re-primering, painting and lacquering. The paint was bubbling pretty badly.

I'll be using some of that filler, saw it mentioned in a thread Muncher posted from another forums.

They have come out very well IMO...

Didn't see the need to strip mine back to bare metal, as its easier to key the existing paint and get the new paint to stick to it, however mine aren't bubbling, just scuffed/chipped to death.

The finish is actually turning out much better than I hoped, I was only expecting a finish that looked ok from a distance.

 

[Sirrel Squirrel]

Anyone know of any good companies in Essex for doing alloy refurbs, can't be bothered to do it myself, I had mine refurbed about a year ago but I've scuffed them up even more since then I don't wanna use the people I used before because they managed to get paint all over my driveway, tyres and brake discs

 

[Tesla]

I had those Ford alloys on my Mondeo. They are horrible and too small.

I didn't get rid of them though as they had a brand new set of Pirelli tyres on them, About £350 worth.

The GhiaX alloys look best on non-RSAP'd mondeos and 4 spokes on RSAP'd jobbies.

I did sale my Ford alloys for £110 when my car was written off

 

[Jakal91]

Good job, I like the colour.

 

[PardonTheWait]

Anyone know of any good companies in Essex for doing alloy refurbs, can't be bothered to do it myself, I had mine refurbed about a year ago but I've scuffed them up even more since then I don't wanna use the people I used before because they managed to get paint all over my driveway, tyres and brake discs

I hear Spit & Polish in Kent are decent

 

[lordrobs]

They look really good.

I was going to do my alloys when I bought them as they came in usual ebay trim ie, nicely curbed. I was also going to go for a darker colour but bottled it in the end as I was convinced they were going to look rubbish

 

[Psycrow]

Looks awesome, might give mine a try if I get really bored Did you just spray them outside too?

On another note, your car is so lovely. I really have a soft spot for the Cupra R, best looking hot hatch in my opinion.

 

[ironman]

Not amazing but it looks ok, I like the colour.

 

[Sirrel Squirrel]

I hear Spit & Polish in Kent are decent

I've heard that name before as well as it goes, so that must be a good thing, I've emailed them for a basic quote so shall see what sort of cost I'm looking at.