Wheel Transformation

Purple RS · Post by **Purple RS** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 8:28 pm

It's kind of a late start, but since I still have the stock wheels for my 89 and they won't fit over its brakes anymore (C5 Corvette brakes), I decided to use them for winter wheels on my 92, which still has stock brakes.

I took the finish off one of them with generous amounts of aircraft stripper, a wire wheel, and 100 grit sandpaper. Aircraft stripper does wonders on the clear coat that was on the wheel I did, but took a little more work to get the red color almost all the way off. Then 100 grit sandpaper took the color almost 100% off. I used a small 80 grit paddle wheel to finish up the back side of the wheel as much as possible.

Now I have 3 more to do before I put a different color paint (black??) on them. Maybe three more weekends

Here is the result of about 5-6 hours of work (mostly waiting for the stripper to work) with an untouched wheel on the left.

One down, three to go...

It's not perfect, but it'll suit my needs just fine. Should look just fine on a purple car. I still need to clean up the back side some more and maybe put some paint in there, then I'll see about a clear coat.

MobileAudio219 · Post by **MobileAudio219** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:47 pm

If the red paint is in good shape (not flaking off) then I would just clean them up really good, scuff them up, and then shoot your base/clear...

Or you could have them bead blasted and powder coated...

If your looking to keep the cost down, just clean, scuff and shoot...

Looks good though!

swimmerdude · Post by **swimmerdude** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 8:30 pm

agreed with MobileAudio..... paint will stick to any well prepped surface and cleaning up your old wheels, sanding them down a litle bit for good adhesion of the new paint, you should not have any problems at all.

Purple RS · Post by **Purple RS** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 8:51 pm

Thanks guys, but I didn't like the idea of scuffing the clear coat that was over the whole wheel, machined surfaces included, just to paint over the red area. I feel better about it by taking all the paint of and starting with bare metal. As far as cost, I have less than $50 into the pair I've done now and probably less than $75 by the time I'm done. :)

Chrome plating was also suggested to me, but I haven't looked into that. There is a powder coating facility not far from me (they coated the springs and sway bars on my 89 RS), but the cost is about $100 or so per wheel and I'm not sure these are worth that much.

cargodz · Post by **cargodz** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 4:59 am

Wow $100 per wheel... Too bad you don't live closer to me cause I get can them powder coated for $200 for all 4

Purple RS · Post by **Purple RS** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 6:03 pm

I finished them up today and put them on the car. They don't look half bad for just winter wheels. Since I need new tires anyhow, they'll stay until I can find new wheels & tires in 17" or re-chrome the ones I had on and put new rubber on them.

Here's how they looked on the 89 shortly after I bought it, now with its new brakes, they won't fit it any more.

What they look like now on the 92...

MobileAudio219 · Post by **MobileAudio219** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:37 pm

305's or 350's???? Automatics or manuals????

I wish chevy would of put a 5 speed behind the 350's...

I had a few f-bodys in my time.. :happy055:

Purple RS · Post by **Purple RS** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:05 pm

They're both 5-speeds. The red one is a 305 TBI and the purple one a 3.1 MPFI V6. I would call the V6 my daily driver, but I've been driving them pretty equally - the one that has the most gas in the tank normally gets chosen

MobileAudio219 · Post by **MobileAudio219** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:58 pm

Purple RS wrote:They're both 5-speeds. The red one is a 305 TBI and the purple one a 3.1 MPFI V6. I would call the V6 my daily driver, but I've been driving them pretty equally - the one that has the most gas in the tank normally gets chosen

Ever think about dropping a 350 into the 305 car?

Purple RS · Post by **Purple RS** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:27 pm

MobileAudio219 wrote:Ever think about dropping a 350 into the 305 car?

I have. I'm slowly making improvements on it. Started on the suspension and installed new shocks & struts with WS6 springs, installed subframe connectors, 34mm front and 24mm rear swaybars, poly bushings throughout. Upgraded the front brakes to C5 Corvette, drum-to-disc swap in the rear. Future plans are to beef up the rear a little more, install adjustable lower control arms & panhard bar, torque arm and relocate the torque arm mount from the tranny. Then on to the driveline & tranny which I hope to be a T56 6-speed.One of the biggest expenses will be the tranny and so will the motor - that 350 most likely will be a 383