Can anyone tell me whether it is easy to refinish the aluminum rally wheels on my Vette this winter? I've seen 2 or 3 step refinishing products in MADirect and CorvetteCentral, but am unsure whether I can get the finish I am looking for.

Anyone know a place that does it?

M Romanowski

Ah, Mark you are in luck. I bought a set of crappy used rims for my 82 and put them on the CE. first, this will remove all of the clear coat. I sanded them with #600, then #800 and finally #1500 grit sandpaper. You must go around the wheel. (you can also buy chemical remover). After the wheels were stripped, I used a Jewlers rouge on my cordless drill to polish the wheels. Then I finnished up with Mothers Mag wheel cleaner. They look like chrome now. Any ?, you can ask here or email me.
Ask Adam, he saw my wheels. they look awesome
Oh, BTW it took me 3 hours a wheel!!!
Chris

|UPDATED|8/13/2002 9:17:14 PM|/UPDATED|

Click the link in my sig for before and after pics. I refinished my '77 aluminum wheels and added a chrome spinner cap set from Ecklers during my spring break this past March. Like Chris said, it takes a while. It also took me about 3 hours on each wheel. When it was done, it was well worth it. The wheels look so much better now.

Once you cleaned and polished them, how much effort to keep em looking good? Ddon't they dull up rapidly?
tnx

|QUOTE|Wayne Hart said: Once you cleaned and polished them, how much effort to keep em looking good? Ddon't they dull up rapidly?
tnx|/QUOTE|
No mine isn't a daily driver. I didn't clear coat them. Just every other time I wash her, I give them a quick once over with Mother's Mag/Aluminum cleaner and they still look great

Mine are also still looking very good compared to the stock look. I know I've put one more coat of mothers on since the beginning of March, maybe two.

I see you do not have the rally wheels. Did you use the same procedure as the reply from the one who refinished the rally wheels? I have a 1976 and the inside is painted black. Did you repaint the inside?

Yes. I pretty much did the exact same thing. And I also repainted the centers black. Most of it was scratched off before I started anyway. My wheels didn't come out looking like chrome or as high polished as the wheels such as the pace car, but they are amazing compared to what they were. They're not mirrors, but you can see a reflection. I did most by hand too. I only used a drill attachment for the roughest grade sandpaper.

|UPDATED|9/5/2002 7:57:58 PM|/UPDATED|