87 Turbo T wheels look like crap

[TURBOTIMMER]

Just wondering if any of you guys have ever heard of doing this. I was going to clean the wheels with wheel cleaner (acid). Then scuff the machined finish on the fins and around the edge. Then I was going to spray them with Dupont urthane clear. I think they would look pretty close to new, but I was just wondering if anyone out there has done this. I've seen a lot of cars down at the nats with the wheels done in all different ways, but I like the factory look. I guess my question is, will the clear stay on, or will it come off and make them look worse? I'm driving the car daily, so they would have to hold up to rain and brake dust.

Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Tim

 

[slow 87]

remove the clear with paint stripper and it will look eleventy billion X better

 

[TURBOTIMMER]

That's the problem, the clear is already totally gone, so it's a real pain in the a$$ to keep em clean. Especially the front ones. I want to be able to clean them without a sandblaster

 

[killerb]

use eagle one.they have a formula for rough cast wheels that works great!i used it on my wheels and just washed the dust off with a hose,and mine were DIRTY!

 

[dhauser]

I have found that the key is to use some kind of wheel cleaner (like the Eagle One for rough cast wheels mentioned above) with a stiff, short bristle brush. I actually used the bristle top off of a can of Turtle wax carpet cleaner, along with some "Purple Stuff" type cleaner, and the results were impressive. The key is to use lots of cleaner as you bristle the ground in dirt away. Rinse and repeat as needed. No sandblasting required.

 

[Sagecoach]

Turbotimmer, Did you ever get an answer to the part of your inquiry about the clear coating lasting on your wheels?

 

[Alan Faircloth]

Originally posted by TURBOTIMMER
That's the problem, the clear is already totally gone, so it's a real pain in the a$$ to keep em clean. Especially the front ones. I want to be able to clean them without a sandblaster

RIGHT STUFF Aluminum Wheel Brightener. My wheels were dark from stains and it brightened them right up.

Alan

 

[TURBOTIMMER]

Sagecoach, no one ever gave me an answer on the clearcoat. I clean the wheels with wire wheel acid. That seems to be the only thing that cleans the areas between the fins. The bad part is that it turns them bleach white.

 

[David65]

If anyone wants to get a set of rims refinished, you might contact http://transwheel.com Their factory is around the corner from where I work and I have a couple of friends who have had newer aftermarket aluminum rims refinished by them and they have done a good job. I stopped in and talked to Tonya in customer service a while back about some GN rims. As far as she knew, they hadn't done any GN rims at that time but thought they could do them. I didn't ask about the T rims (GA32's ?) as I have a '87 GN, but they show them on the website so they may have done some already. I didn't ask about price either.

BTW: we looked through the Hollander catalog and found out the # for the 86-87 GN rims looks to be 1501, GM p/n 25525546.

David

 

[mds370]

I was thinking of taking a t type wheel that already has the clearcoat removed . Polishing it up with mothers mag cleaner ( the stuff i use on my Weld wheels ) then using a dremmel and getting a shine , after that spraying them with a clearcoat again . I will keep you posted how it turns out . I dont like the bleached white look from the acid wash all the time on the wheels.