t-slot wheels

[Adrian@]

T slots, came in 2 different versions (both then, in plain silver powder or polished with the the T's black )...the centres changed from a radius cut down to the lower face during end of 1977 and THEN, the join between the two face has a 90 degree angle... this is when the polished version has a black centre too, SO, late polished wheels have the black centre.
Adrian@

[RLister]

Thanks Adrian. So only the late T-slots with the radius cut lip had black centres and the others were always silver or polished... I have polished mine in the past but it took a long time. Do you offer wheel polishing - or can you recommend anyone who does? Pureklas in Coventry do it but they are about the only wheel specialists I have found who will.
Cheers
Richard

[Adrian@]

Never used them...and I am based Coventry..did they quote a price? I am about to get my set of Gemini done.
Adrian@

[RLister]

Hi Adrian
I shall savour this rare moment to offer YOU some information for once!

They quoted me £320 to polish 4 T-slot wheels and paint the Ts. They can lacquer them too or they also have a non-lacquer system which lasts about 20 months for £20 per wheel.

This is their website: http://www.pureklas.co.uk/ Have a look at page 4 of their blog and you will see the job they did polishing some old Wolfrace mags. I have scoured the net and can't find anyone else doing this...

Cheers
Richard

[Adrian@]

LOL thanks... I have used A1 wheels at Bilston for ALL the sets I have ever done, and that's a lot over 30 odd years, and price is dependant on hand finish/diamond/lacquer/hard lacquer. I might trundle over to see if they are a doing on site or...
Adrian@

[RLister]

If you do check out Pureklas please let me know how you rate them. My car is in Somerset at the moment and I will probably end up sending the wheels to be done somewhere, so would be good to know that they would be in safe hands...
Cheers
Richard

[RLister]

Adrian. Just stumbled across this post and thought I would update. Pureklas did a really excellent job. I was very happy.

[Andrew Gray]

RLister said:

Adrian. Just stumbled across this post and thought I would update. Pureklas did a really excellent job. I was very happy.

They look stunning Richard you cant beat the hand finished look well worth the cost it took me 4 days to do my 5 myself


Andrew

[RLister]

Nice job! I remember spending days doing mine many years ago and didn't get anything like as nice a finish as you have. Pureklas was the only firm I could find to do it - no-one else seems to properly polish alloy wheels these days, only spray them. Its pretty much a one man band operation run by a terrific guy who is just passionate about doing up interesting wheels. he has all the gear and I was very happy with the result.
Cheers
Richard

[Andrew Gray]

RLister said:

Nice job! I remember spending days doing mine many years ago and didn't get anything like as nice a finish as you have. Pureklas was the only firm I could find to do it - no-one else seems to properly polish alloy wheels these days, only spray them. Its pretty much a one man band operation run by a terrific guy who is just passionate about doing up interesting wheels. he has all the gear and I was very happy with the result.
Cheers
Richard

Thanks Richard
I must have been Mad it certainly makes sense using these old school places otherwise if they are not used they will disappear altogether here is a link to my efforts if anyone wants to do there own the professionals have much bigger polishing mops so the time is reduced greatly but still a lot of work for them and well worth the expense
http://tvr.m-fix.co.uk/cont_t-slots.htm
Andrew

[RLister]

Andrew, what centre caps have you got there? Are they original to the t-slots? My car originally had finned wheels of course and were changed to t-slots by a PO but I think the centres I have may have been for the finned wheels as they are a loose fit in the t-slots. I could probably use a little silicone to keep them there but better fitting centres would be preferable. Any thoughts?
Cheers
Richard

[Andrew Gray]

RLister said:

Andrew, what centre caps have you got there? Are they original to the t-slots? My car originally had finned wheels of course and were changed to t-slots by a PO but I think the centres I have may have been for the finned wheels as they are a loose fit in the t-slots. I could probably use a little silicone to keep them there but better fitting centres would be preferable. Any thoughts?
Cheers
Richard

Yes they are although I think there are a couple of variations mine have to be tapped in with at the sides to fit tight yours certainly wont be finned ones as they had none just a badge glued over he hole although I have had slightly posher ones made that don't have to be glued in.
The Pictures of yours are hard to tell in the picture Black on Black here are the finned ones



If you can post a better picture of yours if they are wrong new ones are available from at least one supplier
Andrew

[RLister]

These are mine. The centres are in reasonable nick so I may just strip and polish them, put the new centre stickers on and put a sealer over them. I need some new shiny wheel nuts too... Why the upload insists on putting it in upside down I do not know...

[Andrew Gray]

RLister said:

These are mine. The centres are in reasonable nick so I may just strip and polish them, put the new centre stickers on and put a sealer over them. I need some new shiny wheel nuts too... Why the upload insists on putting it in upside down I do not know...

They look fine Richard as you say strip and Polish and add the stickers to get the to fit tight I use a large screw driver and rubber hammer and tap at an angle at the back to sort of stretch them into place
although sometimes come loose
Andrew

[Slow M]

Try an exhaust pipe expander.

Best regards,
Bernard.

[RLister]

Good tip - thanks!

[TVRWM]

RLister said:

Adrian. Just stumbled across this post and thought I would update. Pureklas did a really excellent job. I was very happy.

Hi Richard,

The wheels look great. Was it a full refurb? Strip, blast, paint, polish, etc?

I'm looking at getting mine done. There is a far bit of corrosion on the inside rim, nothing major, but it is affecting the tyre seal.

[plasticpig72]

TVRWM said:

Hi Richard,

The wheels look great. Was it a full refurb? Strip, blast, paint, polish, etc?

I'm looking at getting mine done. There is a far bit of corrosion on the inside rim, nothing major, but it is affecting the tyre seal.

With a Lotus Elan +2S on original lotus alloy wheels i had the same problem with corrosion inside rim affecting seal. I used a rotary wire brush to clean and painted with Alloy Radiater paint. No problem and under the tyre impossible to see.
Alan

[RLister]

Hi yes it was a full refurb. Blasted and powder coded inside and out, then polished. Then sprayed with a polymer seal which lasts about two years or so. All up that was £100 per wheel. I polished them myself some years before and got nothing like the finish and it didn't last. Others I know have been far more successful in doing it themselves than I was!
Cheers
Richard

[TVRWM]

Thank you chaps.