Oz wheels refurb question
Discussion
Well my S3 is going to be off the road for a bit whilst the outriggers are repaired (not a happy tale!), so will attend to some other jobs at the same time (rad needs a small leak reparing, roof needs reproofing, full fluid service, gearbox mount, its a long list of small tasks!)
I read the tyre thread with interest as the 10 year old Avons that are on there are a bit hard.
Whilst the tyres are off the wheels need a refurb as there is corrosion under the lacquer on the alloy 'face' of the wheel (the powder coated black section are fine). I've seen thereads suggesting to just sand off the lacquer and polish the alloy. Mine is a year round daily driver and I hate cleaning so I'm looking for something more resilient and easier to maintain.
Can anybody suggest an approach and/or a good wheel refurber for these sorts of wheels in the NW area? (the nearer to LIverpool the better). Mine is the dark Sapphire blue, so whilst I'm half tempted to powdercoat the whole wheel black I'm not sure that would look any good.
Ta for looking
I read the tyre thread with interest as the 10 year old Avons that are on there are a bit hard.
Whilst the tyres are off the wheels need a refurb as there is corrosion under the lacquer on the alloy 'face' of the wheel (the powder coated black section are fine). I've seen thereads suggesting to just sand off the lacquer and polish the alloy. Mine is a year round daily driver and I hate cleaning so I'm looking for something more resilient and easier to maintain.
Can anybody suggest an approach and/or a good wheel refurber for these sorts of wheels in the NW area? (the nearer to LIverpool the better). Mine is the dark Sapphire blue, so whilst I'm half tempted to powdercoat the whole wheel black I'm not sure that would look any good.
Ta for looking
Hi Eelblady,
I don't think all black wheels would look very good on a dark blue S,
it would be ok with an orange or yellow car.
How about powder coating in silver? That would look pretty good.
If you're thinking of going down that route, if you PM me your contact details, I have some info that would be of help to you.
Good luck with the rest of your list.
Cheers,
Glen
I don't think all black wheels would look very good on a dark blue S,
it would be ok with an orange or yellow car.
How about powder coating in silver? That would look pretty good.
If you're thinking of going down that route, if you PM me your contact details, I have some info that would be of help to you.
Good luck with the rest of your list.
Cheers,
Glen
glenrobbo said:
Hi Eelblady,
I don't think all black wheels would look very good on a dark blue S,
it would be ok with an orange or yellow car.
How about powder coating in silver? That would look pretty good.
If you're thinking of going down that route, if you PM me your contact details, I have some info that would be of help to you.
Good luck with the rest of your list.
Cheers,
Glen
Thanks for the reply, pm to be sent shortly, my only concern about powder coating the whole wheel in silver is, as standard, they have black powdercoat on the inner rim and on the side of the spokes as this picture pinched off t'interweb:I don't think all black wheels would look very good on a dark blue S,
it would be ok with an orange or yellow car.
How about powder coating in silver? That would look pretty good.
If you're thinking of going down that route, if you PM me your contact details, I have some info that would be of help to you.
Good luck with the rest of your list.
Cheers,
Glen
and whether the 'look' of the wheel wouldn't be as nice. Having said that, ease of maintenance is probably higher up the list!
IMHO, all silver wheels lose something and don't look as good as the original.
I'm having the exact same quandary of what to do as I'm not sure having them refurbed to the original spec will last long (enough).
I've seen the shadow chrome Mike refers to and was going that way but a refurb firm as recommended the original spec saying it's not that onerous to maintain the look.
Decisions, decisions!!!!!
I'm having the exact same quandary of what to do as I'm not sure having them refurbed to the original spec will last long (enough).
I've seen the shadow chrome Mike refers to and was going that way but a refurb firm as recommended the original spec saying it's not that onerous to maintain the look.
Decisions, decisions!!!!!
Personally, I always flet the blacked area really set off the wheels. Pure silver looks wrong IMO but it personal choice. I'm also not fond of powdercoating them, although I'm sure that'll upset some too. A guy I met at the TVR stand at Dunsfold used Pristine Wheels in Milton Keynes on his seven spokes and they milled and kept to original, and they looked the muts.
Whatever you do, do not lacquer them. I used a firm in West Kent who recommended lacquering them to ensure low maintenance. When I returned 3 months later to complain about the moisture trapped under the lacquer they told me it was because they had been lacquered; however they did offer to do them again at cost. Needless to say I told them to Foxtrot Oscar.
I had mine done at Pristine last year.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
They do look good but the finish is not that durable and within weeks I had picked some small stone chips. I’ve got a set of Estorils which I want to have powder coated for a more durable finish and be suitable for the long distance outings like Euro trips. I want something similar to the shadow chrome finish but as this is a two stage process the finish and black/silver density varies every time so having one repaired in the future, even by the same company, means it will be unlikely to match (did a lot of research on this last year). What I’m still trying to find is an out of tin single coat finish which gives the same effect as shadow chrome. Have a look at the Nurburg wheels in Halfords for an example. Toyota do something similar as well so these single coat finishes do exist despite what some refurbers would have you believe.I haven’t been able to find any firm able to do this yet so I’ll watch this thread with interest.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
They do look good but the finish is not that durable and within weeks I had picked some small stone chips. I’ve got a set of Estorils which I want to have powder coated for a more durable finish and be suitable for the long distance outings like Euro trips. I want something similar to the shadow chrome finish but as this is a two stage process the finish and black/silver density varies every time so having one repaired in the future, even by the same company, means it will be unlikely to match (did a lot of research on this last year). What I’m still trying to find is an out of tin single coat finish which gives the same effect as shadow chrome. Have a look at the Nurburg wheels in Halfords for an example. Toyota do something similar as well so these single coat finishes do exist despite what some refurbers would have you believe.I haven’t been able to find any firm able to do this yet so I’ll watch this thread with interest.
I was in the same position last summer and decided to do have mine coated in something called "silver bling" on top of a black powder coat. Then spent ages masking and preparing before spraying the black bits black again. In my opinion, they look best with the black parts in situ as they look more dainty and lightweight. In plain silver they look too chunky.
Have a look here for more info
Have a look here for more info
When I looked into getting mine done I couldn't find anyone prepared to lacquer them and, based on comments here about it not be veru durable, I'm glad I didn't.
I wasn't too keen on the painted silver wheels I'd seen because when the black bits were painted it made the spokes appear to big.
In the end I went with shadow chrome powder coat on my wheels which I love and I've received lots of positive comments from those who've seen them. They're very easy to keep clean and the shadow effect means the spokes do not look so bulky as those painted plain silver ones.
Cost was £80 per wheel, pic in this topic... http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I wasn't too keen on the painted silver wheels I'd seen because when the black bits were painted it made the spokes appear to big.
In the end I went with shadow chrome powder coat on my wheels which I love and I've received lots of positive comments from those who've seen them. They're very easy to keep clean and the shadow effect means the spokes do not look so bulky as those painted plain silver ones.
Cost was £80 per wheel, pic in this topic... http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Longers said:
When I looked into getting mine done I couldn't find anyone prepared to lacquer them and, based on comments here about it not be veru durable, I'm glad I didn't.
I wasn't too keen on the painted silver wheels I'd seen because when the black bits were painted it made the spokes appear to big.
In the end I went with shadow chrome powder coat on my wheels which I love and I've received lots of positive comments from those who've seen them. They're very easy to keep clean and the shadow effect means the spokes do not look so bulky as those painted plain silver ones.
Cost was £80 per wheel, pic in this topic... http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
They look really good, I was inclining towards that approach based on the above replies and you may have finally tipped me over! ThanksI wasn't too keen on the painted silver wheels I'd seen because when the black bits were painted it made the spokes appear to big.
In the end I went with shadow chrome powder coat on my wheels which I love and I've received lots of positive comments from those who've seen them. They're very easy to keep clean and the shadow effect means the spokes do not look so bulky as those painted plain silver ones.
Cost was £80 per wheel, pic in this topic... http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Speak to Wheel Repair Services (WRC), Bamber Bridge near Preston (wheelrepair.co.uk). They are not that far from you and you can leave the car with them.
The workshop manager is ex TVR paint shop manager so worth supporting (Kevin, known to everybody as Gerbil!)
My wheels were early S OZ wheels, forever trying to keep them shiny but as the car spends a lot of time outside it just wasnt practical to try to keep them that way. Lacquering was a waste of time. I saw the wheels on the S that 'jimed' used to have and they looked great.
WRC powder coated mine in 'bright aluminium' with black detailing as original. Look lovely, all the time now!
(If you do go there then make sure you specify the black detailing as original)
They also did some very difficult steel wheels for me for a 1968 Porsche in 'chrome' finish, hardly anybody has spotted that they are not 'real' chrome. They are also going to do some powder coating of components other than wheels for me.
The workshop manager is ex TVR paint shop manager so worth supporting (Kevin, known to everybody as Gerbil!)
My wheels were early S OZ wheels, forever trying to keep them shiny but as the car spends a lot of time outside it just wasnt practical to try to keep them that way. Lacquering was a waste of time. I saw the wheels on the S that 'jimed' used to have and they looked great.
WRC powder coated mine in 'bright aluminium' with black detailing as original. Look lovely, all the time now!
(If you do go there then make sure you specify the black detailing as original)
They also did some very difficult steel wheels for me for a 1968 Porsche in 'chrome' finish, hardly anybody has spotted that they are not 'real' chrome. They are also going to do some powder coating of components other than wheels for me.
Time for an update, I think. Glenrobbo very kindly offered to get transferred to me a prize that he won from Track v Road for the price of a donation to Track v Road's charity, Candlelighters. Many thanks Glen. 
After much thinking, I settled on light anthracite powdercoat and picked them up yesterday:
Won't be to everyone's taste and I won't know for sure until they have tyres on and are on the car. But for now, I am very happy with how they look.
TTFN
After much thinking, I settled on light anthracite powdercoat and picked them up yesterday:
Won't be to everyone's taste and I won't know for sure until they have tyres on and are on the car. But for now, I am very happy with how they look.
TTFN
Just to clarify a couple of things about powder coating.
1. If you go to a reputable wheel refurbishment firm they will strip and prepare the old wheel before powder coating. That is definitely preferable to getting it done elsewhere, they will use the right chemicals etc and the wheel will be coated very quickly after preparation.
2. It IS possible to have the original details picked out in black. A special paint is used which is compatible with the powder coating, the wheels are masked after coating and the detail applied. I have seen customised wheels with more than one colour applied.
3. There are now an enormous range of powder coating colours available. I think mine was described as 'bright aluminium' but there were 'shades' slightly different as well. We also had some Posche wheels done in 'chrome' which was right for that(orange) car. I is definitely true that come finishes do not suit some body colours; the chrome wheels look perfect against the orange, but horrible against my Brooklands Green S.
It is almost 2 years since I had mine done, the car has been outside ever since. The wheels are still perfect.....and all I need to do these days is wash them. Now how much is that worth in £ per hour saved!
1. If you go to a reputable wheel refurbishment firm they will strip and prepare the old wheel before powder coating. That is definitely preferable to getting it done elsewhere, they will use the right chemicals etc and the wheel will be coated very quickly after preparation.
2. It IS possible to have the original details picked out in black. A special paint is used which is compatible with the powder coating, the wheels are masked after coating and the detail applied. I have seen customised wheels with more than one colour applied.
3. There are now an enormous range of powder coating colours available. I think mine was described as 'bright aluminium' but there were 'shades' slightly different as well. We also had some Posche wheels done in 'chrome' which was right for that(orange) car. I is definitely true that come finishes do not suit some body colours; the chrome wheels look perfect against the orange, but horrible against my Brooklands Green S.
It is almost 2 years since I had mine done, the car has been outside ever since. The wheels are still perfect.....and all I need to do these days is wash them. Now how much is that worth in £ per hour saved!
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