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Inter State Man
04-12-2018, 08:04 PM
So Ive bought these 17 inch Caprice wheels, in generally good condition, and I need to refinish 3 of them

I figured id carefully strip the clear coat of the machined (polished) bits, give them a bit of a polish and then hit them all over with a fresh coat of clear coat. Just tidy them up without bothering with the small amount of curb rash and big scratches and seal them up against corrosion and tarnish

easy, right? Polystripper doesn't worry the old clear coat at all. I got some Septone automotive finish stripper (supposed to strip two-pack and everything). That just crazed the clear coat but didn't remove it

Does anyone have a recommendation for stripper for alloy wheels? I don't want to use a spray can, as I am trying to avoid disturbing the painted bits on the wheels

and while I have you, is there a spray can clear coat finish for alloy that wheels that you have had good results with?


By the way - re-wheel project expenditure so far $300 for wheels and tyres ("Austyre" 235/45/17) minus the 100 I got for the tyres. I have 4 Michelin Pilot Sport 4s (225/50/17) paid for down at the tyre shop ($816 fitted and balanced). So, hopefully once Ive bought the rest of the painting products I need, I'll get out of it for under 1100

whitels1ss
14-12-2018, 07:14 PM
How did the paint stripping go mate?

I have seen some YouTube videos of this & they just spray on paint stripper & the clear coat comes off easy.

I wonder why the Holden OEM wheels are so hard to get the clear off?

I have a spare set of Holden wheels which I would like to strip & restore also but it looks as though it might be too much work. :lol:

Inter State Man
14-12-2018, 08:23 PM
No - it was easy in the end. The Septone auto finish remover (from auto barn) worked a treat. Do it in the sun so the wheel heats up. 600, 1200 then 2500 wet and dry and then mothers aluminium wheel polish - comes up like new. Finished them off with VHT clear coat (about 5 coats). About one hour rubbing per wheel. I didn’t use spray stripper as I only wanted to strip the clear coat off the machined surfaces, not the painted surfaces

whitels1ss
14-12-2018, 09:47 PM
Sounds good, any pictures?

Inter State Man
14-12-2018, 10:05 PM
There will be

whitels1ss
15-12-2018, 05:59 AM
Good stuff! :cheers:

Inter State Man
18-12-2018, 10:14 PM
heres a comparison of the best of the wheels I took off the car, and one of the two wheels I refinished. The two wheels I didn't refinish (on the drivers side) are a little bit yellower
https://i.ibb.co/vYp3GRD/wheelcompare.jpg (https://ibb.co/m8k9wgS)

Inter State Man
19-12-2018, 01:05 AM
https://i.ibb.co/vL4Dq0W/IMG-2644.jpg (https://ibb.co/ss9tR84)

Inter State Man
19-12-2018, 01:28 AM
How he looked 3 months ago, just before last trip to Newcastle

https://i.ibb.co/ZzGcqqc/42213568-10217031476880221-4127042097725308928-o.jpg (https://ibb.co/Dfzw00w)