Now, before I go on any further I'd just like to say a few things about this job, because this is one of those subjects that some people feel very strongly about. I did debate whether or not to post this up on here so please, don't be too hard on me ok.
- First of all this is the first time I have ever tried to do any kind of repainting on an alloy wheel.
- Secondly, this job is a stop-gap measure only until I can get myself some new wheels, I don't intend this repair to last forever.
- Thirdly, the wheel looks no worse than when I started, yes it's not the original shade of silver but I really don't care because all things considered the overall appearance of the wheel face has improved (as you will see). I didn't respray the back because I'm not bothered too much by that at the moment, the front is more important.
- Fourthly, I fully acknowledge that the method of repair is completely and utterly cowboy in nature, and I apologise to those who are spitting out their cups of coffee in astonishment.
Ok.....
As some of you know, I probably have the scruffiest wheels on VPC, the paint is flaking off them, they're full of stone chips and really do make the car look a complete and utter mess. With this, the other day I decided that enough was enough and I just had to do something, anything I could, and on a tight budget just to make them look a little less of a wreck.
Some before pictures, just to reiterate how shabby the wheels really are and why I am so keen to smarten then up even just a bit (they look worse in the flesh)........
Looking better already - part way through the paint strip stage (no I don't have access to a sand blaster, just very sore fingers)...
After striping the paint I used a professional grade tack cloth to clean the surface, several layers of primer, a few coats of silver base coat (the lightest colour I could find), rubbing down between stages of course and then several layers of clear coat. The finish is ok, there are still some uneven areas but I'm satisfied that the end result is better than how it looked before and for a temporary repair it'll do......
1 down 3 to go, the other 3 should come out a little better (I hope), I learned a few lessons during this first attempt. I'll probably do about 1 wheel per week so the next one will have to wait until next week now when I have some more time off.
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