I picked up a couple of vintage ET wheels for the 51. Clearly someone drove them in the winter. I know I can spend more than they are worth and have them re-chromed, but what other options will look acceptable. Do I take the chrome off the centers and paint or attempt to polish them. I plan to run the street tires on them. Maybe a 5 foot or less OK looking wheel is the goal.
Clean the chrome hoop with some super fine steel wool then I'd clean the centers best I could, sand blast the center then paint the centers like maybe Argent silver, pale gold etc to mimic some old school aluminum rims.... ....
This was my first thought. The more I look at them the more I wonder if they are ET wheels. The centers are aluminum and the outers are steel. I don’t see ET cast anywhere on them. I’m a little less concerned with what I do with them if they aren’t original ETs. I hadn’t thought of sandblasting the centers. I like that idea.
very common problem with this style of wheels. once chrome has bubbled no repair. if chrome shop in your area ask about them removing chrome. have seen them painted black, etc. Likely others will add more info
Another thing to try is cut a piece of aluminum foil and pour a little OSPHO or similar rust converter in a container. Wad the foil up and dip in the dish and polish on the chrome. The OSPHO acts as a lubricant and will convert any subterranean rust specs.
I was going to run them but the chrome is flaking on the aluminum. The chrome on the steel part cleaned right up with 0000 steel wool. So I taped one up and pulled the center cap. I'll talk to my stepson and ask if his sandblaster is hooked up. I might try to play with some chrome paint and use black as a fall back color. The brine they use on the winter roads here is murder on fancy wheels.
Not the same wheels, but the same idea. I was given a set of 15 inch 80 spoke wire wheels by a buddy because they were getting rusty. I blasted the wheels, painted the spokes gunmetal gray, and added some aftermarket stainless trim rings.
The web says yes. They say EpiX media is the best option. I found it for $50 per 50 lb bag. It isn’t supposed to damage the metal under the chrome. I would consider taking it to a plater but I’m not sure how the acid would get the chrome off the aluminum and not the steel. They would have to soak it.
@snoc653 Do not go near chrome with steel wool. The "go to" is scrunched up aluminium foil, and a solution of 1 part vinegar 4 parts water with a dash of dishwashing liquid. Polish the shit out of the chrome and there is a galvanic reaction from friction and the vinegar. The aluminium is soft so it doesn't hurt the chrome and will fill rust pits Most people skip the vinegar but it certainly speeds up the process
Be aware that sandblasting chrome is dangerous. The fine chrome particles may cause lung cancer if inhaled
Aw hell, Back in the day, we would sandblast chrome while smoking a cigar, while the garage on fire and the cops were shooting at us.
Not to be contrary just for the sake of it. I've been using 0000 steel wool to clean chromed wheels/bumpers with great success for years. Even brand new 22's on our daily driver. The 0000 is soft enough it will not scratch the chrome. Just sharing my experience.
I'd consider a metallic silver, gray or gold before Black, but that's a matter of taste. You could even add a bit of red tint to it so it suits the car. I couldn't find a gradient of red/silver, except examples like this. Not car or paint related, sorry.
I wanted to get some flaky cragars powdercoated but the powdercoater guy said I would have to take them to a plater and get them dipped to remove the chrome first. He said blasting wouldn't remove the chrome, I never did it because it wouldn't have been cost effective in the long run for some powdercoated cragars. I still have the 15x10's so post photos if you do it.
Steel wool is only good for cleaning. Steel rusts when it oxidizes which also is the original problem on this thread. Try aluminium foil next time [it is easy] Aluminium is more inert than Steel on the "table of elements" [so any "filler" acts like a protection] You don't really want small particles of iron oxide on chrome.
Gibbs oil and a cotton cloth. Wipe the chrome down every few days, until the white cotton cloths you are using don’t turn brownish anymore. If real bad, 0000 steel wool on chrome/with Gibbs. Mag polish on the centers, if they are aluminum. Will turn out really good, except for a show car!
I have one cleaned and taped to blast the centers. After I cleaned the chrome on the steel part I wiped it down with prepsol so the tape would stick better. After I’m done with the centers I will polish the chrome. I have 100 lb of EpiX blasting media ordered. I have a spot outside that is protected and covered where I can put down heavy plastic and sandblast the centers. I’ll be sure to wear my mask and face shield as there are heavy metals in chrome that you don’t want to breathe. I’ve also been thinking about trying some chrome paint and possibly adding some red tint if it will work. The question is, will the Chrome paint accept the tint or pearl or will I have to clear coat it with the tinting agent?
I'd look up the paint MDS to see about tinting. Sorry if I created a monster. Check the fit of the unilug washers after blasting. That's where it's going to be rough on the finish.
I get rusty mags now and then when buying wheels in bulk. I scrap them. Not worth the time and effort for me.
I did a test last year using a couple of pitted hood ornaments destined for the swap meet. Cleaned one with 0000 steel wool, the other with balled-up foil. The steel wool came out nice, the foil left scars. Mind you, I used Gibbs oil with each; the above comment is the first I've heard of using vinegar and dish soap with foil. Sadly, Quick-Glo chrome polish is no longer produced. That stuff worked great on rusty chrome surfaces. I'm down to half a jar of the stuff. I'm now like Elaine on Seinfeld: I look at a part and wonder, "Is it Quick-Glo worthy?"
Personally my choice would not be to try to paint the centers to look like chrome. It's never going to look like chrome, and will just look like fake chrome paint. I'd buy some mag wheel paint and paint the centers a little darker gray to contrast the outer chrome rim. I've done this using Duplicolor wheel paint in Graphite color with a wheel that was all chrome, but centers had turned rusty. They came out great and got a lot of compliments on them after painting. The graphite color looks much like what older Torq Thrust and ET spokes used so doesn't look weird, or cheap like fake chrome paint. It also holds up fantastic if prepped well, and your sandblasted surface should prepare it well.
They are right that the steel wool leaves little particles in it that continue to rust. That's why I use STAINLESS steel wool. Easy to find coarse in the dish washing supply section of walmart, but not as common to find the finer grades. -rick
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