I am going to paint my default factory rims this weekend I want to do it right and was wondering if any of you have done this and what product and steps do you recommend?

Which ones? 13" Steel wheels, 13" turbo-finned, 14" high tech, 15" diamond spoke...

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ackerwheels.com/1370.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ackerwheels.com/wheels/AW1370.html&h=96&w=110&sz=4&tbnid=IP9CpesjoZ8J:&tbnh=69&tbnw= 79&start=5&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfiero%2Bfactory%2Brims%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

sorry bout that, the rim in the top left hand corner

I sold a similar set to a forum member who painted them black with red center caps.

On his car it looked good.

Other guys have done other colours.

You just have to figure what looks good with your paint, trim, and assessories. Good luck

Arn

You will have to remove the clear coat, then you will have to ensure that the wheels are fre of greese, oil, and grime then clean then with a residue free cleaner. I would recommened a Quality Primer then Paint, then Clearcoat over it.

what about the diamond lace wheels... ive only been able to use physical means to remove the clear coat OR paint... ive even used aircraft stripper and all it did was make it a little bit shiny. im thinking of doing them a flat black or a gloss black...

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'86 Fiero GT

My Fiero XoticRydz
Mid-Rear Madness

you'll probably have to blast them with beads or walnut shell to remove the paint then have them powder coated..

or you could just paint them

paint does work and can look very sharp - but its not as durable

after I get the clear off, what brand type should I use from autozone

whatever you do stick with a single brand from start to finish or you risk poor chemical interactions
i generally stick with duplicolor products

Yea, I will take pics before and after to see what you all think. Thanks for the help!

I'm painting my 14" "high-tech" wheels black in the center and leaving the lip bare polished aluminum; much like how the stock Formula wheels are. I finished the left side and the one I spent a lot of time looks really really good. I've received compliments already. The left front didn't turn out as good as the left rear. I spent less time trying to get the paint off and left some of the dark gray between the spokes, so it turned out pretty splotchy. I'm trying to figure out where to buy walnut or glass blasting media in my area, then I'll try using that to strip the paint and repaint.

On the one that turned out very nicely I used Mar-Hyde's aircraft coating remover, the green stuff that'll burn your skin and make you blind if you aren't careful. It comes in a metal can and must be applied with a brush. I spent almost 8 hours on one wheel. It took about 5 applications and LOTS of scraping and spraying with a garden hose to get all of the dark gray paint off between the spokes. The clearcoat came off very easily. If you could find a way to mask off all the spokes and then just strip the clearcoat off the machined face of the wheel you can probably just paint over the dark gray and it'll look fine. The problem is masking off all those spokes would take forever and the stripper is messy and easy to get where you don't want it.. In other words, get them bead blasted!

As for paint, Duplicolor makes a wheel paint in various colors; I heard it works quite well. I just used rustoleum semi-gloss black. It's not chipping off yet and they've been done for a few weeks. The paint did burn off a bit where the wheel touches the rotor, but not where it can be seen without standing right over the wheel and looking for it.

Please post pics if you get them done and let us know what method you ended up using. I still have to redo my front left and the whole right side so I'm looking for a quicker way to do it; maybe bead blasting isn't the only alternative.

Good luck!

-Steven

[This message has been edited by Steven Snyder (edited 10-20-2004).]

quote Originally posted by Arns85GT: I sold a similar set to a forum member who painted them black with red center caps. On his car it looked good. Other guys have done other colours. You just have to figure what looks good with your paint, trim, and assessories. Good luck Arn

After I got them from Arn fully prepped, (saved me a LOT of time, thanks again Arn!)

After the paint.

[This message has been edited by Trekker (edited 10-20-2004).]

quote Originally posted by Steven Snyder: I'm painting my 14" "high-tech" wheels black in the center and leaving the lip bare polished aluminum; much like how the stock Formula wheels are. I finished the left side and the one I spent a lot of time looks really really good. I've received compliments already. The left front didn't turn out as good as the left rear. I spent less time trying to get the paint off and left some of the dark gray between the spokes, so it turned out pretty splotchy. I'm trying to figure out where to buy walnut or glass blasting media in my area, then I'll try using that to strip the paint and repaint.

here you go
http://www.eastwood.com/shopping/search/searchresultsmain.jsp?fresh=1&searchType=advanced&iMainCat=0&iSubCat=0&attribute14=0&attribute15=0&attribute16=0&RS=1&keyword=blasting+media

blasting media, walnut, poly bead, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, glass bead...

those pics help out so much, looks really good, I will post pics monday. Thanks again!

One last thing before the weekend project begins, Do any of yall have pics of painted wheels on the car, I dont want to spend the money to do this right and have it look like some teenage getto civic.

So how did they turn out?

-Steven

I got the car painted a new color, and got scared on how it would look. Maybe somebody with photoshop can use this pic to show me how it would look with black rims.

[This message has been edited by synapse (edited 11-02-2004).]

Here you go...

The bottom pic is what I did to my wheels. I'll take pictures when I'm done with both sides and have some time off from work/school when the sun is actually out.

-Steven

thank you so much, I like the first set bottom like you did yours. That does look sweet!

synapse, here's a pic of the wheels on my car:

I masked off the lip of the wheel with masking tape, leaving the edges sticking up. Then I put masking paper on the edge of masking tape that was sticking up, to form a tall barrier between the inside of the wheel (to be painted) and the rim and tire. I used rustoleum semi-gloss black, about three coats with 15 minutes in between. I put the can in a sink full of warm (NOT HOT, the can may burst) water before spraying. This increases the pressure inside the can, helping to atomize the paint and prevent clogging the nozzle. It makes quite a difference!

-Steven

That looks sweet Snyder , is that a 88? thanks for the picture. Now I got the balls to do it seeing how good it looks an yours. I sort of wish i got mine painted silver after seeing your fiero.

Aluminimum (Silver).

Use "Low Odor Aircraft Remover' to strip the wheels. Follow the directions. It takes about three coats but it's real easy. Just brush it on, let it sit 45 minutes and I used a little steel spatula to scrape off the paint/ clear coat. Rinse with water and repeat. I coated my with Rustoleum Gold and then Eastwood's Diamond Clear.

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Notchbacks RULE

"It's cool to have a car you just have to look back at."

Yep, painting them works fine as long as you prep them first...

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Fiero-Performance.com
2nd Annual California Coast Run

I painted my stock rims about five years ago. I just used spray paint (can't remember what brand). I think I used a semi-gloss. I didn't sandblast or anything extensive like that. I just cleaned them up. Five years later, the paint is still looking great. There are a few chips by the lugnuts and the paint didn't stick as well to the inner parts (the dark grey area), but overall, they still look very nice. The trick is, as with any spray painting, keep the coats light and be patient. Tape the rims off carefully and my taste was to leave the center cap silver. I think it adds a great contrast to the wheel not to mention looks like the GT rims. These rims gain alot of attitude when they're black!!! Much cooler than the silver. I'm kind of new to this message board thing. How do you post a pic?

Welcome 86SE86GT!

At the bottom of the main forum pages you will see a big blue box that says Pennock's Image Poster. Click it and download the application and just follow the directions. After you've got it installed, if you still have problems feel free to ask.

Thanks Songman!

Very nice job 86SE86GT! When I first saw your pic I was like....GT rims....so what does that have to do with the topic...until I looked closer. They look nice.

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Painted to match ground effects with clear coat.

i love the way the 14" wheels look when they are black... on the red car if you lowered it and painted the wheels flat black it would look REALLY good... kinda like this...

except on a fiero and not a mr2. if you get some chrome lug nuts it looks REALLY cool going down the road.

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'86 Fiero GT

My Fiero XoticRydz Mid-Rear Madness

Be Excellent To Each Other" - Bill S. Preston Esquire Ted Theadore Logan