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Maximilian · Alfasud Joined: 04 Apr 2003 Posts: 39 Location: London, UK

I got some pretty good Speedlines from eBay, the same as the ones I already have, but with no corrosion (the ones that came on late Sprints and Series 2 33's).

However, they a little scratched and scuffed at the edges.

Does anybody know what I can do about this? I can't find any useful web-links because of the multitude of alloy wheel refurbishers.

The backs of them are really corroded. I want to sand blast them. How do I do that? Can you rent portable sand blasting machines that are good for this? I've got no idea about sand-blasters, only that they exist.

For the faces I'm thinking of wire-woolling them down, bit of emery cloth - and then filling the scuffs with some sort of high-performance strong filler. Can you get stuff like that?

Then I want to paint them. I'm not sure if they are painted, but it looks like they are. Then clear-coat them. I've heard that there is special clear coat for this.

Any thoughts?
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1988 Sprint 1.7 QV (35,000 miles)

Gary UK · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2003 11:08 pm Post subject:

Take them to a blasting shop (u can't hire the equipment) and get the whole of the wheels blasted (tyres removed, as alloys leak air if laquer is flaking inside the rims). Fill the scrapes with plastic steel (comes in tubes make sure you get the quick drying type that sticks to aluminium, it's American - **** Weld, I've forgotton half the name) and rub down. Prime with ETCHING primer (this is a must do) and then base coat of your colour choice then laquer. Use the type of laquer that u add hardner to cure it, it's a lot tougher than the normal stuff.

Might be worth hiring a compressor and spray gun for the week end, wheels take a lot of paint, getting a good paint covering inside the holes takes a good few coats.

bw · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2003 12:24 pm Post subject:

Maybe it would be easier and cheaper to get them re-finished by the people doing the blasting. There's a general metal finishers (not wheel refurber) near where I work that will blast and re-coat for about £30/wheel. Just a thought. If you have to buy paint, laquer and rent equipment I suspect it'd work out cheaper than doing it yourself?

Gary UK · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2003 12:43 pm Post subject:

bw, no chance thats £150 at £30 a wheel, paint and thinners will be under £50 and to hire equipment for a weekend under £30 thats half the price and you can make sure you get really good coverage and a top finnish. If you use the laquer that requires hardner then they'll be as tough as old boots.

bw · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2003 1:18 pm Post subject: