Painting wire wheels

[Island guy]

I have a lovely set of brand new, silver painted wire wheels but I want them painted a different colour to suit the car (an ex Robbie Coltrain TR2, originally black with red wheels). The body shop have said they can do a two pack paint job for me, but (and here's the rub, if you'll excuse the pun) I can save money by doing the preparation myself.

 

I usually learn how to do something properly only by a lengthy, and sometimes disastrous, process of trial and error. I end up with the knowledge, but usually after the job is done. Before I start the 'light keying' of 4 rims and 240 spokes and nipples with wet and dry paper, therefore, can anybody offer the benefit of their knowledge and experience and advise if there is a better and easier way to do it? All advice and tips will be truly welcome, even if it is just to tell me not to be so mean and just pay the body shop to do it.

 

In exchange, I offer this advice. Visit the Isle of Man with your TR and enjoy a bit of pleasant driving with no upper speed limit. Try to arrange your visit to coincide with a Duke Track Day, too, and have three hours of open pit 'brisk' driving around an old airfield. Mind you, maybe this is how I gained the broken spokes in my old wheels.

 

Martin

Edited June 1, 2010 by Island guy

[Alec Pringle]

Hi Martin,

 

and welcome.

 

Problem with doing your own prepping is that whatever subsequently might go wrong is always your fault, not the body shop's . . . or else it's incompatible underlying lacquer, silver paint or primer. A-levels in passing the buck are a prerequisite for a sprayer.

 

Personally I'd have the wheels blasted to remove the silver paint and everything else and then start again from scratch, or rather bare metal, with the paint job. At least that way any and all subsequent problems are down to the body shop.

 

Yes, I know I'm cynical.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[Rodbr]

IMHO you should check out having them Soda Blasted either buy your own kit or find someone to do it for you. Nice clean paintable surface with no incompatability issues.

Just my two penneth.

Rod

[stuart]

If you dont want to go to the extra expense and hassle of blasting then Scotchbrite pads in the red shade from any good bodyshop suppliers will make short work of keying the wheels and far easier to use to get in all the nooks and crannies. 2 Pack paint will stick like the proverbial to a blanket and if they can put them in their oven for an hour to bake after painting they will be fine.

Stuart.