Polishing Fuchs, Don't want to ruin my rims Options

[Ian Stott]

My Fuchs just got dropped off and I bought the Mothers Power Ball and Mothers Power Metal ( Aluminium ) Polish. Going to power wash the rims first then I thought I would check with club members before I did anything else just in case there is a chance I could do more harm than good. I read in a previous post somewhere that a fine grit sandpaper had been used, I am scared shitless to do that for some reason. All comments appreciated even the smart ass ones!

Ian Stott
Moncton
Canada

Candidate for slowest restoration ever!

[PRS914-6]

I use Mothers on mine with a micro-fiber towel. They scratch VERY easily.

[race914]

My Fuchs just got dropped off and I bought the Mothers Power Ball and Mothers Power Metal ( Aluminium ) Polish. Going to power wash the rims first then I thought I would check with club members before I did anything else just in case there is a chance I could do more harm than good. I read in a previous post somewhere that a fine grit sandpaper had been used, I am scared shitless to do that for some reason. All comments appreciated even the smart ass ones!

Ian Stott
Moncton
Canada

Candidate for slowest restoration ever!

You'll probably have trouble getting the anodizing off with just a powerball. That setup sounds great to maintain the shine though!

To polish, I used a $10 Harbor Freight Air Die Grinder

(IMG:http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/36500-36599/36572.gif)

and their aluminum polishing kit

(IMG:http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/94900-94999/94962.gif)

My wheels came out great IMHO

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-5027-1176231890_thumb.jpg)

[Ian Stott]

First your rims look great, did you use anything other than the kit from Harbour Station? Or was that just the first step? Mothers Power Ball and polish just recommended for maintaining finish then?

Ian

[race914]

First your rims look great, did you use anything other than the kit from Harbour Station? Or was that just the first step? Mothers Power Ball and polish just recommended for maintaining finish then?

Ian

I just used the buffing compounds in the Harbor Freight polishing kit (starting with the medium grit (brown) and ending up with the polishing compound (white)). More good info and polishing supplies at Eastwood.

Then I maintain with Metal Gloss.

(IMG:http://sites.browsermanaged.com/folder5077/site_images_system/user/Metal.16.small.JPG)
I found this stuff at a car show at a booth where a guy was polishing a beer keg! Stuff works great. I buy a bottle from the same guy at the same car show every year.

I think I'm going to try using the powerball with the Metal Gloss... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[Ian Stott]

Let me know how your "trying/applying the metal Gloss with the Power Ball" works out. The sealer sounds like the right thing to do, have you used that?

Ian Stott
Moncton Canada

[r_towle]

how can one get the anodizing off yet retain the white paint???

Rich

[PeeGreen 914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[rfuerst911sc]

how can one get the anodizing off yet retain the white paint???

Rich

Not sure about retaining the paint but the home brew for removing the anodising is the yellow can of Easy Off oven cleaner. The yellow can is the heavy duty version with lots of lye in it. Be careful with skin and eyes but it works good.

[Ian Stott]

Let me get this straight, the original finish is anodized and needs to be removed??

Ian Stott
Moncton
Canada

[scotty b]

Let me get this straight, the original finish is anodized and needs to be removed??

Ian Stott
Moncton
Canada

Dah

[jsayre914]

how can one get the anodizing off yet retain the white paint???

Rich

Not sure about retaining the paint but the home brew for removing the anodising is the yellow can of Easy Off oven cleaner. The yellow can is the heavy duty version with lots of lye in it. Be careful with skin and eyes but it works good.

I have the same job in front of me. Couple of questions also

1> my wheels were spray painted by PO and I want the paint off as well as the anidization. Do I use paint remover first then oven off second. or will oven off do it all, i dont want to stain the wheel with black where i dont want paint.

2>Doesnt oven off require heat?

3> how can you tell if ALL of the anidization is off (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[agent9]

ya, im in the same boat. PO painted em, they look ok, but i think they would look amazing with the paint removed and polished. so any more advice on how to get from here to there would be appreciated.

i am assuming this can be done while still on the car, or at least with the tire still attached?

here is a shot of what im dealing with:

(IMG:http://www.mashinenoise.com/914pics/wheel.jpg)

also anyone know what kind of rim this is? is it factory or aftermarket? i was told it was one of the lightest 4 lugs made, but who knows.

[Ian Stott]

The more knowledgeable people/members can tell what those rims are, I think they are Mahles. My Fuchs look similiar as far as condition is concerned but am wary to tell you if they are the same material. Another thing I noticed on mine is someone used stick on weights on the edge of the rim, very visible and probably gonna be a bitch to get off. I go back to my original post, I don't want to do any damage to the rims by being too aggressive with either chemical's or just plain elbow grease. I'm sure by following the advice of the more informed members we will both end up with rims we can be proud of.

Ian Stott
Moncton Canada

Candidate for slowest restoration!

[rfuerst911sc]

how can one get the anodizing off yet retain the white paint???

Rich

Not sure about retaining the paint but the home brew for removing the anodising is the yellow can of Easy Off oven cleaner. The yellow can is the heavy duty version with lots of lye in it. Be careful with skin and eyes but it works good.

I have the same job in front of me. Couple of questions also

1> my wheels were spray painted by PO and I want the paint off as well as the anidization. Do I use paint remover first then oven off second. or will oven off do it all, i dont want to stain the wheel with black where i dont want paint.

2>Doesnt oven off require heat?

3> how can you tell if ALL of the anidization is off (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

1. Use spray aircraft paint remover to remove the paint first.
2. No it doesn't need heat to remove the anodise.
3. On my 911 Fuchs it took 3 applications of oven cleaner to remove all the anodising. You'll see it coming off as you scrape with a Scotchbrite pad.
It is a messy job but doable by a DIYer. After the anodise is off the REAL work begins. Lots of hand sanding with MANY different grits of sandpaper. Once that is done you switch to MANY different polishing compounds. I averaged about 8-10 hours per wheel.

[jsayre914]

how can one get the anodizing off yet retain the white paint???

Rich

Not sure about retaining the paint but the home brew for removing the anodising is the yellow can of Easy Off oven cleaner. The yellow can is the heavy duty version with lots of lye in it. Be careful with skin and eyes but it works good.

I have the same job in front of me. Couple of questions also

1> my wheels were spray painted by PO and I want the paint off as well as the anidization. Do I use paint remover first then oven off second. or will oven off do it all, i dont want to stain the wheel with black where i dont want paint.

2>Doesnt oven off require heat?

3> how can you tell if ALL of the anidization is off (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

1. Use spray aircraft paint remover to remove the paint first.
2. No it doesn't need heat to remove the anodise.
3. On my 911 Fuchs it took 3 applications of oven cleaner to remove all the anodising. You'll see it coming off as you scrape with a Scotchbrite pad.
It is a messy job but doable by a DIYer. After the anodise is off the REAL work begins. Lots of hand sanding with MANY different grits of sandpaper. Once that is done you switch to MANY different polishing compounds. I averaged about 8-10 hours per wheel.

THANK YOU (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

[Ian Stott]

Tell me more about the different grits of sandpaper, I was initially scared of sandpaper but some of you seem to recommend it.

Ian Stott

[degreeoff]

Its just aluminum. So that in mind sand paper will work fine. just move up to a solid 800 grit or so before you break out the polishing compound. The oven cleaner does work fro getting off the anodizing but watch out as it will pit the aluminum if left on too long. BUT remember you can sand out the pits! my wheels came out pretty good for a quick job, I will howerver get mine done by a pro next time as it was WAY too much work for the savings IMHO.


Josh

[beech4rd]

ya, im in the same boat. PO painted em, they look ok, but i think they would look amazing with the paint removed and polished. so any more advice on how to get from here to there would be appreciated.

i am assuming this can be done while still on the car, or at least with the tire still attached?

here is a shot of what im dealing with:

(IMG:http://www.mashinenoise.com/914pics/wheel.jpg)

also anyone know what kind of rim this is? is it factory or aftermarket? i was told it was one of the lightest 4 lugs made, but who knows.

These are Pedrini wheels, original equipment on some 914s before 1973. They were made in Italy and are sand cast, unlike Fuchs, which were die cast. As a result of the casting process, the surface of these wheels, when stripped of paint, is far from being smooth, in fact, under magnification, the surface is a mass of pits, a result of the sandcasting process. One of the reasons the wheels are as light as they are is a result of air trapped in the metal during the casting process. You can polish these wheels until you are blue in the face and they will never shine as a Fuchs will. So, get some paint stripper, remove the old paint,carefully file and sand any dings off the rim, buy a couple of cans of the Wurth silver wheel paint and you can return the wheel to the appearance it had originally. They will look quite handsome.

[PRS914-6]

OK, Now that I see what you are dealing with I have another suggestion.......Send them to Al Reed. You will save a lot of headache and get a great job for very reasonable.

I thought you just wanted a "maintenance shine"