got a set if wheels for my 914,wheels are in great shape but the black paint has faded in several areas. what kind of paint should i be using is there a wheel specific paint out there or will a satin oil based paint work just as well?

Oil based??? as in house paint??? That would be a big no. And it does matter what paint, since brake dust can cause problems. Best solution, have them powder coated. Next best, get some automotive wheel finish and spray with a gun. Third choice, and one i've had good luck with believe it or not, is Duplicolor wheel paint.

Either way, sand, clean, sand, clean, until you have a nick and scratch and dirt free surface to paint over. Sandblasting (depending on the wheel) is the way to go.

You didn't mention the wheels material type. Which brings me to; I didn't hear anything about primer. If the wheels are steel, pretty much any automotive primer that is compatible with the type paint your using, will do. If the wheels are aluminium then you will need a self etching primer such as Vari Prime by DuPont. This stuff will also etch your lungs so mask and a well ventilated area is mandantory. Spread the paint evenly to maintain balance. I say this because flat black is almost run proof so pay attention to paint distribution.

If you are after a concous correct finish, Wurth's paints are the original spec wheel finishes.

If not and you just want a good looking wheel, remove old finish with a gel paint remover, (keep it off polished areas!) prime and recoat with caliper paint, since it is formualted to be resistant to brake fluid and dust.

Which wheels are you painting??

I recently painted my wheels black using Dupli-color "adhesion promoter", BBQ paint & wheel specific clear coat. The BBQ paint is very rugged & can handle lots of heat, also it sticks very well to most surfaces. The wheel specific clear coat will not yellow with age or UV exposure.

Clean, sand, clean, prime, paint, paint, clear to desired level of shine.




Powder coat is a far superior option, but this is a budget friendly option.

didnt mean oil based like house paint but wasnt sure if a paint was out there specifically designed for use on car wheels that the average joe could get his hands on . i thought powder coating was the only option, didnt want to go that route as the wheels are good but they are not the long term goal. would like as budget defines to get the "phone dial" rims and re set car from 4 lug to five. which of course is a differant topic. these Rivs are better looking then the original steel wheels with the polished aluminum dome covers.

When I had the Rivi's (went 16" dials myself) i painted the rivi's with the Duplicolor dark grey wheel paint. Cleaned the snot out of them then used a mag wheel etching cleaner. After paint I bolted one on at a time on the rear and used the car to polish the lip back out.

And what you can look forward to with dials

there you go the dials look bad ass.

Thanks, wasn't my first choice at all, but I picked them up on C/L for a hundred bucks for 4 16X7's. I kinda like them now.

did exactly as you suggested. since you were kind enough to talk me down from a brake issue I am confident you know what your talking about. they came out awesome. scoured the wheels, taped up and repainted last night, friggin beautiful. this buys me some time with the riv until i can find the phone dials like you have , thanks again!

follow up how much of a hassle is it to use the 4 lug to five lug kit and will i have issues with the fit of the tire using these and the dials?

From what I can tell, there are at least 3 different dials. The early offset (pre 87 i think) that came in 15 X7, and those work well if it is a converted car like drilled hubs and rotors or 911 stuff. Then there is the late, and thats what I have. These have the newer offset like a boxter and came in 15X7, 16X7, 16X8. I'm sure other sizes as well. What I can tell you about these is they require spacers, adapters would qualify as spacers. With my 205/50/16's and the 16X7 late dials, I run 1 1/4 spacers all around. I did have adapters on the front and still had to remove the dust cover on the front strut. Problem with adapters, they are expensive for decent ones. So expensive you might as well buy eric's re-drilled stuff. They do pop up on here, I just sold a pair for 40 bucks last week. I do have one late 15X7 dial left over im not gonna use if you need one. I think Mueller has a couple more he wants to get rid of. Also the weidmans said they had tons of them at there shop no one wanted.