I picked up some 16" fuchs last weekend and their finish is in sad shape. Due to the lack of time I am going to polish the lips and leave the center black. Anyone have any photos of this look? I have seen this look with the dull lip but not the polished lips.

I was planning on taping off the centers and using oven cleaner on the lip to remove the coating. I will then wet sand with 400-800-1000 and then polish away. Once the lip is polished I will tape off the lip and spray the centers black.

What do you think maybe 8hrs a wheel to do that?

8 hours a wheel? God I hope not....

QUOTE (Kerrys914 @ Apr 6 2005, 04:05 PM)

I picked up some 16" fuchs last weekend and their finish is in sad shape. Due to the lack of time I am going to polish the lips and leave the center black. Anyone have any photos of this look? I have seen this look with the dull lip but not the polished  lips. I was planning on taping off the centers and using oven cleaner on the lip to remove the coating. I will then wet sand with 400-800-1000 and then polish away. Once the lip is polished I will tape off the lip and spray the centers black. What do you think maybe 8hrs a wheel to do that?

Shouldn't take that long just to polish lips. The first one might, but after that you'll have a process down for the others.

If you start with rough enough sandpaper, or otherwise sand long and far enough, you won't have to worry about removing the anodizing beforehand. The sanding will do it for you.

I did these myself by hand, sandpaper, polishing compound applied with steel wool. Been a few years, but about an hour per wheel. Then rattle canned the centers with satin black.

Nice, so you applied the polishing compound with the steel wool???

Detail please.

I am planning on sanding the coating off with three different grit papers. Why the steel wool and not a cloth to put the polish on??

Cheers

Went from coarse to fine sandpaper, then coarse to finer steel wool with compound. Last step was compound applied with cloth. After you do one you will get a feel for what grits to start/end with. I used ordinary white auto polishing compound, Dupont I think. Buff clean with terry cloth after each compound step.

The oven cleaner should take off the annodized coating. Instead of sandpaper I would get the proper black emery polishing compounds (they go down to 80 grit) and then go to town with a high speed electric drill.

Jim,

Your car looks great! What size Fuchs are those?

pete

You can also still get the "fuch black" rattle can paint from Porsche. At least you could about a year ago. I think I still have the empty can around somewhere?

Wurth makes the "proper" color in a rattle can...but Krylon satin black works....

at 8 hours a wheel id go polished paddles and lips... black webbing....

i hate the black center look....

Gray car is a six I once owned. Now belongs to Ohio member J. Fort.
Wheels are 7x16 with 205/45x16 tires. Great combo. Requires rolling the rear lip and with that car, pulling one fender a bit. I don't think the fender pulling would be required on most cars.

If you really want them to shine, I would sand up through 1500 grit.

It will depend on how bad the wheels are. I got about that same look with just white and red polishing compounds, no sandpaper at all. Less than half hour a wheel, but there was no curb rash.

Nver use steel wool on aluminum, the tiny steel particles that get stuck in the aluminum rust and cause it to turn yellowish....

Photo 6x16 polished

Jeff

On the car!

Jeff

Okay, I sanded up to 1000 Grit.. Looks good

I going out to get the polishing compound and the mothers polish.

Should I put on the polishing compound by hand or will a polishing wheel attached my my drill work?

I planned on using the wheel with the mothers but wasn't sure aboout the polishing compound?

Cheers

Hey, didn't JP post a picture of his home made polishing rig? Looked sort of like a potters wheel for shaping clay. Being able to spin the wheel would really ease the polishing work it seems. But how can you do that safely?