Been cleaning. Happy with result.

Inside

Good golly - what'd you use?!

Nothing other than alloy wheel cleaner. Original condition

Get those balancing weights off of the outside on the top pic, & put them all inside as in the bottom pic. That was a lazy tire guy sticking them on the outside.

They probably need rebalanced by now after however many years it's been since last balanced.

Also, keep in mind with those Mahle "Baby Gasburner" alloys, that it's a painted silver surface on a magnesium alloy wheel. So be very light with any abrasives, & test any product on the inside first.

So you can probably touch-up that blackish scratch/scuff in the top right quadrant with a properly matched silver paint & an airbrush.

That one looks great!
Tom
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These are aluminum alloy, only the "gasburner" 5 bolt was mag.

My brain fart Dave, but they are painted, aren't they?

Or am I just thinking of the Pedrini's & 5-lug Mahles painted silver?

Mine had original aftermarket Rivieras when I bought it from the OO in `75, but it originally had the anodized 2l Fuchs - so that's my zone.

Tom
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Cast aluminum. Many are bent or flat spotted. If yours spin true, you are lucky.
I didn't think they came painted. Most I've seen look very grainy on the surface but I was less than 10 years old when they were new on the road. They look powder coated in the pic but might look different in person.

Any particular product? I've used P21S metal cleaner and not too impressed with results (maybe not agressive enough? works fine on the chrome trim). Mine are alloy Fuchs (all brushed silver, no black) and original, not painted, too.

@StarBear I've used Simichrome polish for years with great results.

Thanks!

When you look at the bare metal at the bolt holes on his 1st pic, vs. the wheel area next to it, it sure looks to me like a painted wheel.

They didn't use PC back then.

I was a senior in HS then in College & after when 914's were new, & I thought that both Mahles (4 & 5 lug) & Pedrini alloy wheels were painted, as were Steelies of course.

IIRC one of the members posted in the O&H Forum's nailed topic on wheels & tires about restoring/repainting a set of 4-lug Mahle 4-bolt wheels.


Tom
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For the exposed polished & anodized wheels only (& chrome, aluminum, SS trim polished brightwork & bumpers) -

Autosol polish is another old school metal polish that works as well as Simichrome IMHO. Mother's alloy wheel polish works well too.

These are only for non-painted wheels, whereas AFAIK the P21S is for the newer clear coated wheels - essentially a painted wheel anyway, so not effective on old school metal brightwork & wheels.

Another trick is to use 0000 (4-aught) brass wool or steel wool lightly & carefully in conjunction with the Simichrome or Autosol etc. - but be careful not to remove the thin anodized coating - otherwise you're into a full wheel polish or resto & re-anodizing at $$$s per wheel & no longer original.

Brass wool is slightly softer & less abrasive than steel wool at a comparable abrasive rating (nothing less than 000 or preferably 0000 should be used on brightwork) - so safer to use.

You don't want to use any abrasives nor steel/brass wool nor brushes on the textured background of the 2L 4-lug Fuchs & similar textured surface wheels, because you'll take off that factory (or restored) duller background treatment. The best thing there is an old toothbrush with non-abrasive wheel cleaner or dish soap (Dawn etc), 409, Windex or similar if necessary - but rinse off 409/etc. immediately after & re-clean with soap or wheel cleaner to remove any 409/etc. remnants.

That also works on brushed finish aluminum wheels, like my `70s Riviera 5-spoke 4-lug wheels from back in the day currently on my 73 914, which are the brushed not polished version.


Tom
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Very much appreciate the wise advice and cautions!