anybody have any experience with powdercoating/painting alloy wheels? I've tried to bring myself to part with money for likely-looking riceie wheels, but I keep coming back to the idea of some boxster 17 x 7s colored black. Can they be powder coated? Paint them? Can someone point me to a source for annodizing?

I asked a few years back about powder coating 4 lug Fuchs. The answers were all over the map. I got a couple of answers that said the heat used to cure the poweder would make the alloy brittle. That may not be true, but I decided better safe than sorry and didn't do it.

While that may be true of the true curing process (440 degree in an oven), If you use a IR heat lamp or propane heater, it may not cause any damage.

I dunno. Still, to this day, I dunno.

Local PowcerCoating shop here will do it.
He says you need to 'outgas' the alloy.
Heat it up real slow so the air in the alloy doesnt cause cracking or make it brittle.
Costs a bunch more because you gotta run the oven longer. I spose it works.
I know where theres a set of 17" Cup wheels and a set of 3 piece A.R.E alloys 7x16" (look like BBS's) sitting a guys garage (next to his 2.7 liter /6 engine on the floor)....he wants to sell, he's just lazy.
Gimme a nudge and I'll look into it.
Robert O

A friend bought some HRE fuchs 17" wheels that were powder coated by HRE. So, if they do it, I think you're ok. But, I'd ask around from the coater if they are familiar with doing wheels or if there is any concern about it first, just so you have some peace of mind with that vendor.

Thankyouverymuch... I talked to a guy that works at Keystone and he...crap! my pager just went off TTFN

Does the powdercoating on the rim come off when you mount the tires? You know how they puuuul the tire over the rim and use that pry bar. I would think it would scrape the coating off.

Paul