OK, This question is in reference to my Prelude project, but if I can get it out of the shop the teener will get more attention.

Last week I pulled off the wheels and had the tires taken off. The clearcoat has chipped and just looked dirty nomatter how it was washed. I used a chemical stripper and now they are just metal.

I like the look, but am I just asking for trouble if I don't clearcoat them again?

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The clearcoat just makes them last longer with a shiny finish. Now that you removed it, they will get dull after a few months. You can sand down the faces of the spokes with 800-1200 and then 1600. I'd leave the sides alone or paint them silver since they have a grainy finish to them. The you could just pass some mothers over the spokes from time to time...

There are several things you can do. You can clear powder coat them, anodize them or polish the tops of the spokes and touch them up once in awhile, however, I would not paint a clear coat on them as you will be facing the same problem sooner than you would like. If you wash your wheels as you do the rest of the car any of the options would last well. Al.

Even if you powdercoat them clear, they will eventually oxidize under the clearcoat. Have you considered powdercoating them a color or a metal color then clear powdercoating?

Once you have your wheels how you want them my experience has been that clearcoat works well to keep them that way. We have a very harsh environment for cars (lots of salt in the winter) where I live and I have had wheels polished up nice and then clearcoated and it has lasted quite well.

Ian Stott
Moncton
Canada

If you do not mind polishing them regularly, they will look great as bare metal. I had my 911's Fuchs stripped and the rims polished with the center painted. I found I was polishing them (with Mother's) every time I washed the car. You could go a bit longer.

Otherwise there are several reasonable solutions offered.