My RS rebuild.

[cardoza]

Looks like I actually will be fully refinishing them :D

I think I had the easiest time taking these apart that I've heard of. I didn't have to heat the wheels or anything, just cut the sealant that was on there and pulled them apart with my hands, the faces and lips separated on their own. From there I went ahead and fully cleaned the barrels and lips with some steel wool and just gave the faces a quick was with some quick detailer. Looking into powdercoating services for the face and I'm thinking about a cream color for right now. Look for updates here, and if anyone has any tips feel free to chime in!

When I first got one of the wheels apart.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn117/delsolracer77/eb457090.jpg

All of the wheels apart, waiting to get cleaned.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn117/delsolracer77/1056b316.jpg

Some shots of the wheels and the residue that was left from all of the salt on the Cincinnati roads. Some of the stains on the lips are also from when I first got them.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn117/delsolracer77/db9e610e.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn117/delsolracer77/c8c8626a.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn117/delsolracer77/9b995cd9.jpg

Left one is after some steel wool and some polish, still need to go through and sand them to get them to really shine though.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn117/delsolracer77/775fd551.jpg

This was the coolest part to me though, the bolt on the left was one that I had just taken off of one of the wheels, and the one on the right is after soaking in diet coke for only about six hours. Absolutely amazing how much of a difference it made.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn117/delsolracer77/9037a625.jpg

[Han]

Are you just refinishing them as is with the parts or are you getting new halves/lips, etc?

[cardoza]

Probably going to switch it up to 1.5" lips out back instead of the current .5" lips I have now, all depends on the currency situation when it's time to order them.

[Tuck&Poke]

what car is this going on?

[cardoza]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4207571966_b79ec2ffd0_b.jpg

[Dubmd]

nice!
cant wait to see how they turn out

[00bmw323]

nice build

[SeanDub]

Makes ya think twice about drinkin Coke, eh?

[TheStig]

Makes ya think twice about drinkin Coke, eh?

Yeah, fuck that...


Pepsi FTW!! :D

[Effin' Euro]

you guys drink your coke? damn...

[e.shell]

wow i never thought that diet coke would do that. ill have to give that a try sometime. nice sig btw ;)

[GermanlookT3]

So you used Diet Coke... Is there a difference between regular coke? I always just bought new bolts. Im gonna try the coke thing. Ive got gold plated bolts, would that be bad to do that to them?

[cardoza]

I think most people use regular coke, but diet coke is generally the same thing, just instead of using sugar as the abrasive you're using fake sugar. And the carbonation obviously helps as well.

[kramerbuccs24]

nice! keep us updated, im in the saaaaaame boat as you, i have all the paint stripped off of the centers and everything completely apart. i plan on going silver faces, polished lips and center "nut", gold bolts and red/gold BBS logo. they're 16x7 et24 16x8 et24, ill probably need 5mm spacers to be perfectly flush on my AW11 MR2. here's where i'm at now (bolts just thrown in there)

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff31/kramerbuccs24/1988%20MR2%20Supercharged/0708091639.jpg

[cardoza]

nice! keep us updated, im in the saaaaaame boat as you, i have all the paint stripped off of the centers and everything completely apart. i plan on going silver faces, polished lips and center "nut", gold bolts and red/gold BBS logo. they're 16x7 et24 16x8 et24, ill probably need 5mm spacers to be perfectly flush on my AW11 MR2. here's where i'm at now (bolts just thrown in there)

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff31/kramerbuccs24/1988%20MR2%20Supercharged/0708091639.jpg

How did you strip the paint off of your faces?

[00bmw323]

^^would like to know also

[cardoza]

Anyone had any good luck with certain products removing paint from any mesh style wheel's faces? I'm trying to use steel wool on these but it's a major PITA.

[cardoza]

Woohoooo

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4331467146_2bd8350a9e_b.jpg

[EThirtySicks]

Ballin'.

[cardoza]

Faces and centers got dropped off today, going with a semi-metallic cream. The yellow hue in it is pretty noticeable but I think it will compliment the dark tones of UG pretty well. They'll be back by next Wednesday :)

Also found out that my fenders are irreparable, but the guy doing my wheels is hooking me up. Two new fenders rolled and painted for under 500 bones.

[wheelfetish]

Nice, can't wait to see them done. Refinishing my multi-peice wheels was fun.

[ash7]

I'm taking notes on this thread since i am about to begin my RS rebuild. :)

Keep us all posted!

-jonathan

[cardoza]

Trying to polish my lips but it's not going so well so far. I was trying to avoid using aircraft stripper as I think I am already past the clear, but it's still not looking so hot. I posted this is in the polishing DIY thread, but when sanding for polishing do all of my motions need to be in the same direction? It seemed like I was getting some major imperfections where my hand was changing directions when using 320 grit.

[wheelfetish]

Trying to polish my lips but it's not going so well so far. I was trying to avoid using aircraft stripper as I think I am already past the clear, but it's still not looking so hot. I posted this is in the polishing DIY thread, but when sanding for polishing do all of my motions need to be in the same direction? It seemed like I was getting some major imperfections where my hand was changing directions when using 320 grit.

Use the aircraft stripper. Even if your past the clear, it shouldn't hurt the lip. You'll know as soon as you apply the first coat of stripper if you still have clear on it or not. For the sanding, don't do small circles, go with the rim. I went left, moved back a little, left, moved back a little, left, ect... (if that makes any sense at all haha). Your starting low, so the higher grit you go the more those imperfections will disappear.

[ash7]

I posted this is in the polishing DIY thread, but when sanding for polishing do all of my motions need to be in the same direction? It seemed like I was getting some major imperfections where my hand was changing directions when using 320 grit.

There's your issue.

As stated above me, the higher grit you use, the more they will disappear. If you've done the stages "right" by the time you get around to using 1000 you should begin to notice a slight shine. (more elbow grease = more shine/longevity)

Typically, i step it up gradually to 2000 grit and finish the job with some nice polish. Use an orbital buffer with a new mitt if you have access to one. :)

-jonathan

[cardoza]

Wussup.

http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww3/eddielee1990/P2130873.jpg

To:

http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww3/eddielee1990/P2130872.jpg

[00bmw323]

mmm

[Effin' Euro]

do mine now?
:D