# Alloy wheel blinging.



## fangio (Nov 1, 2005)

Has anyone ever been so foolish as I to polish a set of alloy wheels to 'really' shiney condition? i.e. bare metal polish. I'm halfway there ... down to 1500 grade wet and dry, but I need some help on the final leg. I ended up just using normal metal polish and elbow grease last time, but it wasn't the finish I was hoping for.

I have a friend in the spray business who will coat them with some top quality lacquer when completed, as I don't fancy polishing them every week.

Anyone?

Cheers in advance.


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## donnyboy (Oct 27, 2005)

You could try to get a hold of some polishing 'mops' and 'soaps' from your local car/motorbike spares shop or try online for them.

My brother has polished up loads of car and motorbike parts in his time to a mirror like shine.

He got them from a place he used to work and they fit into a normal drill.


I'll see if I can find any links for you.


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## Alex L (Oct 25, 2005)

i cant remember what site it was on but Mothers make a "power ball" attachment for drill.

another one is www.adamspolishes.com theres a little video of him restoring some alloys


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## Alex L (Oct 25, 2005)

here it is
http://www.adamspolishes.com/videos/metal_aluminum_wheel_polish.cfm

heres the mothers one and theres a little video
http://www.autogeek.net/mo5140.html


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## donnyboy (Oct 27, 2005)

http://www.diytools.co.uk/diy/Main/Category.asp?iCategoryID=3986

This is the stuff I'm talking about.


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## Rich (Oct 26, 2005)

Yeah some mops and compound for a drill will take alot of the effort out and get a better shine.

These guys sell some usefull kit

www.frost.co.uk

With regards to getting them laquered after make sure the bodyshop has the right laquer, as normal stuff will not take to the polishing.


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## fangio (Nov 1, 2005)

Wow! So quick the replies. 

Thanks guys.

This site is gonna go far.


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

what are the alloys ?, i.e brand ,open spokes etc


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## fangio (Nov 1, 2005)

182, they are the std 1.9 GTi Italian made Speedlines.

Thanks to the links from people I found the 'key' word I needed for a search, which was FINISHING and not POLISHING, which is what I'd been searching on to no vail, but have now found lots of stuff.

A good site washttp://thepolishingshop.co.uk/
This is the first time I've tried to make a hyperlink - I hope it works.

Apparently you use bars of wax with different grades of grit in them from 60g right down to whatever finish (that word) you require; i.e. just 'bright' or right down to 'mirror'.
The application is via 'mops' of again differing qualities, which attach to any drill by an arbor.
The grades of wax bars go down to 'Jewellers Rouge' (pink or white) which jewellers use to shine up precious metals.

They sell kits as well as spares and seem reasonablly priced.

Well worth a look.

Can't wait to get my order back.


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## donnyboy (Oct 27, 2005)

fangio said:


> 182, they are the std 1.9 GTi Italian made Speedlines.
> 
> Thanks to the links from people I found the 'key' word I needed for a search, which was FINISHING and not POLISHING, which is what I'd been searching on to no vail, but have now found lots of stuff.
> 
> ...


Thats exactly the stuff I was talking about. People call them mops and soaps.

The prices look good there too.


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## Throbbe (Oct 27, 2005)

I'm a big fan of the Belgom Alu they sell. My rims are unlacquered and it does a good job keeping them protected.


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## charliecroker (Oct 26, 2005)

when youve finished try and get some before and after pics up...i love polished alloys


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## AndyC (Oct 25, 2005)

Sounds distinctly like another Pug owner to me - welcome mate!

I polished the centres of my 1.6 Speedlines using an old rotary, AG Paint Renovator, Poorboys SSR3 & AG Metal Polish - close to a mirror shine then cleaned with white spirit and laquered twice - seem to be holding up OK.

I'd use the polishing soap bars myself. I watched a programme recently on something like Discovery and a bloke was polishing ally using this gear - stunning finish you could shave in!


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## Super Josh (Oct 31, 2005)

I have some Diamond Cut 1.9 Speedlines fitted to my car and whilst they look great, the lacquer isn't very robust because you obviously can't use an etch primer beneath them or you wouldn't be able to see your nice shiny alloys  
The lacquer on them is known to lift at the slightest oportunity and would be even worse on really polished alloys because it wouldn't have anything to 'key' to, which it acheives to a slight extent on the diamond cut rims because of the little troughs left by tool when they are turned. I shall be removing mine for the winter and fitting my standard alloys back on.
I would be tempted not to lacquer highly polished alloys and just take the time to buff them by hand once every couple of weeks, as part of your normal detailing routine.


Josh
PS
I have some 6" mops fitted to a 400W Bench Grinder and that brings up alloy engine parts a treat


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## extreme-detail (Nov 7, 2005)

well yrs ago i had a set of bbs split rims and i polished the outer lip i was so happy with the job i went on with all the engine bay WOW

i got my kit from frost top kits


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## fangio (Nov 1, 2005)

*!st wheel finished!*

I have finished my 1st attempt at wheel polishing with the 'soaps' and mops and am quite pleased with the result. Only 4 to go.

















Took a while to do the 1st but like everything else, well almost, should be quicker on the next one.


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## donnyboy (Oct 27, 2005)

Pics not working mate.

Did you copy and paste the link from photobucket ok??


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## Super Josh (Oct 31, 2005)

Wow they look fantastic, Can't beat the shine of polished alloy  How long did they take you? and which soaps did you use?

Here's some updated links....

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d133/fangio0_7/DSCN2255.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d133/fangio0_7/DSCN2258.jpg

Josh


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## donnyboy (Oct 27, 2005)

FC#K ME!! 

They look outstanding mate!! Excellent work!!


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## Suasexed (Oct 25, 2005)

Wow, they're pretty incredible!!


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## fangio (Nov 1, 2005)

It's quite scary really how long they take - anybody with any sense wouldn't do it. I think I'm truly obsessive.

I'd say easily 10 hours per wheel, which is insane. It's only down to the fact of the casting surface. If you had a reasonably flat surface to start with one could halve that.

Here's my regime; 

1) Nitromors auto stripper 
2) Wire brush off with drill
3) 80 grit 2 inch flap wheel to get rid of 'orange peel' casting marks
4) Then it's by hand with 120/240/600/800/1200/1500 wet and dry

This is where I had to stop before and polish with 'Peek' and yellow dusters.

Now I have an 'arbor' (pointy conical drill bit with a thread) which one attaches mops of different grade scratchiness i.e. sisal, white or coloured, calico B or G.
The 'soaps' are 'green' with the white mop and then 'blue' with the calico mop.

One can also use 'felts' and 'dolly mops' for hard to get at places.

Then it's polish and wax, or lacquer.

I'm going to see how much trouble they are unlacquered first and then maybe lacquer. I might just keep them for the summer months as I have two spare sets.

I have just ordered some 'grey' supercut 40, as it's called and a sisal mop to try and cut down on some of the later stages of handwork wet and dry - I've got arms like popeye now.


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## Throbbe (Oct 27, 2005)

Great results! Having polished an alternator a couple of years back I know just how mind numbing it is!


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## charliecroker (Oct 26, 2005)

they look stunning mate!!!


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## donnyboy (Oct 27, 2005)

fangio said:


> It's quite scary really how long they take - anybody with any sense wouldn't do it. I think I'm truly obsessive.
> 
> I'd say easily 10 hours per wheel, which is insane. It's only down to the fact of the casting surface. If you had a reasonably flat surface to start with one could halve that.
> 
> ...


Sounds like alot of work but it has paid off! 

BTW.....(see above ) are you very posh??!! haha


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## fangio (Nov 1, 2005)

Thanks for the comments guys. So you reckon they'll look okay? I wasn't 100 % sure if they'd be a bit OTT.
The problem I have now is the centre caps. I've tried spraying them with chrome paint but it doesn't quite cut it for me. Are there such things as ally centre caps?

Cheers. Paul.


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## donnyboy (Oct 27, 2005)

You could try an engineering company or something and see if they can make you up a polished disk to put in place. The could use an old cap for size.

You might need to glue them on though?


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## fangio (Nov 1, 2005)

What is one implying? One was just using the correct form of the Queen's English. If one has a problem with that, then it is one's problem one never paid attention during English lessons.

No I'm not posh. But one has standards to maintain, doesn't one.


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## donnyboy (Oct 27, 2005)

fangio said:


> What is one implying? One was just using the correct form of the Queen's English. If one has a problem with that, then it is one's problem one never paid attention during English lessons.
> 
> No I'm not posh. But one has standards to maintain, doesn't one.


ha ha excellent!! I grinning away here!!


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## Mike172cup (Nov 30, 2005)

Looks amazing mate. I really love that look on certain alloys.

I have a spare couple of speedline turnies for my 172 Cup and I really had the notion to try this on one of them to see what it would look like (think it would be pretty unique)... but looking at the effort you put in I'm not so sure I'll be bothering now


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## myxa (Jan 16, 2006)

fangio said:


> Has anyone ever been so foolish as I to polish a set of alloy wheels to 'really' shiney condition? i.e. bare metal polish. I'm halfway there ... down to 1500 grade wet and dry, but I need some help on the final leg. I ended up just using normal metal polish and elbow grease last time, but it wasn't the finish I was hoping for.
> 
> I have a friend in the spray business who will coat them with some top quality lacquer when completed, as I don't fancy polishing them every week.
> 
> ...


How about this for polishing.
this is a 6 inch ineer rim of a bbs splitrim, in progress.Complete wheel will be done, expected time for all 4 is 200 hours.
















centre nut.
And my show set of bbs rs's last year








What do you all think


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## Throbbe (Oct 27, 2005)

myxa said:


> What do you all think


I think I should get you to do my OZ's. 

What does the rest of the car look like?


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## myxa (Jan 16, 2006)




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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

cool motor, seen it in the flesh, myxa is that 2nd to last picture taken in newark, just near the bend in town ??


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## myxa (Jan 16, 2006)

182_blue said:


> cool motor, seen it in the flesh, myxa is that 2nd to last picture taken in newark, just near the bend in town ??


Yes it is you must know the area well


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

lol, how good am i , i have a keen eye for detail LOL


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## myxa (Jan 16, 2006)

*project polo gti*

Your project polo gti wheels pic's are coming


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

ahh cool, hurry


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## myxa (Jan 16, 2006)

182_blue said:


> ahh cool, hurry


pic's sent to you


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## Alex L (Oct 25, 2005)

what about us


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

check the polo link


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## myxa (Jan 16, 2006)

*Polo gti split rims. now done*









All done and ready, just needto clean the tyres up.
Wheels were totaly stripped, blasted, the outer rims polished, centres were powder coated in a chrome/silver then lacquered. bolts polished,Rebuilt 
What do you all think
Thank you Mark


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## myxa (Jan 16, 2006)

this is how they started
















Can you see the difference lol 
Mark


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## myxa (Jan 16, 2006)




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## Brazo (Oct 27, 2005)

WOW!

Quality job mate


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## myxa (Jan 16, 2006)

thank you. i do try to do my best. just waiting for some better weather,so i can get detailing my golf, for the show season.
Mark


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## Mattieuk (Oct 26, 2005)

They are mint Myxa.....top skills dude


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