Restoring 80 Series Wheels

[cruiserdan]

Found one. Not my photo or my wheel but a good view. Also a nasty wheel. Does a wheel in this condition look doable with this process?

 

[musthave]

Found one. Not my photo or my wheel but a good view. Also a nasty wheel. Does a wheel in this condition look doable with this process?

View attachment 3227674

Absolutely, I don't see any issues getting that back to new. I've started with much worse. Straightforward.

 

[cruiserdan]

How about the inserts? Looks to be no problem?

 

[musthave]

The inserts won't pose any problems.

 

[Pascoscout]

Very nice work. Great to have this as an option for people to restore the factory wheels. I just sanded mine, they came out ok but nothing like your results. I've already scraped them up on rocks though.

 

[davedave]

These look incredible. Nice work!

 

[emanting]

Please post a pic of the LX wheels once you complete them. I am interested as well.

 

[musthave]

Please post a pic of the LX wheels once you complete them. I am interested as well.

The LX 450 wheels will be easy. Unfortunately I don't have one. If someone is interested in getting them done, I'm absolutely certain that they would come out just as beautiful.

 

[BILT4ME]

Thank you. Yea, the sandblasting of the inside and pockets was a big part but the vibrating flat lap really worked magic on them.

I'm trying to get my head around the vibrating lap thing and how that cleaned up the pockets and not just the front surface of the wheel.

How does it do the pockets?

You're talking about one of these?

 

[Pierce]

@musthave any possibility you’ll be willing/able to restore the 40th/CE wheels with the darker window?

 

[musthave]

I'm trying to get my head around the vibrating lap thing and how that cleaned up the pockets and not just the front surface of the wheel.

How does it do the pockets?

You're talking about one of these?

I took a Covington one that is similar, but larger. I made the sides so that they went up about 22 inches. Then I put a bigger motor on it. Filled it with water and various grits over time. That's the magic.

 

[musthave]

@musthave any possibility you’ll be willing/able to restore the 40th/CE wheels with the darker window?

I can restore them without any issue. I believe the inserts of the 40th/CE are painted a specific color. If you know that color, I should be able to match it pretty closely.

 

[cruiserdan]

I can restore them without any issue. I believe the inserts of the 40th/CE are painted a specific color. If you know that color, I should be able to match it pretty closely.

Unfortunately there is no published code for the pocket accent paint. It is roughly the same color as the body side moulding center section. Someone with access to a paint camera could find something very close I suspect.

 

[cruiserdan]

Duplicolor silver wheel paint is very close to the original color on the hub caps. I have used that to refinish caps in the past. Their graphite might work in the pockets.

Wheel Coating – Duplicolor

Detailed Product Information for Dupli-Color® Wheel Coating: get full product description and specifications, check out How-To Videos (as applicable) and see how other automotive enthusiasts have used Wheel Coating on their vehicles

www.duplicolor.com

 

[jpoole]

See my post below for a paint that I found to be very close to the original CE / 40th insert color: Duplicolor BTY1619 Magnetic Gray Metallic (1G3)

What Did You Do with Your 80 This Weekend?

@69 Pigboy what would an OME set up like this cost?

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[cruiserdan]

See my post below for a paint that I found to be very close to the original CE / 40th insert color: Duplicolor BTY1619 Magnetic Gray Metallic (1G3)

What Did You Do with Your 80 This Weekend?

@69 Pigboy what would an OME set up like this cost?

forum.ih8mud.com

Ya gotta love this place. It sure saves a lot of fiddling around. Unless you get trapped in a 75 page thread....

 

[musthave]

See my post below for a paint that I found to be very close to the original CE / 40th insert color: Duplicolor BTY1619 Magnetic Gray Metallic (1G3)

What Did You Do with Your 80 This Weekend?

@69 Pigboy what would an OME set up like this cost?

forum.ih8mud.com

Perfect. Thank you. Yes, I could match that with a powder color. So if you've got 40th or CE wheels I can do them as well.

 

[musthave]

Quite a few have asked on pricing. No lie, it's 5 hours of labor from start to finish, and 14 hours of time. I don't take shortcuts anymore. Restoring your wheels will set you back $275 a wheel. I don't think anyone has ever done it like this, if they did they quit because it takes so long. I'm patient. Time is on my side for now.

 

[Pierce]

Thank you! Wheel restoration has been on my list a long time. Knowing that you are working to keep the factory rainbow effect and originality is really neat.

Perfect. Thank you. Yes, I could match that with a powder color. So if you've got 40th or CE wheels I can do them as well.

 

[musthave]

Thank you! Wheel restoration has been on my list a long time. Knowing that you are working to keep the factory rainbow effect and originality is really neat.

You're welcome. I've enjoyed the process. It's been a learning experience, a good one though.