Heavy duty wheel detail

[rottenII]

When I ordered my car I spent the extra for the chrome wheel option. Imagine my disappointment when I got the car and found just the face was chrome and the whole inner barrel was a grey paint. Well, fast forward to a few weeks ago a gentleman on the corvette forum posted a thread showing that the wheels were actually all chromed and that GM had painted over the inner barrels. His thread showed how he stripped the paint and got the wheels looking as they should.
SO....yesterday mornings project involved some aircraft stripper. (a bit more aggressive than anything else in my detail arsenal ) After stripping each wheel (second pic) they received a good polishing with Poorboys chrome polish and then were coated with DP Wheel Coat. I think they look a ton better than the way they came from the factory.


Pat

[tom p.]

WOW, that`s impressive. I bet you really notice that when they`re back on the car!

[Oldfordisbetter]

Yea that sure is a huge improvement, nice work.

[House of Wax]

Wow, huge improvement. Nice job

[rottenII]

Thanks everyone. It was raining by the time I finished yesterday so I`m looking forward to seeing them out in the sun.

[Setec Astronomy]

Not to be Douggie Doubter, and maybe this is the "new" GM, but the "old" GM would never spend the money to add paint over plating, even on a Corvette. Why would they bother doing an extra step to paint over the chrome? Or were they actually figuring that it would improve the overall corrosion resistance on a part of the wheel that would not get as much cleaning as the front (in a non-Autopian world)?

I`m having trouble grasping why they would do that; I have GM high-polish wheels, which were an extra-cost option over the base silver, and they didn`t even bother to clear the barrels when they did the rest of the wheel.

[Ronkh]

Cool

[65chevy]

wow they look great

[rottenII]

Not to be Douggie Doubter, and maybe this is the "new" GM, but the "old" GM would never spend the money to add paint over plating, even on a Corvette. Why would they bother doing an extra step to paint over the chrome? Or were they actually figuring that it would improve the overall corrosion resistance on a part of the wheel that would not get as much cleaning as the front (in a non-Autopian world)?

I`m having trouble grasping why they would do that; I have GM high-polish wheels, which were an extra-cost option over the base silver, and they didn`t even bother to clear the barrels when they did the rest of the wheel.

I`m guessing the same as you that the ave person never cleans the inner barrels on their wheels so the paint is just a protection layer. I know a friend of mine just picked up a `99 C5 with 40k in beautiful shape yet you can see the barrels have not been cleaned since it was new. They looked like they were painted black with the hardened grime and brake dust.

[Bunky]

Wow. I would have thought the wheel had the inside finish as matte on purpose.

[tom p.]

Yeah, I wonder if GM decided that covering the chrome plating on the inner surface would be far more durable in a non-Autopian world....

[Tpr1634]

Does seem odd, they look good.

[Mr.sparkle]

Wheels look absolutely studding!!! Good work!!!! Extremely bright bright work!!!

[Mp0wer]

Wow what a difference...looks awesome !!!

Did the aircraft stripper take it right off ?

[rottenII]

Wow what a difference...looks awesome !!!

Did the aircraft stripper take it right off ?

Thanks. It softened it enough that I could scrape/brush it off with a small brass bristled brush. Went over it twice end then hit the small spots there were left with a clean brush and some lacquer thinner.