ok, got a 81 z28 350 t top. trying to get these wheels to look new again, wanna get the black window and t top trim looking new again as well. should i media blast the wheels, powder coat the centers and polish the face ridges? cars goin in for paint in a few weeks, new tires after that and get the headliner done, along with the package tray and shes good to go. any advice would help. thanks guys oh, paid 1000 for it, no dmv fees, 48k miles (not flipped over) ran fine just needed a radiator, water pump, sending unit and battery to run.

 

I'd take a wheel to the powdercoat place and ask them what to do to prep it. They'll know what's best. I like the idea of powder coating the recesses and polishing the machined surfaces. Not sure how they'd mask that to make it happen though?

 

You would have to powder coat. Then mask the paint and do the polish work. Thats how we did the cooling fins for Indian motorcycles. I polished the heads and jugs back in 2002. I would blast them, then get the ribs down to a 180g. Them coat em. Then back at the with the 180g to get the paint back off. then 320g, polish and buff. If your good you won't even need to mask the paint off.

 

powder coat and polish would be prep the whole wheel, polish the fins, powder coat gray the centers and clear coat the whole thing then bake it. i had some aluminum wheels that i had polished, then had them powder coated clear and they stayed great forever. its a special clear they have thats ment to go over something bare like that and keep it sealed. gonna give my local shop a call and see what hes got to say.

 

any idea on the trim though? windshield, back window and t top trim. flat black was factory, but paint or powder coat would be easier/last longer? im going for as close to factory as possible.

 

Its not flat its more of a semi gloss. I would powder coat when ever possible.

 

thanks for the advice.... friend of mine does powder coating too, ill have to see what hes got on hand.

 

ok, so the local shop said 125 per wheel. said bring em down, he'll prep them. then take them to get the raised area polished then take it back for a gray coat then clear coat. my buddy that does powder coating said bring it down, 50 a wheel to prep and powder coat everything, then id have to have the raised sections polished then clear coat everything. gotta find someone to do the polishing and see if they can polish after powder coating without screwing the rest of the wheels up

 

I would say either is fair price. We would get anywhere from 75-300 per wheel to polish and buff. But that was a whole wheel and a mirror finish.

I would ask to see the guys work first. Don't let him show you in the sunshine either, its an old polishers trick to hide defects.

 

ya, i used to deal with a polisher in oakland. i was a painter/mechanic for motorcycles. i used to tear down a whole sport bike every week or two, have the whole thing polished (and i mean every square inch of everything steel, aluminum ect) and put them back together.