Scotch Brite on polished fuchs results...

[Randy W]

Bob, your car looks great - just what it needed.

[Wavey]

Bob - I am really impressed with the perfect, consistent finish you achieved. We have to produce visually perfect finishes in my shop every day and we could not have done any better. I bow before your greatness.

One question - did you spin the wheels to do the finish on the rims? You have a built-in jig by leaving them on the on the car. You can either mount them on the back and let the drive train spin them, ot mount them on the front and hand spin them. That's a trick the old pinstripers used to use - spin the wheel, then just touch the brush anywhere on the wheel for a fast, perfect pinstripe.

[K. Roman]

Please explain for us one more time in great detail. Minimum of five-hundred words.

[Jays72T]

Looks great Bob, nice job.

[kenikh]

One worry with steel wool on aluminum: the steel hairs get embedded in the aluminum. I'd keep an eye out for rust just in case this happened.

[bob tilton]

Thanks guys.

Kenik - I used the flat synthetic pads (like the green side of a kitchen sponge - sorry I don't know how to explain it better) instead of the "dust bunny" steel wool. So hopefully I should be okay. I suspect you're correct that this finish will be more susceptible to the elements but I'm fine with that. I work cheap and should have some left over scotch brite pads .

Wavey - It helps to be a bit...anal. I opted to take the grain from the center out instead of a "spun" finish. This was based it being easier to do with the inside of the petals. I did one petal as you described but didn't like it but that's just me.

I am extremely tempted to scotch brite all the bightwork/trim on the car for that brushed finish.

[sushinav]

Bob, looks superb. I've been thinking about doing this for a year to my Al Reed polished wheels, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Just a thought, if you left the edge of the rim polished, you would be even closer to the RSR finish.

I really admire your efforts to create such a superb car yet explore budget ideas and techniques. A man after my own heart and wallet.

[aircool]

Bob, did you apply any type of clear coat for protection?

Also, just a thought, before anyone with "polished" rims decides to go "brushed look", maybe see if another pelicaner might want to trade their painted for the polished + $. Just a thought. That way you preserve polished one. I personally prefer the brushed look.


great job Bob,

aircool

[bob tilton]

sushinav - I was in pursuit of a faux RSR finish and even painted some swatches with different grays and silvers. I have yet to compare the swatches to an actual Harvey RSR finish. Based on pictures and my swatches I think VHT 104 will be a close match. Also, if I were to pursue the faux RSR finish I would leave the outer lip scuffed because this is how it appears on my friend's deep 6.
Also I figured if I didn't like the brushed look I could polish it back out (400, 600, 1000, 1200, mother's mag polish) after experimenting with one petal. There have been a half dozen occassions where I had to touch up the polished wheels due to scratches or cat piss.

aircool - Your suggestion makes perfect sense. I thought about trading/selling my wheels and starting with a different set. Afterall, I did ruin a perfectly good set of polished wheels. However with my existing set I knew them to be true, straight, curb rash free, with mounted tires that were balanced and it literally cost me $7.48. When Chris told me how to do it I immediately went out to the garage and experimented - I am very impatient like that .

Any one have thoughts on a nice flat clear for protection? I have Wurth and VHT in the garage that claim to be satin or flat and well...they're not. Wavey?

[Wil Ferch]

Bob:
Is VHT 104 an enamel or lacquer?...I'm trying to tie this back into the thread I started a long time ago that was again brought up here...the "economy" RSR finish post. Is there a web link to VHT 104?

Wil

[Wavey]

Bob, I think I mentioned this on a previous thread when you were considering refinishing your wheels. We use a ton of Krylon spray paints in our shop for painting small pieces, like brackets or other hardware, and even for a finish coat on smaller sign panels. I love their satin black (every bit as good as Wurths, and quite a bit cheaper). Their clears are also excellent, and they have a great satin clear. If you really want to clear coat them I would recommend that. But if you have Wurth's on hand you might as well use that.

Of course the best thing would be a good automotive clear with a flattening agent added, but you'd have to have spray equipment on hand.

The problem with clears is that they are eventually going to need some chip touchups. Have you considered just waxing the wheels? I would think that would be a lot easier to keep up with, plus you wouldn't have to do any masking. Not sure why the Vaseline is so popular - I've never used it but it seems like wax would be more durable.

BTW, my question about spinning the wheels was only in reference to the rims, not the spokes.

I had been considering sending my wheels back to Al to get them refinished again with the rims anodized (the polish is a little too much, plus it's a lot to keep up with), but I think I may do the same thing you did (rims onle, with satin black spookes).

[KNS]

I did this about six months ago with the "green side of the kitchen sponge". I was amazed with the results! I looked all over for the right 'grit' that wouldn't scratch and finally grabbed an old used up kitchen sponge off the sink.

I must say though Bob, yours looks stunning. I have been wondering about the best way to protect the exposed finish. Wax sounds like a good idea.

[david.avery]

Wow, looks great!

I hereby award you the "big balls" award for attacking such a nice set of wheels. It worked out great though!

[Paulporsche]

Wheels look great!

Since the buffing was done on previously polished wheels, does that mean that the anodizing has already been buffed off? In other words, did you buff the aluminum rather than tha anodizing? Would this work on the anodizing?

[bob tilton]

Wil - the VHT paint contains the following info: Very High Temp 1300-2000F Header Paint Silica Ceramic Coating. On the back it says "chemical resistant" but has a lengthy process of heating cooling reheating. I was told at the body shop supply store that all rattle can paints are laquer based yet all the home improvement stores of enamel based rattle can paint. Maybe he meant all the paints in his shop.

Wavey - good to know about the clears. I think I am going to keep it raw based on your comments. Sorry I misunderstood you about the petal vs lip reference.

KNS - I know I have about this scotch brite approach but never saw the results. Then Chris uploaded his beautiful ST replica and mentioned the technique. I PM'd him with some follow up questions then experimented. Post some pics of your wheels.

David - that is some funny arse ****! What makes it even more funny to me is the resemblance to my wife.

Paul - correct, this was a bare metal finish before starting. I have heard that if you start with an anodized wheel the result is more of a "pumice" look. I could not do this to a good set of anodized wheels.

[kilodawg]

Okay Bob You have convinced me to update the look of my wheels AGAIN!

I don't mean to be a pest but since you started this whole thing and planned out my next weekend for me, can you PLEASE be specific on the Norton products you used. When I search the Home Dept and Norton websites I seem to come up a little short.

I see on the Home Depot site different sanding sponges for drywall and the like but nothing that really resembles Scotch-Brite pads. On the Norton site there is an overview picture that in it has something that looks like Scotch-Brite pads but I can't find any more info on it.

If I'm going to do this I want to be sure I have what you used so I can get as close to that great finish as possible.

One last thing, since it was asked a couple of times and I didn't catch a direct answer. Did you spin the rims to actually apply the finish to the rim area? Assume so just checking.

[bob tilton]

kilodawg - ck out the pic for products. No need to spin the wheels. Post the results if you would please.
Note in this pic you can see the fine grain.

[acapella8]

Thanks for posting pic of tools used -- great inspiration to us all.

[kilodawg]

Many thanks Bob,

Hopefully the Home Depot's on this coast will carry the stuff. I'm really struggling on what to do. Currently the finish looks like this:





I just think it's too much bling. I'm thinking of a look more like the wheels on this car:



Where I paint the centers slightly darker to better match the stripe and brush the rims. Any feedback?

I'll probably just try brushing the rims first to see how that looks but there might not be enough of a contrast to be real noticable. I'll keep you posted.

BTW how about some more pics of your car. If only I didn't live in the rust capital of the world...

[bob tilton]

kilodawg - oh man I would have a hard time taking a scotch brite pad to those wheels.