Fuchs Repaint and Center Cap Detail Photos

[DDD]

Thanks to this forum (again), after some research I decided to repaint the Fuchs on my SC. I like the black with anodized lip look, and wasn't looking to do anything radical like polishing the whole wheel (looks too much like a Cragar S/S that everyone had on their Camaros and Chevelles in high school IMHO).

Anyway, I followed some instructions from someone else out on this forum, and then followed some different instructions on a cool treatment for the center caps. Hand-painted caps are nice, but I wasn't going to drop $150 on them, and they are a little too "over the top" in my opinion. I was looking for something more subtle (this may be my way of trying rationalize my cheapness).

Anyway, for the repaint, I scrubbed with a scotch brite pad and Simple Green, dried with no-lint shop towels, and then painted about three coats of Rustoleum Satin Black (lots of debate about which black is better -- I came to the conclusion satin was closest to original look, but in hindsight I think I might have preferred a glossier finish). Allowed paint to dry 15 mins between coats. Taped off the lip with electrical tape, which worked really well.

For the center caps, I wet sanded them down with 120 and then 600 grit paper, painted two coats 15 mins apart, then used nail polish remover on a q-tip (squeezed excess polish remove out of the tip) while paint was still somewhat wet and removed paint for the "raised" parts of the center cap crests.

Before and after photos (before is front, back is rear wheel, but they all looked like the front before I started). Nothing too difficult about this -- I encourage people to try it. It was actually easier than I thought. It could all peel off next week though, who knows? Also, I supposed the lugnuts need paint now too, but I have a hard time seeing how those won't look worse after the torque wrench treatment than they do now.

[island911]

Nice






from a while back.. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/81841-how-should-i-refinish-my-rims-post551834.html

[herr_oberst]

That wheel looks great!

And I agree 100% about hand colored center caps,

(but I do like them on the new Sport Classic . . . )

[DDD]

Island 911 -- THAT is a gorgeous car. I don't think your wheel project was quite as easy as mine from the looks of it! Glad I didnt post a photo of my entire car. I like to think my SC is a clean example of a well-cared-for 25-year old car, then I see photos like yours and I am just embarassed. Very nice.

[Looking_for_911]

DDD, Really like what you did on the wheels... especially the centers.
And, Island, your little car's cute, too!

[ToolZero]

Are the original wheels anodized or painted?

[island911]

anodized then painted

Looking_for_911 - thanks Cute is what I was going for.

DDD - thanks. I just wanted to show another example of wheel caps. (w/ the black and 'bright' reversed) I think that either makes the center caps look so much better when the crest pops!

[mickey356]

DDD, awesome job! I need to do this to my car this winter. What did you do to the outer lip? Paint, or just clean them up?

[DDD]

Mickey356: The good (or bad) news on my lip -- I didn't do anything. They've always looked pretty good, and I've been afraid to do anything that would ruin the anodization (I don't really even know what "anodized" means, but I've heard it is tough to get rid of and once you scratch it you pretty much need to remove it all and polish down to bare metal). I've also read that you are supposed to put vaseline on them, but I've never tried or understood that either. I just wash them.

[stormmaster]

I took the easy way out....rustoleum paint and inlaid center caps

[scarceller]

Mine are painted in a 'Gun Metal' finish and I have gotten many compliments on the simplicity of the wheel. The wheel color is a perfect match to the wheel lug nuts, that was what I wanted to achieve.

[Gemballa2006]

What is the best way to shine up the crhome lip, I know its not chrome but I think you guys know what I mean. Thanks. I plan on doing the wheels over the winter

[stormmaster]

I use mothers aluminum polish.....or neverdull wadding....depending on my mood

[Canada Kev]

DDD, try a sharpie for your lug nuts. Better than paint, and when you need to retouch, just touch up again.

[Canada Kev]

Caps look great BTW. Did something similar when I polished mine. Used a bit of black paint in the low areas and polished the rest. Now, the paint has weathered somewhat to a dark grey which looks pretty good on the rest of the polished cap. No pics right now as I am out of town.

[DDD]

Stormmaster: Your lips look polished, not anodized (I write this like I have a clue what the difference is!). Can you use never-dull or mother's on anodized? Like I said above, I'm afraid to use anything on my anodized lips. Your black looks glossy, which I think I like better than the satin I used.

Syzygy -- I was debating wet sanding them down to bare metal to match the center caps, but that is a great idea. Thanks.--DDD

[steve911]

Owners manual says use vaseline on the anodized lips - do a search - I kid you not

[ToolZero]

I know a lot more about guns than cars. Anodizing is a treatment done to aluminum that chemically alters the surface of the aluminum to increase corrosion resistance and wear resistance. Anodizing also helps paint adhere to aluminum.

In the gun world people who DON'T know what they are doing use black Sharpie markers to touch up dings in black anodized aluminum, and it looks bad. People who are in the know use Super Black Touch-Up pens made by Birchwood Casey. They come in Flat black and semi-gloss black. I recommend buying both.

I don't know if this would carry over to touching up wheels, but it might be worth a try. The flat black would probably work well for unpainted black anodized wheels, and the semi-gloss would probably work well for touching up semi-gloss painted wheels.

[stormmaster]

The lips on mine are polished. The centers were painted with semi gloss instead of satin because I like that look better. All the black metal trim on the car was masked off and painted semi gloss as well....time consuming to mask off an entire car and leave just the metal exposed....but I like the result. When I take the car apart for a refinish I will redo all the trim properly while off the car. Assuming of course I don't sell it first before then.

In answer to your other question....no you cannot use metal polish on your anodized lips

[1986911]

+1 on the Mothers polish


Nail polish remover works great on over spray...