Fuchs polishing question...

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Don't know if this photo will appear, but I'm thinking - just thinking - about going with shiny Fuchs wheels. I have always wanted chrome trim rings and I'm about to install chrome H4's. So I'm wondering if I can make my Fuchs turn from black to chrome. I don't know what type of surface is on my black Fuchs wheels. They look sort of dull matte black. Can I polish the raised fins on them to chrome with aircraft polish? Or is that just black carbon steel that will not change colors? Thanks.

Jim T · 10-21-2002, 07:47 AM

The entire wheel is forged aluminium and the black is just paint.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Jim T
The entire wheel is forged aluminium and the black is just paint.

Thanks. That sounds to me like it would be possible to just polish off the paint on the raised fins and get a chrome look. Anyone else try this?

Jim T · 10-21-2002, 07:58 AM

Lots of people have polished up the wheels. If you polish long and hard enough, you will have them looking like chrome. For a while. They will eventually (over a couple of months) fade back to a dullish finish.

If you want chrome or polished with a black background, the way to do it is to strip the paint and the anodizing and polish the whole wheel. Then carefully mask the paddles and paint the background.

Chrome plating is a way to have a finish that can last - but at the risk of damaging the wheel - it can make them susceptible to cracking.

Do a search on this site, there are a ton of posts on "polishing + Fuchs."

FlaCarrera · 10-21-2002, 01:44 PM

Richard,
personal opinion only...stay w/black centers especially with a black car. To me it gives an overall "more purposefull" look.
Cheers
Ted in So Fla
86 Carrera Blk/Blk

Joe911 · 10-21-2002, 02:07 PM

I started to polish the centers on my Carrera. Too much time - resprayed them black. I would estimate 6-8 hours per wheel if done by hand. Must be a better way!

Halm · 10-21-2002, 02:16 PM

I tend to agree with FlaCarrera. Any black Carrera looks great with black centered Fuchs, IMHO, of course. That said, polishing the current bare metal to a nice shine would look great too.

Just my 2 cents worth. . .

89911 · 10-21-2002, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jim T
Lots of people have polished up the wheels. If you polish long and hard enough, you will have them looking like chrome. For a while. They will eventually (over a couple of months) fade back to a dullish finish.

."

Totally false. Maybe it is reasoning by some who don't want to go with the polishing pain, but it is worth it in the end. I have polished rims on my car for 4 years and they need no more maintenance then your painted finish. Once or twice a year with some Mothers or like polish and your done. The forged aluminum is so hard, (You'll find out when you start polishing them!) that is keep's it's finish. Other points: Doing the center parts is much much more difficult then the outer rims, (I've done four). It also may give you too much flash then you may want, (ala Miami Vice). I think just doing the petals is a nice option for added shine and the flat surface is much easier then the inner corners. Shown is my friends 914-6 with a 3.2 transplant.

PORSHIN · 10-21-2002, 03:05 PM

Hey Richard,
You have seen my wheels. They were black like yours. I stripped the paint off and took them to a professional metal finishing shop to have them polished. The guy at the shop quoted me a price of 320.00 to polish them. When I picked them up, he was cussing those wheels. He said the anodized finish on them was next to impossible to remove and if he ever did another set, he wouldn't do them for twice that price. But if you remember them, they shine like chrome!
Rob

Don Wohlfarth · 10-21-2002, 03:19 PM

Richard, I know you're a DIY'er, but that job is a PITA.

Ye Olde Wheel Shoppe in Jessup MD can polish the wheels for less than $100 a wheel. I bought some 8 & 9 X 16's at Hershey a couple years ago and they had some road rash so I had them redone. Job turned out to be 9. Wheels are on race car so they are fine. Also had a set of wheels on street car polished by Weidmans Wheels in CA about 10 years ago and job was a 10+ and price was about $125 plus freight. Well worth the money.
If you insist on DIY, I have the Eastwood wheel polishing motor with the 5' flexible shaft and a couple of buffs you may borrow.
Plan on minimum 8-10 hrs per wheel.
Street car is mostly a garage queen and I still spend 30-45 min per wheel at least once a year. Fair price if you want that "look".
Would not recommend chrome because of chance of wheel cracking. If you get a little curb rash you can't fix it.