What's the original finish on phone dials?

scottewid · 08-03-2001, 08:03 AM

They're alloy, so is it the actual alloy metal color you see through a clear coat, or is it originally painted silver over the alloy.

I've seen totally trashed dials that look almost flat pastel yellow and was wondering if it's just a clearcoat getting opaque. If that's the case, I'd imagine it's easy to get the clearcoat off and reveal the original silver color? One of my dials is turning a faint pasty yellow in spots.

fty · 08-03-2001, 08:36 AM

I painted silver on top of a white primer....a couple spots on mine are wearing through..I think the yellowish tint is the clearcoat on top of the silver...to removce this get some good rim cleaner...(sometimes whitewall cleaner works good too) best of luck-chris

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"Faster,Than,You"
"Wish I had a 951....."
"Ive tried so hard and got so far but in the end it doesnt even matter"
http://www.members.aol.com:/fty9999/944land/944land.htm

fty · 08-03-2001, 08:38 AM

sorry its not "I" but ITS.....they come stock with silver paint on top of white primer...

------------------
"Faster,Than,You"
"Wish I had a 951....."
"Ive tried so hard and got so far but in the end it doesnt even matter"
http://www.members.aol.com:/fty9999/944land/944land.htm

ae1969 · 08-03-2001, 08:39 AM

they are actually painted alloys (painted only on the face as far as I could tell)......

..some mild sand-blasting.....repaint...clear coat....and they look sharp...... the clear coat starts to yellow....and the alloy part inside and back side of the wheel tarnishes over time.....

YOu may be able to strip the wheels...but I went the sand blasting route....

ALex

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86' 944
79' 924 (R.I.P)

daly944 · 08-03-2001, 08:46 AM

when I get my car back, about 2 weeks, I'm going to strip the paint. Then I'm using a smoothing/buffing kit I got from eastwood products. I'm gonna polish em real shiny then clear coat em, no paint. I'll post some pics. Also, i wanna paint my brake calipers red, anyone who has done this, what is needed, how long does it take, and what parts should i not paint? Thanks.

kingjp914 · 08-03-2001, 08:48 AM

I think they are just clear-coated alloy. The PO of my 951, who I know personally, didn't do anything to the wheels over the years and you can see where the brake dust has corroded through the clearcoat leaving just alloy beneath it. I need to get them refinished.

08-03-2001, 08:58 AM

to remove the clear coating, use oven cleaner or one of the "white-wall" tire cleaners. Rinse everything really good when done and wear some gloves and be extra carefull to not get ANY on the car paint. After removal of paint and clear coating, you can paint again or polish. Some have been painting the phone dials a body color like black etc but no photos yet.

painting the calipers. the stock, na calipers look really lame when painted red. helps to identify that you DONT have the big brakes.

Rob-O · 08-03-2001, 05:15 PM

They're definitely painted silver with a clearcoat over them. You can look up the actual paint code at a paint supply store.

As far as polishing, and then clearcoating, that's not always a great idea. Clearcoating over aluminum can make the claecoat react and turn yellow. This doesn't always happen, but with some paints it can. Also, clearcoats aren't really all that clear. They have UV stabilizers in them to help cancel out the suns rays. These stabilizers are usually (you guessed it) yellow in color. When you open a can of clear, it usually looks pretty yellow. Of course you're not applying this stuff really thick, so the effect is muted quite a bit.

Let us know how yours come out!

Dave951M · 08-04-2001, 11:00 AM

I just got through refinishing mine. The original primer is a very pale grey color with a silver paint. Mine were repainted by a previous owner one time over the original coat. To refinish them, I used aircraft grade paint stripper, it's available at any automotive paint supplier and looks like a runny butterscotch pudding. Apply according to the directions, I made 4 passes to get mine where I wanted them. To clear up some nicks and small scratches, I lightly sanded and then glass beaded them. IF YOU SANDBLAST- use a very fine grade media on a low pressure. Sandblasting can eat up and pit alloy wheels before you realize you've done it and the damage may not show up until you repaint. It will look like smooth pits or depressions in the wheel surface. For primer- use metal etching primer. The paint I shot mine with was a DuPont acrylic enamel formulated for alloy wheels. Total cost for me including all materials was about $125. They are not clearcoated and never will be while I own the car since I don't want to deal with the effects of brake dust on clear coat. The paint I used has a flattening agent mixed in and is between an eggshell and gloss. Hard to describe but the motorheads where I work all like it. Good luck, just remember that paint can be changed, if you damage the alloy, that's forever.

Dave951M

ae1969 · 08-04-2001, 06:32 PM

.....yes......second that....

I mentioned in my previous post...Sandblasting...(I actually used beads).....I tend to use the term for everything I blast....but yes....the alloys will pit if you use a course material.......bad thing...

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86' 944
79' 924 (R.I.P)

scottewid · 08-04-2001, 07:05 PM

Ok, so if I undestand this correctly:

-they're painted silver over the alloy at the factory

-then there's a clearcoat applied over the silver paint at the factory

Is this right? If so, I guess the yellowing I'm seeing is the factory clearcoat?

So I can take paint remover and get the clear and silver off and repaint? I don't have access to blasting (glass beading) equip.

thanks for the input!

PrerYDoG · 08-05-2001, 08:32 AM

i am in the process of redoing mine (as we speak actually), and let me give you some tips:

1. If you don't use Aircraft paint remover (I'm using the kind in an aerosaul bottle) then you're wasting time. I've tried 5 paint removers, and this stuff is the only one getting the paint off of these wheels.

2. Don't sand blast, it'll screw up the wheels.

3. If using Aircraft stripper, WEAR GLOVES, EYE PROTECTANT and PANTS, and if it's not too hot, a long sleeve shirt. That crap has burned thru my skin, and HURTS LIKE HELL.

4. Test out the color paint you want on the inside of your wheels, I've tried 3 different silvers, I think I've got the right one now.

5. Prepare to spend a lot of time on it!

Mark