Need input - BBS motorsport wheel refinishing

[skinnerd]

I've got the typical vintage BBS E50 motorsport 3 pc wheels that I'm currently reconfiguring/restoring/etc.

They were gold centers in 16x9 and 16x10 sizes.

I will be reconfiguring to 17x9 (or 9.5) and 17x11 for the hotrod.
Use will be autocrossing and occasional track days.

Wheels are currently disassembled and the centers have been stripped back to bare magnesium via soda blasting (not so cheap, but definitely effective without damaging the surface of the wheel).

I am not going back with the BBS gold color.
Instead am thinking about either something along the lines of Audi titanium satin paint like this:



So there would be some etching epoxy primer going down, then the titanium color with possibly a satin clear coat to keep everything nice to clean.

Or....

What about leaving the bare magnesium finish with just a satin clear coat to protect the metal?
I think it would look very industrial and cool.
These are just my "fun" wheels, so might be different to do something different with them.
Not concerned about resale as I'll like keep these wheels until they bury me.
Something like this:



What are everyone's thoughts?
The wheels will be getting all new fasteners and sealing rings, etc.
I'm evening thinking about doing the outer halves in an RSR frosted finish with polished edges something ala 73 RSR-ish.

Always trying to think and be outa da box.

[skinnerd]

ps...

They will be mounted on this car:

[IROC]

I am currently going through a similar process with some 3-piece HRE wheels (refinishing, going to 17", etc). I like your idea of simply applying a satin clear coat to the bare magnesium.

I am in a quandary as to what to do with my outers. What is your plan for the RSR "frosted" finish?

[Clay.0]

Satin clear with brushed outers would be nice.

[Sicklyscott]

I would clear the magnesium, sounds like it could be cool.

I used a "gun metal" color on my centers, I would encourage you to powder coat them (though not sure how magnesium would react). A picture of mine:

Untitled by sicklyscott, on Flickr

[APachon71RN]

PUT THESE ON YOUR PORSCHE NOW!!! Those look sick!!!

~Andy

Originally Posted by Sicklyscott

I would clear the magnesium, sounds like it could be cool.

I used a "gun metal" color on my centers, I would encourage you to powder coat them (though not sure how magnesium would react). A picture of mine:

Untitled by sicklyscott, on Flickr

[Competizione]

Just clear coat - much easier to detect any cracks (older Mg is prone).

[Sicklyscott]

Originally Posted by APachon71RN

PUT THESE ON YOUR PORSCHE NOW!!! Those look sick!!!

~Andy

Already are my friend!

IMG_1590 by sicklyscott, on Flickr

[skinnerd]

Originally Posted by IROC

What is your plan for the RSR "frosted" finish?

I plan to check in with Al Reed and see if he can RSR frosted finish the outer halves with a little bit of polish on the very edge.


I decided to go with more than just a clear coat on the magnesium centers although the thought of more easily looking for cracking down the road did sound attractive.

All my centers appeared to be in perfect shape....no signs of cracking anywhere.

So I dropped them by the paint shop today, and they'll put down etching primer, the color coat and a satin clear on top of that.
I'm going with a VW grey color.
Don't know it off the top of my head.

Estimate was around $400-500 to do the job.

I'll post pics along the way.

A bunch of 20 bolt 16" wheel halves will be up for sale very soon....

[floridabmx]

im liking the idea of the satin clear. also the brushed outers suggested would look killer as well.

[D bot]

A friend of mine did the clear over raw magnesium and the mag ended up going a bit dark from oxidation despite the clear coat.

Skinnerd, how did you strip your centers?

[skinnerd]

They were soda blasted.

[skinnerd]

OK....just got the centers back from the paint shop today.
They look great.
Etching primer followed by VW color followed by satin clear.
I think they look much better than the original BBS gold.

Ordered the seal rings and new fasteners today.

Will be mounting up the Hoosier R6 tires pretty soon....255 up front on the 9x17 and 305 or more likely 315 in the rear on the 11x17.

[cary]

Can you do a wheelie on the Vespa?

[skinnerd]

Very likely....but I'll never be trying that.

[SoCalSK8r]

Originally Posted by Sicklyscott

Already are my friend!



IMG_1590 by sicklyscott, on Flickr

Whoa, that is a b!chin looking ride!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[OffCamber00]

Originally Posted by Sicklyscott

I would clear the magnesium, sounds like it could be cool.

I used a "gun metal" color on my centers, I would encourage you to powder coat them (though not sure how magnesium would react). A picture of mine:

Untitled by sicklyscott, on Flickr

Those are sharp, what are they?

[Sicklyscott]

Originally Posted by OffCamber00

Those are sharp, what are they?

Sad part is I have no idea! The centers have no markings on them. The lips were purchased from Jeff Alton and were said to be Kodiak lips. But that's all I got.

[skinnerd]

Finally got the Hoosier R7's mounted.
245x40x17 up front and 295x35x17 in the rear.
The 255 and 315's were just too large for my fender wells.

But the resprayed E50 centers look better on this car with the dark silver/gray
I chose that the typical gold.

[Clay.0]

Those look great! Good job.