I'm hoping to clearcoat the rims of my cookies (stripped and polished), and all of my searches on the topic usually involve Danno detailing an 8-step process, each step involving a chemical I can't pronounce, so...Has anyone had any success clearcoating this stuff? I was just going to try spraying lots of super light coats, but I'm worried that'll just ruin them slower.

It wouldn't be the end of the world to polish them every once in a while, but...I fear that winters here (and my lack of washing them often in the cold) would pit 'em quick.

 

Okay, <a href="http://www.thepontiactransampage.com/clear.html" target="_blank">this page</a> turned up on Google, and it mentions <a href="http://www.porshop.com/glispcclear.html" target="_blank">POR-15 Glisten PC Clearcoat</a>, which looks like it's some serious stuff that I don't have the ability to put on smoothly.

I'm also reading that aluminum polished out just lasts. I just don't know how that can be. The wheels with the clearcoat intact look perfect (once stripped), and the ones with the clearcoat already missing are pitted to hell.

 

i dont know if this will work, but i know walmart sells that clear spraypaint....dont know how that would work...

space

 

Yeah, the problem with just spraying on clearcoat is that it just beads up and runs off (so I'm reading). Can anyone comment on this:

"Once you have the exact shine that you want, you will need some materials. First a heat lamp, towels,aluminum foil, then about 4 cans of WD40. Cover all your plastic wires, rubber gaskets, anything around the frame of the bike with aluminum foil. Start at one area at a time. Spray the selected area with wd40, get the aluminum soaked with the oil. Then put the heat lamp on the spot where the oil was sprayed have sit for about 3 hours until the oil starts to really smoke. This is burning the wd40 into the aluminum. Let it cool down then proceed to the next area of the polished aluminum. By doing this you will never have to polish the frame again, it will contain a permanent clear coat to it. Its almost the same basic idea of powder coating."

 

I don't want to discourage you from clear coating your wheels, but... as I've mentioned before, I've run polished wheels (cookies, Fuchs, BBS and others) for many years without clear coating 'em. Granted, I try to keep the wheels clean and waxed but I've not had one trace of oxidation, staining or other damage that would have been prevented by clearcoating. My efforts at clearcoating always seems to dull the finish but your idea of multiple very thin coats may be a way to get the paint to adhere and minimize the clouding effect. Why not give it a try?

Here's a pic of one of my 20 year old cookies that has been without clearcoat for about 15 years.

<img src="http://members.rennlist.com/cnalljr/ImageCookie.JPG" alt=" - " />

 

Christ, they look perfect. Although, there isn't much snow in Texas...Have you driven on them for 15 years?

From what I'm reading, clearcoats just don't hold up well. Factory paint is one thing, and that obviously hasn't held up very well on a lot of wheels with miles on 'em.

 

Please forgive the image size.

I drove on the cookies from June 1984 until last year when I started using the Fuchs. I keep the cookies for track events even though the Fuchs are a lot lighter. The original clear coat began deteriorating very early (probably from harsh cleaners) so I stripped and polished the rims sometime in 1988 or 1989. The center spokes are original paint. I've gotten compliments on the wheels over the years, I guess because they look better than the original clear coated finish.

You're correct that here in Texas we don't have to contend with much snow, sanded/salted roads etc. so YMMV.

 

I'm just about to tackle my wheels and got to carecareonline. The technique seems to be gently do everything. Dont use harsh chemicals, wax the wheels. my rims are painted momos with the flat part next to the tire polished, (at least used to be) clearcoated aluminum. I intend sanding the painted part to rough it up and paint and sand to aluminum edges to a shine and wax em. sending them out is an option but at abuckandhalf a crack I think i'll try it myself.

 

You know, nobody ever answered this question: Is it beneficial to wax the polished aluminum with the same kind of wax I put on the rest of the car?

 

Mother's polish leaves a protective coating on the alumnium. However, I always put some pure carnuba on the wheels when I wax the car. I think it affords some extra protection and the high shine seems to last longer.