Wheel Polishing - Using 3M headlight restoration kit
03-02-2012, 09:59 AM
#1
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Wheel Polishing - Using 3M headlight restoration kit
I picked up a set of Sport Design II wheels a few weeks back, and they were looking a bit tired with the clear coat peeling off of the lips, and some paint flaking off of the centers from a previous owners attempt to refinish them. Given that these were two pieces wheels I decided it would be worth pulling them apart, polishing the lips, and powder coating the centers (power coat work was done by Hot Box Coatings here in Charlotte, and I think they did a great job).
Polishing had become my nemesis as of late, thinking about the phone dials I polished still makes my fingers hurt, but I still wanted to give the lips a shot because my labor is free and I need to pinch some pennies in order to finish up my 951 some time before 2015. I had a headlight polishing kit from 3m sitting in the garage and decided to give it a shot, and I think the results are stunning. I followed the process on the 3 package (three different sanding disks, and then a buffing pad w/ polishing compound all using an electric drill) and only added one extra step of using a polishing wheel and some fine metal polish to finish off the job.
I did one wheel by hand and it took me a few hours, I did the other three in less time than it took to do the first and the results are even better than the hand polishing. Now if only the car was ready for me to mount them on.
Polishing had become my nemesis as of late, thinking about the phone dials I polished still makes my fingers hurt, but I still wanted to give the lips a shot because my labor is free and I need to pinch some pennies in order to finish up my 951 some time before 2015. I had a headlight polishing kit from 3m sitting in the garage and decided to give it a shot, and I think the results are stunning. I followed the process on the 3 package (three different sanding disks, and then a buffing pad w/ polishing compound all using an electric drill) and only added one extra step of using a polishing wheel and some fine metal polish to finish off the job.
I did one wheel by hand and it took me a few hours, I did the other three in less time than it took to do the first and the results are even better than the hand polishing. Now if only the car was ready for me to mount them on.
03-02-2012, 06:15 PM
#5
I totally feel ya on the polishing of those dials! Four hours a tire!
They're still not quite right. Neighbor told me to use an sos pad gently, helped okay. Did the mother's with the cone too.
I think I may have to try this since we have a headlight restoration kit in the house, and two cars with pop up head lights, lol!
Cool tip/trick
They're still not quite right. Neighbor told me to use an sos pad gently, helped okay. Did the mother's with the cone too.
I think I may have to try this since we have a headlight restoration kit in the house, and two cars with pop up head lights, lol!
Cool tip/trick
03-02-2012, 08:23 PM
#7
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Well Sam your wheels were what convinced me, after much deliberation, to go with anthricite centers, and in some ways my car is going to end up looking like the blue version of your car (968 door handles and mirrors are in the garage, and if I can find a 968 spoiler it will be going on as well).
I am also polishing all the bolts that mount the centers to the outers, I have 20 of the 80 done, so still a good bit of work to do before I can declare this set done.
I am also polishing all the bolts that mount the centers to the outers, I have 20 of the 80 done, so still a good bit of work to do before I can declare this set done.
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03-03-2012, 10:43 PM
#9
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Richard, happy to help out any time. The headlight kit might work well on the flat surfaces on teh phonies, but there will be tons of handwork to do as well.
