daly944

I have a 1987 944 with the stock phone dials. Ok i've removed the paint off one of my phone dials, and whats left is a flat gray colored material, and it doesn't look like primer, it looks like a coating on the actual metal. What is this? It doesn't wanna come off with paint stripper? How do i get it off? any pics or tips would be appreciated

Longtime76

Yeah I am curious to know about that stuff too. I have been slowly refinishing my wheels for ~1.5 yrs. I did one, one is almost finished and it took so d@mn long to get that grey stuff off that I haven't wanted to start the others yet. I feel like is would just be easier to buy new wheels than finish it off. I don't see how everyone else had it so easy getting everything off. I have used the stongest paint stripper that Home Depot/Lowe's sells and also used the auto strippers like the one that comes with that kit from Performance Products.

2coupes

Are you guys aware of a company called Wheel Enhancement? They do Porsche aftermarket and replica wheels in addition to Refinishing all kinds of wheels including chrome plating... They will also refinish YOUR wheels, or take yours in trade towards new or refinished ones for a price. I've dealt with them and they KNOW Porsche wheels. www.wheelenhancement.com take a look and call them you might be surprised. Good luck!

Longtime76

Thanks Jim,
I have checked out there site before, but I had wanted a polished finish on the phone dials, but that was not something they already had in stock for trade and it was an ungodly amount of money as well. Just trading for the silver painted ones was not that bad pricewise if I remember. They do have some pretty good prices on other alloys it looks like.

Manning

And just for others to know, Wheel enhancements wants nothing to do with 15x6 phone dials in trade. At least in my experience they don't, unless the wheels are pristine.

My guess is the gray stuff is the cast surface of the Al. The cast or blasted aluminum has a nice dull grey finish. Do note that you must, must, must protect your wheels with some sort of finish, you cannot leave them bare metal. Aluminum alloys will crack if left unprotect. And by protected I mean painted (clear coat works) or anodized.

I have gone round and round on this subject before, so if you have quiestions about it please E me off the board.

Longtime76

Manning, you are right that they don't want phone dials in trade. They do really fine work, and there is not that high of a demand for polished phone dials, hence the high price. There website doesn't even mention phone dials. Personally, I want to move to something else anyways, like a 16 inch. They have some really sweet Kinesis Supercup's on the site, although I doubt I can afford them even with my phone dial trade . Check these out. http://www.wheelenhancement.com/KinSC.htm

2coupes

Well Alex it was a thought,and Manning is absolutely right about a coating of some sort. W-E sold me a set of C2 17" Turbo wheels with Potenza 730's for my 85.5 all ready to go and I gotta tell ya they were perfectly balanced and completely changed the look of the car, within weeks I took first place in the local PCA car show in the water-pumper division, and a second set are going on the 951(can't use the others due to the offset)Regards, Jim

Longtime76

Jim,
Sounds like the wheels really added a lot to your car. If you don't mind me asking, how much did those run you? Also, do you have any pictures to post of the car with new rims?

2coupes

Alex, I have some shots but the scanner's down, try www.ncr-pca.org,click on the car show, look for the pic with three 356's in front and mine is the silver 944 between the black and the red.You can supersize the pic.The whole deal including Porsche center caps was $1617-not including freight.Wheels ,caps,mount,balance,bridgestone 730's ready to roll.Good luck, Jim

Longtime76

Nice pic Jim. The car looks great with those wheels. Perhaps the wheels will be the next thing for my car... Too many things I want to do... Thanks for the link.