ChuckD

My car has 16" phone dials. Someone went crazy and painted them gold. But they didn't stop there...they added a pair of black and white pinstripes! I cannot allow this and have started stripping the paint with some aircraft stripper I had on hand that worked well on another set of wheels. I am glad the aftermarket paint is coming off and that the factory paint is NOT. The stuff is tough as nails and pretty much laughs at the stripper I am using. Is it powder coat or similar?

The Fixer

Chuck I was wondering the same on the 16" PDs I bought today. My Fuchs on the 911 have a black and clear anodized finish.
I have not looked closely at the PDs yet (came off a 1988 944 Turbo) but there is slight yellowing. I want to see if they can be polished and brightened up. I hate messing with paint stripper too. We have a refinishing company close by that will blast aluminum wheels with walnut shells to prep them for re paint, pretty reasonable.
Matt

James Bailey

You can have phonedials polished and they look almost like chrome but unless you clearcoat them the aluminum starts to corrode immediately, white powder. The factory painted finish silver is pretty tough probably oven baked enamel paint over a white primer base.

The Fixer

I just examined my '88 PDs and mine are a anodized silver finish. My MHs seen to the left were anodized a medium grey color as well before the PO had them polished.

My guess is the finish is anodized on yours.
Anodizing is more cost effective, durable and can be done in any color or even clear, and there is a history of them using this process.
The yellowing i am seeing is the same yellowing I can see on the clear part of my original Fuchs.
Chuck you are doing your restoration correctly but be careful not to leave the stripper on too long, will dull the original finish.
When done petroleum jelly is a good product to rub into the anodizing to protect the original finish and make them shine.
Option: Auto Body Toolmart sells a very good hand held soda blaster ($45) which would remove the cheap paint and leave the anodized finish w/o the mess of stripper.

Tails

To retain the original anodized silver finish treat them with petroleum jelly.My PDs look like new.

Jadz928

I'm not convinced the original finish on early PD's was anodized. Matter of fact, I don't believe it was.

I spoke with Porsche Classic about this, and they told me it was Porsche Silber Metallic #936

The only real question in my mind is did they use single stage "enamel" or dual-stage base w/ clearcoat.

I have some NOS early center cap where "appear" dual stage. They have also "yellowed" a little, which could be the clearcoat.

Optimator

..

The Fixer

Anodized aluminum finishes yellow with age.
Don't know for sure Jim but i doubt Porsche cleared wheels, clearing doesn't handle the abuse a wheel takes.
An anodized aluminum parts surface is harder than steel so;
It is said that one way to tell if anodized: would be to get a real copper penny (pre '83?) and rub the penny edge along the part surface.
If anodized it should leave a copper streak.
I can tell by looking at the part if anodized, but that is no help here.

James Bailey

The 928 phone dials were painted......something about low pressure castings do NOT anodize like forged alloy wheels.... Fuchs 911 wheels WERE dull anodized with painted centers BUT many were polished clear coated or chromed over the years. The recommendation for petroleum jelly / vasoline was for the anodized finish as it is very porous and stains easily. Which is why you can color it as it does stain easily.

JET951

The standard finish of the Porsche 928 " telephone " style cast alloy wheel was silver metallic paint with a clear coat finish( very light metallic ) , this applies to to the 15" diameter 928 road wheel( 1978 to 1982) or the 16" diameter 928S telephone style wheel( 1980 to 1985 inclusive ).
The centre caps were painted the same silver metallic & clear coat with the Porsche crest highlighted in black & the black highlight only on the sunken part of the crest .

The anodised Porsche / Fuchs ( forged) " optional" wheels ( man hole covers) only in 16" dia were available as an option up to & including the 1985 year type , from 1986 ROW type( Brembo Brakes onwards) , the Porsche / Fuchs forged wheels ( man hole covers) were standard fitment as the cast telephone style would not fit over the Brembo 4 piston callipers on the front axle & from 1987 ( S4 ) the rear wheels were now 8" wide in the forged (man hole) cover style

The early incarnation of the Porsche / Fuchs forged ( man hole cover style) wheels up to about 1985 were available in two anodised colours / colors , silver anodised or a light platinum finish ( looked a bit like a light shade of bronze ) & the centre caps were anodised the same , but no highlighting of the sunken crest .

The Fixer

Case Closed.
thank you Bruce or Sean?, Jim and James B.

Tails

Sorry my mistake, not reading post sufficiently to make an informed answer. My post is related to "manhole covers".

James Bailey

Funny description of how to tell if your alloys are painted...... Lick it with your tongue seems you get a metallic ( water from a tin cup) taste if not painted ...... love that visual . Just be sure no one sees you doing it

dr bob

I no longer wonder how those funny stains appeared on my original manholes. Case closed!


And Jim, your GF looks a little cold...