Topic: Wheel restoration

[Tomdeg]

Hey all,
My wheels are looking a little tired and could use a refresh. The chrome is still in great shape, but the centers need help. What?s the general consensus on refreshing the cast spokes? Media blast, walnut shells?, acid? And how to duplicate the satin finish on the outer sections? Thanks in advance.
Tom

[69GYellow4]

Was certainly hoping for more replies to this post as I am in the same position!

[Bob Gaines]

A short answer then. Mask off and blast the course portion with glass beads then go over the course with a acid bath like eagle one wire wheel or chrome wheel cleaner polish the spokes like you would of aluminum and be careful not to polish to mirror finish. That is one way that produces good results. There are others.

[Tomdeg]

Thanks for the tip, Bob.

[69GYellow4]

Ok had my wheels blasted for the rough areas and turned out great.  Just wanted to confirm that the factory did not seal these after as the guy who blasted them recommended sealing them.  Thanks in advance for all the help on these.

[J_Speegle]

Ok had my wheels blasted for the rough areas and turned out great.  Just wanted to confirm that the factory did not seal these after as the guy who blasted them recommended sealing them.  Thanks in advance for all the help on these.

If your referring to a coating of the centers such as done to modern aluminum wheels in recent years - no they were not

[specialed]

The cast side of spokes were painted before the top coating

[J_Speegle]

The cast side of spokes were painted before the top coating

Thanks

So centers (the cast portion) were coated with a clear protective coating?  Was this applied before the centers were attached to the rims?

Guess I've never seen evidence of it peeling on the 69's I've owned or dealed with.

[specialed]

Back in the 80s when 69 shelbys stated being restored people were painting cast centers a goldish color because they werent that old back then and i got some used wheels here that i cleaned and the gold paint was falling off. I soaked and cleaned 30 69 shelby wheels in evaporust as i am helping 3 guys doing concours restorations matching up sets of wheels. I have 2 sets of nos 69 shelby wheels here to document how they were in 1969 and that center front was a  goldish champayne  color then a clear coating on top as i can seenit in the corners with slight runs showing and we matched the paint color. We took 12 wheels apart to restore and its much easy to restore centers then reassemble them but i got several wheels that are to nice to restore and dont need taken apart so cleaning and restoreing the center is hard to do still attached to the rim. I am going to take them to the dry ice cleaner or have them vapor cleaned  i am thinking or has anybody got a better idea in how to restore them without taking them apart? thanks

[Bob Gaines]

Yes they were coated originally. Yes I have seen some where the coating started peeling . I think that the factory clear coat was about worthless and was a failure. Years ago i had some new in the box 69 Shelby wheels that had started to peel in the box but had not turned the goldish tint. The coating peeled on some ,others it seemed like it just wore off without peeling and disappeared but many times left the polished highlights splotchy . On some I have seen there was a goldish tint. I believe that on some (not all) that the clear coat degraded and turned a amber or as Ed said a champagne tint with AGE not necessarily exposure.That is the most logical explanation for the goldish look IMO . I do not believe that they were purposely meant to be a goldish tint like some have proposed. I have come across some that have purposely been painted with gold paint by a past owner. The fresh magnesium look was what was so popular on the mag wheel style in that time period as seen on a large variety of different MFG wheels. Vintage color pictures ,illustrations and survivor car evidence supports the original magnesium look finish on the 69/70 Shelby.

[Tomdeg]

Does anyone know if the reproduction lug nuts fit factory wheels?

[Bob Gaines]

Does anyone know if the reproduction lug nuts fit factory wheels?

Yes. I have typically bought them over the years from Branda.  If you have had your car long enough or have had numerous 69/70 Shelby then you know how often the lugnuts need replaced. They get marred up being taken on and off and start to rust. I imagine there are other sources that will work too. 

[Tomdeg]

Great, Thanks Bob.

[specialed]

Look at T170. mecum thursday FL auction 69 shelby vert and u can see in the  wheel photos the lite goldish paint wearing off as thats the finish i am talking about on the sides of the 5 spokes in the raw cast unpolished area as that paint was applied before the top coat of clear that starts peeling off over time.

[69GYellow4]

flat, gloss, or semi for the clear as I want to protect the hours of work put into my wheels.  Thanks in advance