MGB & GT Forum

Just installed on my BGT the first two refurbished LE wheels from a set purchased on BST forum. I know that some might have feelings about LE wheels on a non-LE car, let alone a CB car. But I am the one to drive the car, so my house, my rules, I suppose.

Anyway, I was able to duplicate the metallic gray for the wheel, after wet-sanding (220-->1500) and polishing the shiny parts. I used 12 parts gloss black to 1 part aluminum from my local Ace Hardware....until I found that I had matched the color exactly to the Anthracite wheel paint in my local Autozone.

Also there, I purchased their gloss clear paint, and I am less than satisfied. It refuses to go on evenly, and does not, in the end, appear completely clear. In fact, left bare looks a lot better. So I am looking for thoughts on leaving the metal uncovered, or better clear coat material to spray on the wheel. The car will be a daily driver.

As a footnote, the tires are Goodyear Viva 3's 185/70R14's, and I am using dynabeads inside. I've been using them in my WW on my roadster and am quite pleased.

I have to admit, the nice wheel makes my brake drum look pretty shabby...

Hmmm. No advice given on leaving the shiny bits without a clear coat? I am starting to refinish my LE wheels now. The car will be a "daily driver quality, not driven daily" and I plan to leave the wheels without clear coat, instead choosing to touch them up regularly with polish and wax. Would love to hear experiences (not just opinions) on this plans. Otherwise I guess I'll just have to report back in about a year.

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Tim W.
80 MGB LE "ZOM B"
73 MGB GT "Royale with Cheese"
"Modern cars - they all look like electric shavers." - Marv (Sin City)

I just got done reconditioning my LE wheels last week.

This is what I diid.
1. I bought 5 cans of paint stripper in a can from Lowe's and applied the stripper and pressure washed them to get rid of the clear coat.
It took 4 appications as that clear coat on top of the wheels was a *****
When I was done, all of the clear coat was gone and the "dark bronze" (not black) of the original center color was gone also.
2. I then tried to do the sanding at different grades, but to me it was messing up the still kind of polished aluminum.
So I bought 2 large tubs of aluminum polish ( I forget the brand at the moment) and proceeded to hand polish
each of the formally non painted areas. I probably spent 4 hours on each and could have spent more but as you can
see from the before and after pictures, they look a lot better than they did.
3. Next I bought a pint of your garden variety rustoleum semi gloss paint from Lowe's again and with a small and later a larger
model car type brush I hand painted the centers one wheel at a time. There is really no other way to do it as masking &
such would take some real skill with all of the nooks and crannies I feel. I have used this paint in the past on Rostyle rims and
the paint will actually settle and the brush strokes disappear.
Each wheel took about 1/2 hour so it wasn't all that bad.

Once they were all done, I took a can of clear coat and sprayed the wheel that I had determined to be the spare.
It came out like Eric says. I did not like it at all. So the other 4 I left alone, and will just have to re-polish the bare alloy once in a while
I guess.

The second picture is the cleared one. Notice that the black looks choppy. The last picture on the car is one of the the 4 that did
not get the clearcoat. You cannot see it from the picture, but the black looks perfect and shows the slightly rough texture as original
with no brush strokes
I am very happy with them


Pete S.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017-04-10 02:35 PM by psksks76.

I sent the same post twice.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-04-10 02:37 PM by psksks76.

I just give mine a touch-up with wax whenever it looks like they need it. Been seven years now and still looking good.

Thanks, Trevor. Are those Chrome LE lug nuts?

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Tim W.
80 MGB LE "ZOM B"
73 MGB GT "Royale with Cheese"
"Modern cars - they all look like electric shavers." - Marv (Sin City)

Peter! You just saved me a lot of time. I have a pressure washer and had not even thought of using it to strip the clearcoat and paint after the chemical paint stripper.

Thanks man!

Tim

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Tim W.
80 MGB LE "ZOM B"
73 MGB GT "Royale with Cheese"
"Modern cars - they all look like electric shavers." - Marv (Sin City)

VHT makes a high temp clear coat wheel paint in both semi-gloss and matte. I used it to clear coat my rostyles. Very high quality paint.

http://www.vhtpaint.com/high-heat/vht-wheel-paint

Hmmm....it was the VHT material that you mention that left me less than thrilled on the LE wheels.

Eric X2 on the VHT clear coat that Tony speaks of. I wonder if there is some reaction with the alloy maybe?

I have cleared many a Rostyle, and they always came out great. That is why I was so surprised
with the results on the 1 alloy wheel that I did.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-04-11 10:33 AM by psksks76.