Wheel paint

On my original 14” wheels I don’t want to take them down to bare metal. I decided to to scuff the existing paint, primer and paint with wheel paint rattle can. I’ll let you know how it comes out. I just bought new Michelin XWX’s from a local national tire dealer for $335 each. I also got a Michelin $100 discount bringing them down to $315 each plus tax.

 

On color, I just finished cleaning my wheels. It looks as though only the faces has been repainted with the inside and backside with original paint, color and finish. My goal is to leave the inside and backside original paint and match the color to paint the face. They all still have the original valve stems. I’ll take some photos when I’m further along. My goal is to keep as much originality on my Dino that is reasonable.

 

Good procedure but unfortunately Alodine is not available for ordinary business or private persons. I’ve used the etch primer followed by a relative thick layer of epoxy, then base colour and top lacker. It works for many years if you follow all the other directions in the procedure but it’s not perfect.

Best, Peter

 

I thought zinc chromate primer was the go to product on mag wheels. AI blurb:

Zinc chromate is
used on magnesium wheels as a corrosion-inhibiting primer and adhesion promoter because magnesium reacts easily with moisture, and zinc chromate creates a barrier layer to protect the surface. This zinc chromate treatment is applied to the bare magnesium after cleaning and cleaning, providing a surface for subsequent primers and paint finishes. While effective, the original zinc chromate finishes are delicate, and modern primers are often chromate-free due to health and environmental concerns.

Aircraft Spruce has it in yellow or green spray cans as well as quarts, gallons.

 

If your wheels need full resto then I think the process of stripping & shot blasting the wheels, crack testing, coating and repainting should be left to a specialist imho. They have all the equipment to achieve the best results. I found with my wheels to outer paint was good but the inside had been ravaged by brake dust.

Alodine is available to buy but I wouldnt want to buy many at that price.

https://www.caswelleurope.co.uk/bonderite-m-cr-1201-aero-formerly-alodine-1201/

 

I couldnt understand that quote on his blog either.

 

The original wheels on the Dino have a magnesium content in them but they are much closer to aluminum in composition than magnesium. As such they are not as sensitive to corrosion as a true mag wheel is and the magnesium traits are way over stated by most. There is absolutely no problem finishing the wheels with a zinc chromate primer or any other high quality process that is aimed at achieving adhesion on aluminum. I personally prefer chemical stripping to media blasting because the writing is already fragile and media blasting tends to dull the edges. If correctly neutralized and baked the chemical stripper is no problem at all. Just do not take it to a place that does dip stripping or you will be left with an empty hook and no wheel. Brush applied stripper out of a can is totally fine and allows to control the process well. Also when refinishing the wheels be absolutely sure NOT TO PAINT THE SEATS for the bolts. If so your wheels will not torque correctly and loosen (ask me how I learned that).

 

I just had my wheels refinished by Steve Kouracos, also in Costa Mesa, 949-922-3013. He sprayed a curved form with 4 different shades of silver and I chose what is actually used on 308s. He had 2 shades of "Dino" color and both looked too grey to me. Be aware that the original paint was a single stage and what would today be considered a low quality paint, so you probably wouldn't want to use it even if you could find it.

 

Painted by Steve? Famous for his paint

 

Care to share photos of the results, both indoors & outdoors, in direct light & in shade, indicating whether cloudy or sunny and what type of indoor lighting ?

 

Yes. He mixes his own paints, adding fine or more coarse aluminum powder depending on the look you want.

 

This is in full SoCal sun in mid-day. I find it basically impossible to get a good pic of a car in straight sunlight, but you can see these are really bright in it.
Steve showed me a wheel painted in the "early Dino" shade, which even in direct sunlight looked very grey rather than silver to me. I'll post a pic of the samples he shot for me.

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Shots Steve took in his workshop.
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I think the clear coat is slightly abundant.....and that gray in the last photo, totally wrong.
Was he 'inexpensive' ?

 

If you call $4500 inexpensive. I don't think you can draw any conclusions from one pic taken in low lighting. The purpose was to show the casting of the name was not damaged in the blasting and painting process.

 

These are shots of the samples he gave me compared to the Cromodora wheel on my Abarth, which was made in the 1990s. They are from left to right "older Dino," "later Dino," "308," and "308 with larger chunks of aluminum added for more of a metalflake look." I think you have to see them in person to really appreciate the differences. He said people think Dino wheels came semigloss from the factory, but that is because they are comparing to 50 year old wheels painted with old chemistry paint which has faded. I had Italian cars new back then and the wheels required frequent waxing to keep them shiny.
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He is not 'inexpensive, rather, I would say, the opposite.....
Indeed the casting is perfectly reflected.

 

Way, way, way too glossy. I had to dull my wheels because I got deduction years ago for too glossy...referring to photos in post #88

 

That's good old Steve .....