picked up 3 bronze lmgt4s wheels for cheap. the finish got messed up by a dealership and they ended up painting them for the guy but he didn't like 'em and decided to sell them.

wondering what would be invovled in re-anodizing them. anyone know of a place in the so. bay area? cost?

i've stripped part of the paint on one to see what it looks like underneath. i've also purchased the 4th wheel for the set. think they can color match or do i have to do all four? thought about powder coating them but looking at the brand new one i like the original finish. checked out "bech cities powder coating" but they don't really have a good bronze color.

what do you guys think? thanks in advance

 

i dont believe you can get wheels anodized. I think most shops powder coat.

 

The rims are forged aluminum, right?

If that's the case, then there really shouldn't be any problems with anodizing them except for color matching - but now-a-days anodizing shops are very good and can do some trick stuff.


Where are you located?
There should be more than a few good shops that can do specialized anodize processing runs...Try some of these shops.

 

^ thanks...i like the search engine.

 

You got to make sure that the wheel has no chemical residue, like paint. The wheel will need to be polished first, then cleaned, then annodized. If not clean properly it will have a permanent blemish and will have to be redone. Powder coating is another option. I have a good powder coater and annodizer I use. I'm dropping of some wheels to be powder coated. PM if you are interested.

Virg

 

Nismo33 -- I forgot to get back to you about seeing the pipes. When I'm not in the middle of exams and can make it out to the 818, you mind if I give you a ?

 

pm sent

 

thanks for the info.

i'm gonna check out the local anodizers and check out the powdercoaters. i've talked to two local powdercoaters and seems that powdercoating will probably be more expensive due to the fact that most don't have the matte bronze color like the original finish...therefore they have to order it special.

so we'll see. still weighing my options. maybe i'll just stop by the hardware store and try a DIY paint job until i decide what i want to do.

 

If you want DIY painting on the wheels. First thing I can suggest is spend alot of time on the prep work to make it clean. I use to use those heat paint you spray on engine blocks. They have a matte finish and very durable coating. GL on the wheels.

 

If they're 18's, powdercoat them black and then trade them to me.

 

chances are that unless it's a special order powdercoat, that will be the cheaper easier option. For them to look right with anodizing, you'll have to make sure to prep them VERY well. Remember when you anodize, what you see is what you get!

 

Yeah, getting wheels refinished is a pain in the ****.

I just bought a set of Ray's Gram Light 57C's for my Si and one has crappy finish.

Went to a place to see about getting it fixed and they want 180 bucks (wheels only cost 250ish new...but they JUST discontinued them) and I'd still have to order the sticker from Ray's.

ARGHHHH

 

I don't think that you should have to do too much surface prep work on the wheels. Just ask the vendor you want to do the anodize job to quote the price to do the wheels up complete.

The anodizer should have the equipment to clean up the wheels (either by mechanical or chemical means) and will know what is needed to get the desired results on the finished parts.


Definitely show the 'perfect' rim (the new rim you bought) to the anodizer so they understand what you are looking for.

 

Rather than start a new thread, I am going to bump this back up. I would like to have the lip of a set of 2 piece wheels anodized the color of my car.

Please see this first picture. Notice the lip of the car here.



Now see the next. Lip is color matched.



Does anyone know a shop in the East Coast that can do this? If not in the East coast, anywhere in the US.

Thanks,
Mike

 

That doesnt look annodized to me. The coating seems really thick. It could be a polished lip with a candy apple red paint that's been thinned out.