jessenator

So I found some "Snowflake" #5CC18LY2 wheels and am picking them up this weekend.

They're the "Grey Machined" versions, and I'd like to bring them to the OE "Gold Machined" scheme.




Has anyone used the Dupli-Color HWP107? Is it actually close to the OE gold look?



On the full-size jeep forum they mention the Dupli-Color BSP213 Champagne Gold, saying it's the same that GM wheels used (trans am that kinda look like the Snowflake Jeep wheels).

But I haven't seen any real-world examples, and also don't want to invest in pneumatic paint gear if I don't have to.

jessenator

Hate to bump, but anybody got experience or an opinion on the gold wheel paint?

Going for the OE look.


Thanks

wingless

What is the plan for how to mask that complex web shape to keep paint off the face and only paint the pockets?

dans98xj

I think from the factory the gold ones were painted first then machined then clear coated. that's going to be tough to mask. You could try painting the whole wheel then sanding off the machined surface and leaving the gold inside.

jessenator

I was going to go with lots of tape and frustration, but yeah, that makes more sense.

dans98xj

Happy to help. make sure you get it to bare metal before you paint. and sand the machined surface good before too. If you look close you can see the machine marks from when it was cut. Paint can get in those marks and be tough to get out.

jessenator

I did notice that on close inspection.

Can I klean-strip the clear coat off, or does it have to be sanded/blasted?

Never worked on alloys before, so with steelies I'd just sand, self-etch primer, and paint.

EvstaG

The right way to strip the clear coat is some aircraft grade paint remover (available at any auto body supply shop) and a plastic putty knife, but you're going to spend many hours removing the clear from the features on the rims. I would just rough it up with sandpaper to prepare for the gold paint, the factory clear coat is a pretty durable product anyways and a little extra protection might not hurt.

wingless

If the plan is to paint the entire exterior gold, then to sand the face, a very fine sandpaper and a hard pad will be required for that step, to avoid removing gold from the cavity edges.

The factory finishing the face in a lathe w/ a computer controlled sharp point tool will not remove paint from the gold cavities, resulting in the factory paint job w/ crisp two-tone paint edges.

If this is going to be attempted, then my suggestion is to use a nice vacuum sander, like a Festool RO 150 FEQ Dual Mode Rotex Sander or a Festool ETS 150/3 Random Orbital Finish Sander and their CT26E Dust Extractor. Their Brilliant 2 Abrasive and their Granat Abrasive would provide great results. I would use their hard pad for the middle and their medium pad for the perimeter.

jessenator

At that price point, I'd see if someone locally could do that, or just mask it.

That's a bit too steep for me right now. I know it's probably a "worth doing right" thing, so i might kick it down the road to when I redo the exterior.

Thanks for being thorough, though.

fb97xj1

Brushing would be easier than masking every little recess. Ever 'decant' a spray can? Hobbyists have done it for years. Decanting is spraying the paint into a small jar. It is done primarily for airbrushing, but i have heard of it being brushable by hand as well. I have never hand brushed using this method, so you might want to try it on a color you dont care for for practice. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can turn the can upsidedown and spray until it runs out of propellant. Shake it a little more and repeat. Once the can is out of propellant, make a hole in the bottom of the can and drain the paint into a container. The smaller the container, the better. I prefer glass myself. Which ever method you choose, shake the can following the label before you start.

Youtube is filled with decanting videos. The following is from Tamiyas website on the dangers of decanting. Tamiya deals with scale models. I can only assume this applies to automotive spray cans as well. Either way, its worth posting.

"Leave the lid off the jar of freshly decanted paint and let propellant boil off for at least one hour. Don't try to stir the paint or add anything like thinner or ball bearings; the slight temperature rise caused by these activities will cause the paint to boil vigorously, overflowing the bottle onto the floor and sputtering into the air. Just touching the bottle with your fingers and cause an eruption. The heat from your fingers will cause the paint to boil. The friction of your finger along the side of the glass will create enough heat.

Allow at least one hour at room temperature (above 70% Fahrenheit) for the propellant to boil off. A longer out-gassing period is better. I usually wait overnight. I have forgotten about an open bottle of decanted paint for an entire weekend with no noticeable loss of sprayability.

The paint bottle should not appear frosty or feel cool.

Once the bottle has reached room temperature you may cap it."

Decanting is not for everyone as there is some risk dealing with decanted paints as Tamiya pointed out. Most Youtube videos ive seen dont even mention that stuff.

'90Cherokee

Sanding the silver parts to remove the gold is likely to remove the clear also. I'd try something that can keep the paint from sticking; grease, silicone lube, something like that.

'90Cherokee

I got curious and googled "liquid masking tape" and it actually exists.

jessenator

I think I've seen that done. I wonder though if it wouldn't be better at that point to get the quart Dupli-Color gold ?

Which brings me back to my original question:

Which of these would be the best for recreating the OE gold look?


which appears to be (car) body paint

or


Specifically meant for wheels

?

dans98xj

You should get paint that is for wheels. It will probably hold up better to break dust and road grime. If decide to mask the wheel, tape the whole face of the wheel and get and razor blade and cut out the sections for the gold. then you can peel the tape off and clear coat the wheel. it would be very time consuming but it would look good when done.