Rims

OK - I know this has been talked about to death on here...but whats one more time.

I have 4 bolt 5.5 inch rims now that came from Vintage Speedster. They are in need of replacing I think...got some surface rust that I cant get off. The fronts are disc and the backs are drums.

Anywho:

I am looking for advice. I want to keep the car looking more vintage than racer and want to know what is suggested. Again, the car is very stock looking, no bells and whistles, etc and dont want the wheels to look odd...but are there any wheels I should be looking at other than what I can buy on VS website? The tires are new...

Thanks

Giday, Todd. There's a simple and very inexpensive way to get rid of that rust by electrolysis. It's a DIY thing you can do at home if you have a battery charger. I could explain the process if you like.

We're not gonna answer you in depth, 'cause unless you re-drill your drums and rotors, which we all KNOW that you aren't gonna do, your choices are limited.

Search the internet all you want for used rims, but age, porosity, and embrittlement is going to eliminate every old alloy that you find. Empi fakes, BRM fakes, Sprintstar fakes, 914 Fuchs fakes, or Riviera fakes. Other than those, chromed or bare steel.

Slim pickings for sure, but that's life at a reasonable price.


TC

maybe they could be bead blasted and then powder coated

Those appear to be chrome? You sure they are 5.5 vs 4.5" (measurement is where tire mounts not to outside of rim) - appears ample clearance in rear opening. If chrome you could have someone polish them and then keep them waxed with carnauba wax.

I have set of 914 Pedrini alloy wheels - classic, light weight and low maintenance. Can be polished, painted or painted and spokes polished. 914 Mahle's have similiar look. Most others look aftermarket on a classic car.

Check out Lane Anderson's red rims - sharp racy but classic look. Check out Terry Nuckel's "Penny" - he's the Amelda Marcos (shoe fedish) of wheel addicts.

https://www.speedsterowners.com/files/view.asp?sf=tpnuckels&f=Sacramento%2Ejpg

https://www.speedsterowners.com/files/view.asp?sf=tpnuckels&f=005%2EJPG

https://www.speedsterowners.com/files/view.asp?sf=tpnuckels&f=smaller%2Ejpg

I ahve now heard the option of sandblasting and then powder coating. I love Lanes and that is the same red as mine. I ahve a black top which I think would set it off nicely so I may go that route! Appreciate all the response.

Why go to the added expense if you're selling?

~WB

Opppssss . . . forgot about Wolfgang's Pedrinis.

Those and the Mahle wheels are meant for the Porsche 914 and are usually too expensive for the average person. In this case, Wolfgang is giving his away and I believe that he's including the insanely expensive lug bolts as well.

Are the Pedrinis exempt from age, porosity, and embrittlement?

From time to time I think I want them.

I am selling if i get the right price. However i will not stop updating where i can and for the cost to make the wheels look like a million bucks...why not! Regardless the wheels need some sprucing up...

0000 steel wool will take the rust off and not hurt the chrome. Each bit of rust is like a tiny flower bloom from a microscopic spot. Get the bloom off with the steel wool, and the "stem" is invisible. You can also use it on glass.

Wax after. The chrome, not the glass.

angela

Oops - that was a single older Pedrini I linked to --- now sold. The 4 I have are the later style and look slightly different - they are in much better shape too. Sorry for wrong pictures before.

Other than polishing and waxing, you'll end up investing >$100 per wheel to have dismounted, blasted, powder coated, remounted, and balanced.

Thanks forthe tips and Angela i am going to give that a shot!

"Are the Pedrinis exempt from age, porosity, and embrittlement?"

You often see older VW wheels offered for sale with the caveat that they're for display rather than road use. I lost part of the lip on my original Empi eight spoke using a tire machine on it. On some older wheels, the Radar wheels in particular, you can chip away bits of the surface with a screwdriver.

Pedrinis (Mahle and original 914 Fuchs) always seem to be as strong and sweet as the day that they were made. Must be that they were manufactured to Porsche specs for Porsches not just knocked out for the aftermarket.

Even so, check any older alloy REALLY closely.

TC

I just bought a pack of 0000 steel wool and spent about 3 minutes so far on the front wheel and got probably 90 percent clean. Cant wait to actually put some time into it. Thanks for the tip Angela... Looks like you just sVed me a couple hundred bucks!

Would using a product like CLR along with the steel wool help?

I use a alum/chrome polish like Mothers along w/ the 000 steel wool and that works great as well

Mothers has a Power Cone and Mini-power ball that can speed up the final polish/waxing.

http://www.mothers.com/02_products/05146.html