Re: Decision Making Disorder

by 1973 454 MONTE Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:49 pm

Roadcaptain S3 wrote:Thanks for all the input fellas.
Leaving here shortly to go pick up the 77s. Got the guy down to $275 for the wheels and caps, but he doesn't have the lugs, so that lug info will be handy. These wheels have the black centers.
Those chromes are nice, but wow! $$$
I figure I can polish the hell out of the aluminum and get close to that look.
Will be checking back when I get home to see more about tire sizes!

here is a pic of how my wheels looked when i brought them home.
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here is a picture of the same wheel after i had them poished
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They are off an 81,but i bought new (black) centers and lugnuts.

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by Roadcaptain S3 Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:43 pm

NNNIIICCCEE!! How long did it take before you could use your hands and bend your elbows again when you got done?
Got 'em out in the garage and they look a lot like your "before" pic.
Picked up from an older guy who said they've been sitting in a shed out back since 90 something. He also had a 77 Can Am sitting in the garage that he said he bought in 79 with 8000 miles on it- I almost ^&%$ myself.
He said that he and ANOTHER guy in town BOTH have one. scratch

He also had a gold 78 Trans Am in there. This garage was like car junkie heaven, man!
So here's the plan: Hot soapy water, sponge and then.........
1 Scotch bright (fine)pad with mothers wheel cleaner
2 Mothers pre wax cleaner with the cone
3 Polish with cone/buffer pad
4 polish
5 polish
6 polish
7 beer
8 beer
9 polish
10 polish
11.- Put on sunglasses and admire work in a dimly lit room

454, Did I miss anthing? You ARE the wheel pro after all-

Wish I had thought to get a picture of that Pontiac with my phone. I'm so old I forget these new-fangled gadgets have stuff like that
Turd

by 1973 454 MONTE Sun Jan 31, 2010 6:02 pm

Roadcaptain S3 wrote:NNNIIICCCEE!! How long did it take before you could use your hands and bend your elbows again when you got done? someone else did them on a machine
Got 'em out in the garage and they look a lot like your "before" pic. i think there was one that even looked worse

So here's the plan: Hot soapy water, sponge and then.........
1 Scotch bright (fine)pad with mothers wheel cleaner
2 Mothers pre wax cleaner with the cone
3 Polish with cone/buffer pad
4 polish
5 polish
6 polish
7 beer
8 beer
9 polish
10 polish
11.- Put on sunglasses and admire work in a dimly lit room It cost me 55 a wheel,so you might get away cheaper, but the wheels were free

454, Did I miss anthing?take pictures You ARE the wheel pro after all- not me,i just try and help.

Wish I had thought to get a picture of that Pontiac with my phone. I'm so old I forget these new-fangled gadgets have stuff like that as we get older we tend to forget the easy stuff

by Roadcaptain S3 Sun Jan 31, 2010 6:49 pm

Free??? Free???
I hate you....

Nice graphic in your signature though
So I only hate you a little rabbit

by 1973 454 MONTE Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:00 pm

Roadcaptain S3 wrote:Free??? Free???
I hate you....

Nice graphic in your signature though
So I only hate you a little

My uncle bought a 81 corvette for parts in 2003. i took 4 rollers to his house while he was at work Twisted Evil

and took the alums home with me. As a matter of fact the motor and trans from same car is waiting for me to come and get.I need to put that in my 86 caprice Very Happy

Please dont hate lol!

cause really you took MY and brown eye's idea 'bout using the aluminums Beer

Have you desided what size tires you are going to use? GoFast

by Roadcaptain S3 Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:19 pm

You've got me on stealin wheel ideas, but they looks so GOOOOOD on these cars. So....the hate is fading.

Battin around the tire thing. I want to fill up the wells, but don't want to go too big.
I'm thinkin 265/60, 275 or around there. Want 'em wider, but not a lot taller than stock. was reading back over the post and checking dimensions etc.
Near as I can figure, the closest thing to bone stock is 255/60, based on the original size Cooper tires said was on Kojak (Gunas) in 75.

I plan in using the same size all around just for practical purposes, and I like the look of it.

Still mullin it, thus the title about my disorder.

by 1973 454 MONTE Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:24 pm

Roadcaptain S3 wrote:You've got me on stealin wheel ideas, but they looks so GOOOOOD on these cars. So....the hate is fading.

Battin around the tire thing. I want to fill up the wells, but don't want to go too big.
I'm thinkin 265/60, 275 or around there. Want 'em wider, but not a lot taller than stock. was reading back over the post and checking dimensions etc.
Near as I can figure, the closest thing to bone stock is 255/60, based on the original size Cooper tires said was on Kojak (Gunas) in 75.

I plan in using the same size all around just for practical purposes, and I like the look of it.

Still mullin it, thus the title about my disorder.

I tried the 255's,but cause I am sitting a little higher,I am glad I stuck with the 275's.They seem to fit better. Clapp

by Roadcaptain S3 Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:37 pm

Yeah, yours is a little higher, Montes look good that way.

One reason I want to stay kinda close to stock tire height is that I may lower it just a little. But I won't know 'til i get 'em on and get a look at it.

I'm a little worried about the front fenders. You could park an Abrams tank in the rears, but those fenders may get cranky in a turn if I get too much in there.

This is cool, if you've never seen it.

www.miata.net

go to tire size calculator

Also if you go to "bowtieoverdrives.com", they have a calculator that will tell you which gears (driver and driven) to put your tranny to make your speedo accurate for your tire diameter-pretty cool

PLUS!!!!! earlier I said cooper tires advised the Original sizes for Gunas. I should have said

COKER TIRE!!!! whoops HR78-15 and HR70-15 which translate to roughly 245/60/15 and 215/70 15 respectively. if you check these on the miata site, you find they are the same diameter minu less than 1%

After screwing around a little while, I'm thinkin 275/60 will work the best, and only be a little taller than stock (5.8 vs-6.5 inch sidewall)

And Limey said earlier that I shouldn't have any rubbing issues with that. They will be the same height as browneye, but a little bit wider-

by 1973 454 MONTE Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:39 pm

This is cool, if you've never seen it.

www.miata.net

go to tire size calculator been there done that Very Happy

COKER TIRE!!!! whoops HR78-15 and HR70-15 which translate to roughly 245/60/15 and 215/70 15 respectively. if you check these on the miata site, you find they are the same diameter minu less than 1% my monte tire size is GR-70-15

After screwing around a little while, I'm thinkin 275/60 will work the best, and only be a little taller than stock (5.8 vs-6.5 inch sidewall) I like the 275-60 'cause the tread is about 8" just like the wheel.So the side of the tire has the bubble effect.

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by 1973 454 MONTE Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:02 pm

how are the wheels coming out?

did your arms fall Sleep

?

or did you run out of Beer

?

by Roadcaptain S3 Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:23 pm

I'm dying. I have crab claws where my fingers used to be.

Naw, It isn't quite THAT bad...almost, but not quite.

I started on one of them last night and discovered pretty quickly that the plain old polish method ain't gonna work. I used hot water and soap for the top two layers of gunk, then moved on to the meguiers wheel cleaner. Started polishing and noticed that lots of spots were getting very shiny while in others the thin layers of corrosion were just too ****ing tough for the polish to wear it off. Tried some very mild polishing compound, and wasn't really getting anywhere.
Did a little research today, (ya shoulda seen me trying to type with blackened, split fingernails, JK) and ordered some Flitz Industrial Aluminum cleaner from Summit- Claims to cut through the corrosion without damaging the aluminum- Directions say to spray it on and let it sit for 5-7 minutes then scrub it off with a brush or fine scouring pad. I'm a little nervous about using a scotch-brite, cuz aluminum is a p***y metal, but I figure I'll try a spot on the back and see what happens. If i can get the corrosion off, the polishing should go well, most of the wheel am working on looks great, but there are some really stubborn areas that truly look crappy Couple of places recommend ACID to get the gunk off YUK
Kinda makes me yearn for some good old fashoined rusty steel.

Bobby

by 1973 454 MONTE Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:36 pm

well i got somethin to chear you up. after i spent 220.00 to get mine polished,i was getting ready for the NMCOA Convention in 2003.i asked my 5 year old to help me wash the monte. he grabed bleach white and started to spray the tires and wheels.well i did not know and by the time i noticed it stained all 4 wheels. so i took them off and took them back to the guy, tires and wheels this time. he had to redo them again and got another 160.00 out of me.

so if you spent 275 for them and you are doing all the work, do not let anyone HELP clean them lol!

by Roadcaptain S3 Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:41 pm

Good Tip
I have a couple of "helpers" around here too. Funny how it takes twice as long to do anything when you have all that "help".

But, Hey, we wouldn't do it any other way, would we?

It takes you twice as long cuz you're laughing so hard Very Happy

by 1973 454 MONTE Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:50 pm

Roadcaptain S3 wrote:Good Tip
I have a couple of "helpers" around here too. Funny how it takes twice as long to do anything when you have all that "help".

But, Hey, we wouldn't do it any other way, would we?

It takes you twice as long cuz you're laughing so hard

they do meen well tho Thumbs up

i took away his steak dinner and gave him the dollar menu choices Clapp

by Roadcaptain S3 Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:03 am

Took some "before" pix, will try to post up if I ever get the goo off for an after pic

by The Dude Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:42 pm

LOL I bought mine for $100 with tires in the condition they are currently in (see signature). Of course I got rid of the tires that were on them & went with the ones in the pic. I'm gonna polish them myself for a total investment of $100 + polishing supplies. OTOH, I didn't get center caps with mine so add that to the expense if I ever choose to get some.

I plan to make them really shine with some 1500 grit sand paper, 2000 grit sand paper, then a buffing wheel & some Mothers aluminum polish. I done this to a couple of the Keystone wheels & it made a big difference.

by 74Malibu383 Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:18 pm

Ever think about having them clear coated after polishing them? I had mine cleared before they were ever shipped to me. Sure it cost $65 extra a wheel, but a little soap and water cleans them right up. No elbow grease required.

by Roadcaptain S3 Thu Feb 04, 2010 2:14 pm

Just talked to my buddy, he says to hit them with low odor aircraft stripper first, that'll get all the corrosion and ANY kind of coating off of 'em, then it's just a matter of polishing. Won't harm the metal, but strong enough to remove everything nasty. Then hit em with the power washer and get'em good and dry.
He's got a beautiful 58 impala and has been doing paint and body work for forty years, so I figure I'll give it a try.
He also said he's done it on a couple of sets of vette wheels before, and they came out really well.
AND he said you SHOULD clear coat 'em when you get done.

by The Dude Thu Feb 04, 2010 2:54 pm

Definitely clear coat them with a GOOD quality clear. Otherwise they turn a dull gray color in a matter of months. I got some aircraft stripper & a pressure washer so I'll give that a try on one of the wheels. When I was in school at Spartan School of Aeronautics, I found out that they actually have a cleaner designed for stuff like this, but you would have to find someone that works at an airport to have access to the stuff. Let me look through some books to find the name of it.

by Roadcaptain S3 Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:31 pm

My guy says you should be able to pick the stuff up at most auto parts places, or auto paint supply stores

by The Dude Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:06 pm

You can buy aircraft stripper nearly anywhere. It's usually in a light blue container or spray paint can. I'm talking about Stoddard Solvent (took me a minute to remember the name). Also MEK (Methylethylketone) is a great cleaner if you have good ventilation. It should be available to the general public, but isn't as easy to find as aircraft stripper.

by Roadcaptain S3 Thu Feb 04, 2010 6:53 pm

Update!!
Picked up the aircraft stripper at Advance- brushed on a coat-5 minutes-most of the goo came off-hit it again-5 minutes-goo came off with hot water and a scrub brush-stuff said it should be at least 70 degrees to use it HAHAHAHA-40 out there right now-stripper probably would have gotten it all if it was warmer- 1 coat of polish and a beer- getting ready to start the second of both-darn wheel is starting to look presentable!

by TWBouska AKA Wooderson Thu Feb 11, 2010 6:44 pm

you should try to find a set of Z06 wheels...the 17's would look sweet on a G3

by 74Malibu383 Thu Feb 11, 2010 7:03 pm

They might look good, but the backspacing would be completely wrong. The rears only have about a 2.25 offset. They would never fit.

by Roadcaptain S3 Thu Feb 11, 2010 8:57 pm

Thanks TW, but.....TOO LATE!!
Halfway thru polishing the C3 vette wheels, done with two, just waiting to get 'em someplace warm enough to clear coat the polished two, and strip the remaining two.
If I could just get one more 40 degree day here!!
Got all the way up to 30 f today and i almost broke a sweat.
Last warm day this week apparently.
If I can get 'em to my buddy's shop this weekend, I'll finish up.

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