[misc_work] Time For My Wheel Refurb Thread!

[pugman211 0]

best smooth out those runs then!!! lmao

[GLPoomobile 958]

Nice Homer slippers.

[toddydal 1]

its only 1k clear,24hrs and you can put tyres on, as long as you havent lashed the clearcoat on 1 coat after the other and got runs everywere, if you have put nice wet even coats on and left it 10mins between each coat i would defo say 24hrs to air dry ...1k will air dry very quickly and youve had them in your house to speed up the drying,,,,,,,,youve made a nice job of prepping the wheels up and a nice job of painting them as well

Edited April 17, 2009 by toddydal

[Cameron 16]

You haven't used Halfords paints before then.

[toddydal 1]

it must be s*it stuff if it takes a week to dry,the 1k clear we have at work its air dry in couple of hrs and you can flat it down with 1200 and polish it back up

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

it must be s*it stuff

 

Unfortunately it isn't even comparable to any professional use stuff.

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

Thanks chaps.

 

Just tried the nail test someone mentioned in here a bit ago, and there is very little in the way of marks.

 

I applied two good coats about 10 mins apart.

 

Overall I'd say I'm about 80% happy, maybe a bit more thorough with the sanding and tidier with the spraying element would be improvements to note for next time.

 

I would like to thank all the folk who offered there time and advice in helping me get this far. It's nice when your not just shot down for being a newbie at something and receive good honest help, so a big thumbs up from me. Think the next pictures will be when the tyres are on and the whole car is detailed thoroughly.

 

Thanks again to all those who have helped and hopefully it's a good thread for others to research in the future

 

Will update when I spray my centre caps laters.

[Rom 0]

I have no firm answer on sealign im afraid. Only info ive picked up in my search for answers.

Firstly, i have no idea if aerosol paint needs to gas like stuff used in bodyshops ? But id assume to some extent it does.

 

By using a synthetic sealant, like Auto Glym Extra Gloss Protection for example, it apparently seals the paint so well, that the gases and stuff cant escape, so can lead to all sorts of finish issues.

I had planned to polish and seal my car the day i got it back from the bodyshop, but found this out in the mean time. I had just assumed it was fine to do, on checkign with the bodyshop, he said to wait a few months before usign a proper synthetic sealant.

Thats on paint that has been baked twice.

 

Im a bit gutted my wheels arent even painted yet, as theres no way there going to be ready to go on when car is finished But hopefully, they can be baked hotter, so might not need aslong before i can seal them.

 

toddydal, you have any input on this subject, as i dont want to mis advise, everything ive said is just what ive been told recently.

[pugman211 0]

even if you were to bake something 3 times, it doesnt mean the solvent will escape any quicker. be patient and do it when you think the wheels are ready.

Edited April 17, 2009 by pugman211

[buchanan84 1]

well i've been inspired by all your hard work

 

so while i was sandblasting a 3 ton dumper last week, i sneaked a set of wheels through

 

 

 

slight improvment, leaves a rough finnish though but i've just sprayed them with filler primer so hopefully will sand back nice and smooth

 

what have people done with kerb damage?

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

I had minimal kerb damage so just sanded a little more. I still have a few small marks, but didn;t expect 100% from my first attempt.

[willmounsey 1]

I had minimal kerb damage so just sanded a little more. I still have a few small marks, but didn;t expect 100% from my first attempt.

Ive used a metal filler i got from halfords, sorry can't remember the make could of been U-POL

It works the same as body filler but its a bit harder to sand.

I put too much on the first wheel round the edge to repair curb damage and well i didn't do it on the rest

 

Will

[pugman211 0]

metal filler is made by Loctite.

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

Last major update, apart from when I get the tyres on this coming weekend...

 

Got the centre caps spray painted and laquered last night. 2 coats of spray paint 10 mins apart, and 2 coats of laquer 10 mins apart after a 45 min gap inbetween...

 

Will take some pics when the tyres are on and when I give the car a good detail.

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

LAST UPDATE...

 

I was impatient and decided to get the tyres put on the wheels today. Luckily in Sc*nthorpe last couple days I've had the chance to let the rims sunbathe So hopefully this has helped.

 

Anywho, mate got the 2 new Uniroyal Rainsports on and the 2 good Goodyear F1's in quick time, and after I got home, I got started on giving the car a good clean.

 

Won't bore you with products used etc, but I did give each wheel several coats of wax wheel sealant. Just finished the car now and went to a nice location for some pics (if such a place exists in the confinds of Sc*nthorpe ).

 

Enjoy...

 

Only downer on the day was that my Menzerna Intensive polish didn't arrive in the post, so after washing/drying I just waxed. Next time I wash the car, I'll claybar it after washing, then use the polish to remove as many scratch marks as possible permanently, then wax it again.

 

She looks good for now, and I'm gonna attakc the interior tomorrow if the weathers nice.

 

Again, a big thankyou to the help and advice everyone has come in with. Next time I'll have the buggers shotblasted to save me the hassle of sanding, but for a diy job I'm happy for now

 

Cheers for reading

 

Andy

[GLPoomobile 958]

Looks good. Now ditch the damn GTI badge from th grill, lower the front number plate, and fit that resistor somewhere instead of leaving it dangling below the valance

[willmounsey 1]

Looking good mate nice one

 

Will

[pugman211 0]

awww!! Looks beautiful!!

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

Looks good. Now ditch the damn GTI badge from th grill

 

Would like to do this, but need a spare grill while I take mine off, sand it and respray it, as the badge will take the paint with it unfortunatley. This was the last owners bright idea

 

 

 

lower the front number plate

 

Can I ask why? as it's drilled in and there is that stupid recess thats never been big enough for a number plate. The current one covers up abotu 20 previous drill holes too thank god.

 

and fit that resistor somewhere instead of leaving it dangling below the valance

 

Wonder if thats something to do with the dodgy fan wiring which melts my manual switches every couple of months Needs totally rewiring with thicker gauge wire from the fans through the bulkhead into the cockpit unfortunately.

[pip470 61]

I think it realy reflects how much time you spent sanding. Looks great. Well done.

[BusEngineer 7]

I think it looks great fella, and you certainly cant tell you've been rear ended this week

 

On a side note, how good are those flat wiper blades?? Worth having?

 

Just not sure on the modern look of them

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

Thanks for the comments guys.

 

Bus, they're brilliant. Bought from a shop on Ebay a few months back and cannot complain at all. Won;t use anything else now to be honest. Look so neat & tidy and do a 100% job on the windscreen.

[miamichris 9]

You could try heating the badge with a hairdryer first to loosen the glue, then clean it off with some tar and glue remover.

 

The last owner of my car had the gti badge on the front valance below the driving light!

[welshpug 1,622]

Wonder if thats something to do with the dodgy fan wiring which melts my manual switches every couple of months Needs totally rewiring with thicker gauge wire from the fans through the bulkhead into the cockpit unfortunately.

 

 

there really is no need for a manual switch, and if you do have one, it should be on a relay, which may explain your melted wires....

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

there really is no need for a manual switch, and if you do have one, it should be on a relay, which may explain your melted wires....

 

Nope, it's not. Just wires go straight through to the fans. Total hash up by someone obviously without a clue. By putting a relay in I will lower the current flowing to the switch, but then will end up metling a wire somewhere less favourable round the fans. Me and a mate spent a full afternoon trying to fathom it out and in the end we decided that it's easier to replace a 99p switch from Halfords every couple months rather than melting something more serious deeper inside.

 

Sounds kinda daft, but it's the best of a bad situation. As said only option is to find out why it has a manual switch in the first place or totally rewire the fans. both would require a electronics guru, something me and my mate (Flix) aren't comfortable attempting. When money is better my end, no doubt I'll have it changed again by a reputable 205 specialists like skip brown etc.