Painting Rims And Callipers

[Kurt Zee]

alright...i've been looking around for rims EVERYWHERE....and everything that i like is WAY too expensive! SO...our rims aren't too bad for being stock (i've seen worse). so i'm planning on painting them black and painting the callipers either red or white. i'm thinkin' white to keep up with my black and white scheme.

is there anything that i need to know before i get started. i know getting a powder coat would be better and have a better final effect....but again...money comes into play on that. and is there a how-to on this.....like taking that callipers off? i don't want to screw anything up.

also...i was looking at the how-to on removing the dash....did anyone do a how-to with pics in it?

[eag182]

Search the howto for the dash, you know that.

IMO do not paint the stock's. Save up.

There are threads on painting the calipers, too. You do not need to take them off, but it would provide for a better paint job. If not, mask the area after you've cleaned the caliper pretty good and spray it with some high heat paint ($4-5 at autozone).

[Kurt Zee]

yeah that's what i thought....i know there are how-to out there already...but i'm looking for one with pics...didn't find any with the search and i'm just going to paint them until i get my good ones...just as a temp thing ya know. and it almost seems like it's as much work to mask everything then it is to just take em off.

[sound_xtreme]

cool, so your rims will look like your tails now! and by that i mean they'll look like utter sh*t

[Kurt Zee]

hey man....i know A LOT of people don't like the tails on my car...but i do...so reminding me of your opinion isn't doing much....but it's all good. and i haven't done anything to my rims yet...i was just getting some opinions, i think yours is clear tho!! LOL :lol:

[cutelilcntrygrl]

Kurt, don't worry about what anyone else thinks. Opinions are like a$$ holes and everyone has one. It's YOUR car. Do what YOU like and what makes you happy :) Just don't go putting a huge fart can and a park bench spoiler on it :P

[Kurt Zee]

trust me...whale tails are not even touch my car...stock spoilers look pretty good...i'm not too worried about that right now tho.

[jackal2000]

if you paint while they are still on the car and plan to use psray paint, be cautious of overspray.

[Kurt Zee]

nope...takin' them off at the body shop on base

[Redog]

Jturkey painted his rims, but I don't know what he used or how it's holding up. I do know that he sanded them down a lot to get the paint to stick

[Kurt Zee]

yep...the best way to do it is to use 400 grit at first to get all the brake dust, tar, or what ever is stuck to the wheels. then go to about 1500 grit then prim, color, then clear, clear, clear!!! and viola! DONE...i'm probably going to see if i can brush paint the olds symbol white....good idea? bad idea?

[eag182]

ghetto idea

[sound_xtreme]

you dont need to use 1500. you nuts? most body shops finish sanding with 400. then prim. they scuff and buff with 1500-2000, usually 2000

[SlickSketcher]

brake dust is always a problem. i've had my 99 for two years now and the rims have taken their beating and have a few yellow spots. i'm going to sand them down, remove the finish and repaint them the polished aluminum and then refinish them. any car parts store has paint specifically for rim painting.

[brsexton]

The road salt has really messed my stock wheels up. I cleaned my car a few weeks ago and noticed that the clear is coming off in spots on each wheel. Is there any way to paint the wheels with the tires still on the rim?

[SlickSketcher]

yeah....mask off the tires so no paint gets on them