Author Topic: Rechrome original wheels?  (Read 14061 times)

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Offline Loren At 65GS

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Rechrome original wheels?
« on: April 18, 2009, 09:54:30 PM »
Wondering if anyone has had a set of original sport wheels rechromed

Thanks ,
Loren
65 GS hardtop BCA Senior
 65 GS thin pillar coupe
 65 Skylark coupe v-6
 65 GS hardtop restoration project
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Offline Mark Ascher

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2009, 10:25:14 PM »
Me too.

Mark
65 GS HT 4 Speed - BCA Senior 2015; AACA Senior Grand National 2021
66 Impala 396/TH400/12 Bolt "Project Rodent Remediation" - Almost Done
69 Bel Air 2 Door Sedan "Project Junior Stock" - In Process
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Offline WkillGS

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #2 on: April 19, 2009, 09:02:04 AM »
Curt McWheels has been mentioned over on V8Buick.  The word is that he does excellent work, but turnaround time varies.  I don't know if wheels have to be disassembled for the process.
Walt K
Eastern Pa

66 GS Astro Blue/blue 425 auto
66 GS Silver Mist/black 401 4 spd
66 GS Flame Red/black 401 5 spd
66 GS Saddle Mist/black 401 L76 auto
66 Special Flame Red/black 300 5 spd
65 GS vert Verde Green/ Saddle buckets 401 4 spd
79 Turbo Regal

Offline wildcat65

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #3 on: April 19, 2009, 04:44:55 PM »
I'm sending mine out to Rallyamerica.com  to see if they can make some replicas.  I have 3 OK ones, would like 2 more.

Ted
Ted Nagel         65 Skylark GS 4-speed + Wildcats + GS's

Offline Loren At 65GS

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #4 on: April 19, 2009, 07:45:16 PM »
This was a long time ago, but I remember that some place took the centers out and welded them to new rims, then chromed the whole wheel.
Sound familiar?

Loren
65 GS hardtop BCA Senior
 65 GS thin pillar coupe
 65 Skylark coupe v-6
 65 GS hardtop restoration project
 65 Sport Wagon
 70 GS 455 htp / original engine
 94 Roadmaster wagon
 96 Roadmaster wagon- parts car
 63 Riviera

 BCA 14371
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Offline WkillGS

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2009, 09:06:45 PM »
Loren, that could be McWheels.
Bill Burton had a set done by him.....new rims were welded to NOS centers.
Contact info is in this thread:
http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=174387&highlight=mcwheels

>>>Curt McKim is McWheels.
He's out of Slater, Iowa. 515-685-3397<<<<<

And another company that that sells refurbished wheels:
http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=147736
Walt K
Eastern Pa

66 GS Astro Blue/blue 425 auto
66 GS Silver Mist/black 401 4 spd
66 GS Flame Red/black 401 5 spd
66 GS Saddle Mist/black 401 L76 auto
66 Special Flame Red/black 300 5 spd
65 GS vert Verde Green/ Saddle buckets 401 4 spd
79 Turbo Regal

Offline Loren At 65GS

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2009, 11:27:52 PM »
Thanks Walt!

Loren
65 GS hardtop BCA Senior
 65 GS thin pillar coupe
 65 Skylark coupe v-6
 65 GS hardtop restoration project
 65 Sport Wagon
 70 GS 455 htp / original engine
 94 Roadmaster wagon
 96 Roadmaster wagon- parts car
 63 Riviera

 BCA 14371
 BCA 65 Gran Sport Division

Offline Robk

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #7 on: September 10, 2009, 08:18:07 PM »
I had a lengthy conversation today with Curt McKim.  He described in detail his process and the various options he offers.  He also has about 20 rally wheels left of an original 120+ he purchased from an Iowa salvage yard.  He was very matter-of-fact about his ability to restore my wheels to like new condition.    He seemed very knowledgeable and credible to me.   On top of it all, his pricing is surprisingly low.    In my case, I am lucky, as he is in Iowa and I am in Minnesota.  He drives up to the Cabellas Sporting Goods store in Minnesota once a month so all i have to do is meet him there and he will take the wheels and bring them back on his next trip.  So no shipping costs.   I am meeting him in about three weeks with five wheels for him to restore.  They will be ready in two to four weeks.   I will let you guys know how they turn out.  I'll take some before and after shots.

Rob Keena
65 Gran Sport Convertible 4 Speed

Offline Chris

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2009, 08:35:02 PM »
Rob,

Just curious.. are you willing to share the price of having all four redone?

Thanks,

Chris
-= A Howitzer with Windshield Wipers =-

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Offline Robk

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #9 on: September 10, 2009, 08:47:32 PM »
Chris,

It would cost more for me to apply new rims to my centers, but blasting priming, and painting my centers, and acid cleaning and bringing the chrome back to full shine is only $40 per wheel!   To me five wheels that will "look like new" for $200, seemed quite reasonable (and i am a known cheapskate).  He also said that if my wheels can't be restored to "like new" then he will switch him with a wheel he has.   Wow
Rob
65 Gran Sport Convertible 4 Speed

Offline Chris

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2009, 09:33:16 PM »
Very Nice!    :thumbsup:

Is the chrome just acid cleaned or actually rechromed?

Just wondering since mine have pits which would require new chrome.

Chris
-= A Howitzer with Windshield Wipers =-

 1965 GS Coupe
 1983 Porsche 911 SC
 2000 Porsche 911
 2011 Lamborghini LP550-2

Offline Robk

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2009, 06:41:51 PM »
Chris,

The "acid cleaning" is more complex than a simple cleaning.  You may be familiar with this process but i wasn't.  He puts this acid substance on the wheel and (in his words) it foams up for about 20 minutes and draws all of the impurities out of the chromed centers.  Then he buffs it.  He says he has yet to encounter a center he could not restore to like new condition.

If your outer rim shell is shot, he cuts that off, and installs a new one which he sends out to be re-chromed.  He can use your centers to make any size you want.  To have the centers restored and the outer rims shells re-chromed and replaced is about $90 per wheel.  He says this process makes the wheel indecipherable from new.  Still pretty cheap in my book.    He has been restoring wheels for 35 years.

I will let everyone know how my wheels turn out.  I am handing them over to him in a few weeks.

Rob
65 Gran Sport Convertible 4 Speed

Offline Loren At 65GS

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2009, 08:21:15 PM »
 :thumbsup:This is just what I need to have done to this set of original'65 wheels
Thanks  Rob, how about before and then after pics.

Loren
65 GS hardtop BCA Senior
 65 GS thin pillar coupe
 65 Skylark coupe v-6
 65 GS hardtop restoration project
 65 Sport Wagon
 70 GS 455 htp / original engine
 94 Roadmaster wagon
 96 Roadmaster wagon- parts car
 63 Riviera

 BCA 14371
 BCA 65 Gran Sport Division

Offline 65gs76limited

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #13 on: September 14, 2009, 11:07:35 PM »
I'd like to see before and after pictures also.     Tom

Offline Robk

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Re: Rechrome original wheels?
« Reply #14 on: September 17, 2009, 09:29:31 PM »
I am meeting "McWheels" near a swap meet in MN on Saturday.  Here are some "before" photos.  Three of them will probably be both centers and outer rims.  They are pretty rusty, especially on the back side.    Rob K
65 Gran Sport Convertible 4 Speed