[6pack] Wheel refurb

[Mark Hooper]

Hi Jerry:

Here is a note I wrote back in 2005 when I had my rims done.

"I just sent my TR6 rims to www.rimandwheelworks.com for straightening and
powder coating. I sent 4 wobbly rusty rims off and have just received and
installed 3 very nice shiny straight rims. The look and straightness is
enormously improved. The tire shop spun them for me and they were very
straight, compared to the battered egg-shaped things I sent along.

So far almost all the highway vibration I have been experiencing is gone. An
enormous relief after years of fruitless balancing and avoiding specific
speeds.

I had my wheels sandblasted, trued and then powder-coated a gold colour on the
outside. They had to send the rims out for PC and it was a bit of a battle to
get them to accept it could be done at all. However, they seem to have found a
decent shop.

The total cost for me was $175/wheel. That is $100 for truing and $75 for
powder coat. The shop really wanted to paint the rims, but I forced them to
send them out. I'm very glad I did. However, I cannot report whether the paint
would have been part of the $100 original price.

I realise that I could have bought alloys for practically the same price, but
I really like the original look. So, for me the expense of $700 USD + shipping
has been worth it, but I'm very glad it wasn't worse."

2010 UPDATE - I realised a couple of years afterward that the shop had blasted
the rims nicely, but the powder-coating shop seems to have coated only the
fronts and the interior. The shiny silver backing was bare steel, not
aluminium-coloured paint as I had expected. Thus, over the past couple of
years, all the back of the rims turned rusty brown. One at a time, I have been
wire wheeling them and coating with POR and then top-coating. That has
produced good results. Nevertheless, for the price it was a real shock to have
to do. I recall a couple of years ago that someone had written to me having
experienced the same problem.

Cheers,

Mark
72 TR6

-----Original Message-----
From: 6pack-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:6pack-bounces at autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of Jerry C Shaw
Sent: May 21, 2010 7:25 AM
To: 6pack at autox.team.net
Subject: [6pack] Wheel refurb

Before I have my old steel wheels powder coated, I'd like to have them trued
up and tested for breaks, leaks, etc. Does anyone have a source in the
Northeast? One guy locally does aluminum wheels and wants exorbitant money.

Jerry
'74 TR6 Mallard Green