Steering, Suspension, & Brakes

tips, technology, tools and techniques related to non-driveline mechanical components

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tzed250
David Bettridge

(2 posts)

Registered:
02/20/2014 11:04AM

Main British Car:


Refurbish Lotus alloy wheels?
Posted by: tzed250
Date: February 20, 2014 11:13AM

Hi all.

I just bought a Lotus Eclat (the red Rick Raff V8 one) and am looking for advice on refurbishing the wheels.
They have some painted sections but are mostly bare alloy.
First I'm wondering what the original factory look was.
Second I'm looking for someone who can bring them back to spec, or advice on doing it myself.

Thanks!

- David


DiDueColpi
Fred Key
West coast - Canada
(1365 posts)

Registered:
05/14/2010 03:06AM

Main British Car:
I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now!

authors avatar
Re: Refurbish Lotus alloy wheels?
Posted by: DiDueColpi
Date: February 20, 2014 04:49PM

I'm assuming that you have the "Turbine" style wheels and not the speedline 4 spokes.
The original finish for the bare alloy parts was an as machined look. Not polished but still shiny, with faint turning marks.
The center part and the turbine fins were a dark graphite gray colour.
One of my cars has this exact wheel on it. The other has the same wheel with gold painted accents.
I've been told that the gold paint was an option but all of the sales brochures that I have show the graphite colour.
Should be a real easy wheel to refinish yourself.
You would need to experiment a little. But I would think that something like a 400 grit sand paper would duplicate the factory look.
These wheels also polish up really nicely. It's not factory but it goes well with all the bright trim on the car.

Cheers
Fred


tzed250
David Bettridge

(2 posts)

Registered:
02/20/2014 11:04AM

Main British Car:


Re: Refurbish Lotus alloy wheels?
Posted by: tzed250
Date: February 21, 2014 10:24AM

Thanks for the reply Fred,

Yes they are the Turbine style and they do have what looks like a dark battleship grey on the center and inside the 'cooling slots'.
Thanks for confirming.

They do have some curb rash as well, unfortunately.
So I am tempted to have then reconditioned.
Maybe I'll have someone fix the beads and blast them, and do the polishing (sanding) and painting myself.
I suppose polished and clear-coated would be easier to keep clean.
Can a sanded/machined finish be clear coated or would that look funny?

I bet the gold looks nice.
There's a devil on my shoulder that keeps saying "do the accents in red to match the body color"...

- David


DiDueColpi
Fred Key
West coast - Canada
(1365 posts)

Registered:
05/14/2010 03:06AM

Main British Car:
I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now!

authors avatar
Re: Refurbish Lotus alloy wheels?
Posted by: DiDueColpi
Date: March 08, 2014 03:51PM

Once you get them the way you want.
I would powdercoat them clear.
Almost bullet proof.


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