STARFISH ALLOY REFURB?

barryjagman · Postby **barryjagman** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 7:24 pm

Hello everyone,

My Starfish alloys are in need of a refurbishment but my local alloy wheel 'specialist' can only offer to beadblast and paint/powdercoat the whole wheel in silver. I would like to have them as original, has anyone found a company that can refurbish the wheels correctly?

Anyone know the colour of the painted sections?

Any help wpold be greatly appreciated.

Best regards, Barry from Tyneside.

MichaelSB · Postby **MichaelSB** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:11 am

Hi Barry

Spit and Polish did a good job on my celebration wheels, they arranged collection on a Friday and they were back with me in 7 days.

The website is http://www.spitandpolish.co.uk/

Michael

jthorne · Postby **jthorne** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 10:53 pm

I have the 20 spoke diamond turned alloy wheels which need a refurb. Would it be best to paint, lacquer or polish them? Do i need a particular company?

MichaelSB · Postby **MichaelSB** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:15 am

Spit and polish as above did my diamond cut wheels

Linxman · Postby **Linxman** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 12:07 pm

A very good question indeed. I really do not like to see these wheels silver all over, it just doesn't look right in my opinion. It also reminds me of those dodgy second hand cars that have had a quick blast of silver paint over their flaky wheels! Yuk!

I think its good to see an an early HE or Cab with perfect original spec starfish alloys, rather then the nice (but incorrect) lattice wheels. As these cars get rarer, I think more people will want to return their cars to original spec and they will then have the same problem.

I have previously tried to find someone to do the job, without success. The infill colour is a very dark grey, almost black. But you also need to be careful with the main colour - it's not bright silver like on modern cars, it is a much darker silver.

The main problem, as you say, is getting someone to do the infilling. You could probably do the 5 infills around the wheel nuts and centre sections yourself with some masking tape and a spray can and / or a steady hand. But its the rim section where I think it will be virtually impossible to recreate the absolutely perfect circular line all the way around the wheel. It must have been done with a mask in the factory and without that I don't think you will get anywhere near perfection.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ONE OF THESE ORIGINAL MASKS THEY COULD LEND OUT?

Failing that, you could try your best with some masking tape, but certainly you would need a very steady hand indeed - I suggest that nobody will do a better job than yourself, so don't pay someone else to do a worse job! There is a slight ridge at that point, but it won't help much and I doubt you will ever match the original finish.

IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHER IDEAS PLEASE DO POST THEM.