<VV> Polishing wire wheel hubcaps ... use plastic zip-lock bags for all the little pieces

[Charles Lee]

To all wire wheel polishers and model car / plane / etc collectors :

For polishing wheel covers (even non-wire), and for other small parts that
you want to keep together (I have a lot of model cars with loose parts in
"porous" boxes), I use plastic zip-lock bags.

Those plastic zip-lock bags are amazing little things that cost about 10
cents each give or take.

You don't even have to label them because they are transparent ...

Another hint from Heloise (anyone else remember her ?)

Chaz


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phil Fairman" <hoscale@paonline.com>
To: <virtualvairs@corvair.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 05, 2004 1:13 PM
Subject: <VV> Polishing wire wheel hubcaps...And repainting the black


> The recent thread on "care & feeding of wire wheel covers" is a good
primer
> for those who are somewhat daunted about taking these things apart. Having
> "done" about 4 sets, mine and for others, here is what I have done:
>
> Dissemble: 4-screws on spinner, 8-screws on hub, all parts
separated...keep
> the components from each wheel cover together, I use plastic washbasins.
Mark
> the position of the chrome hub with a sharpie too insure proper index when
> reassembling.
>
> Paint removal: Tried Lacquer thinner & Acetone, work ok, but too much
work.
> Use Strip-ezze or some comparable paint stripper, wash wheel cover with
hot
> water & soap after paint removal. Dry completely (laying in the sun works
> well) wipe down with a clean rag soaked with laquer thinner, then mask off
the
> "Places not to be painted" this is the most difficult part, I use three
> different widths of masking tape. Wipe areas to be painted AGAIN with
clean
> rag & laquer thinner.
>
> Painting: The surfaces to be painted are polished, paint doesn't want to
stick
> too well to smooth surfaces, so I prime with Eastwood #16014Z Self Etching
> Primer. Let dry 2 hours (in Sun) I use Seymour Semi-Gloss black lacquer
> #16-838 (From Branden Enterprises (215)327-4926) Lacquer dries faster and
has
> a harder surface than enamels...this is a underbody paint for
restorations. It
> levels well and has a uniform very low-gloss sheen that brightens up the
> wheelcover and still looks stock. .
>
> Polishing: The best chrome/stainless polish I have tried to date is the
> Artesian Metal Polish made by the P.O.R. folks, also available from
Clark's,
> polish the areas not painted on the cover, the hub & the spinner. You can
also
> clean up the spokes...if your spokes have a lot of nicks & damage, turn
them
> over when you reinstall, the backs will be in much better shape. I
replaced my
> spinners with Clark's repros, they are much nicer that the GM spinners.
Here
> is something I have found to be very necessary when installing new
spinners
> that have never had a screw threaded into them: use anti-seize compound!
if
> the screw "bites" or galls going in the stud will break off. I use
anti-seize
> on all the screws when reassembling the covers.
>
> Assembly: Make sure the hub is properly indexed on the cover, use the mark
you
> made before dissasembly, assemble the spokes, add the spinner and you are
> done. Use a rubber mallet to install wire covers, I cover mine with a soft
> cloth. To remove wheelcovers from the wheel, use an upholstery panel
removal
> tool (Clark's C5907) they call it a door panel & weatherstrip remover..it
also
> works for taking off those retainers for the engine lid insulation. It is
> remarkably similar to the removal tool GM supplied with the car if ordered
> with wire wheel covers.
>
> There are many ways to deal with these covers, this works for me.
>
> Cheers,
> Phil Fairman
> '66 Monza 110/pg
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