How I polish my wheels the cheap way

[@1one3_Racing]

Those hotwires would mirror polish. The difference is the Japanese wheels would have been mirror finisb from factory and the hotwires would have been brushed. So they'll need ALL the texture sanded out of them. Plus the 40 years of oxide. It would take a more aggressive initial sand, basically.

[@justanidiotwithcars]

@@1one3_Racing I have seen really good jobs done on hotwires but what I was told is they are horrible for oxidation because of the steel they are and even if you do manage to get a mirror finish it's a lot of work to keep them that way.

[@1one3_Racing]

@justanidiotwithcars yeah thats true. The quality of aluminium in Australia was pretty inferior in those days. Which is strange considering Australian steel was the best in those days. Still is. If you don't want to have to polish them all the time you can apply a coating. Clear acrylic is generally not the best due to it not wanting to stick to the slick surface. Shark skin or one of those type things works. Alcoa durabrite.

[@justanidiotwithcars]

@@1one3_Racing I fully intend on stripping and painting these wheels, I already have the paint, and yeah, a lot of our construction steel, but a lot of steel used in cars in the late 70s and 80s japanese cars, they're all rusty af now

[@blakecable7088]

Still got all your fingers?

[@justanidiotwithcars]

@@blakecable7088 😄 yes, I don't stick my fingers in the moving parts, but just on them, I do get a shock when the sandpaper catches and launches at me though 😅