Painting vintage Ronal Basket Weaves.

I have a set of vintage Ronal basket weaves for an E30, 14 inch. They are the open lug wheels, they use to be gold centers with a silver lip. The paint is about 99% worn off. So I am going to strip them with Aircraft stripper and then repaint them.

Any suggestions on what type of paint I should use for these wheels. Something durable, I am probably going to mount snows on these.

I am thinking of doing a black center with a silver lip. Any thoughts?

GR

I think I recall Wurth making wheel paint - ok, a little googling (search yourself for other sale outlets/prices/etc) - this is one source that came up -

http://www.properautocare.com/euwhrekit.html

http://www.properautocare.com/euwhtokit.html

http://www.properautocare.com/wheelpaint.html

My ronal/MSW wheels were white spokes with machined faces and polished lips. I repainted them black, repolished the lips and spoke faces (but what a pain!) Black with polished is a good choice. Clear coat is after all the work is a better choice. BTW, polish, mask, then paint.

Thanks I will look into Wurth!.

I think the black will look good too. There is a picture of a white E21 in the gallery section of this site that has vintage baskets weaves that are black with a polished lip. They look great.

So you think I should do a polished lip over a painted silver lip? Can I polish with a wire brush attached to a drill? I think in junior high (going way way back here) I used a wire brush on a grinding wheel machine to polish aluminum in metal shop. I was planning to do the clear coat at the end.

Thanks for the advice!

Grant

You can polish them that way, but you will not be happy with the resluts. It makes the surface lumpy. I know it will look good, because my Dinan M5 wheels are black/polished and they look fantastic.

What technique do you suggest to polish the lips?

GR

Paul, I am guessing you haven't looked at this thread since I last posted. What technique do you use to polish the rim lip? Thanks in advance!

GR

Thought I had. Hmm, anyhow, use elbow grease. Do you have a polishing wheel or a drill mounted polishing kit? I'll try to find a link to a good polishing method I saw that may help, but it will be a PITA no matter what you do.

I realize it will take elbow grease and I am prepared to do so. I do have a dremel, is that too weak? I am willing to buy an attachment for a drill if necessary. Thanks for the advice!

GR

You can do it with a Dremel, but you can also wash your car with a toothbrush.