question for JJDraper

[thor]

In your gallery, on the "when it's good it's good" picture, it looks like you've got the black/polished alloys, but have painted the spokes too, leaving the polished rim? If so, any good tips on how you got this good result?

Cheers

[JJDraper]

The wheels did look great. The picture was taken about three years ago. The wheels were in a pitiful state when I got the car, with severe pitting & corrosion. I was in two minds whether to get new wheels or have the old ones refurbished. I took them to a specialist who was unhappy to redo them as original, and - to his credit - warned me that he felt that they would not be a fully succesful refurb. He seemed to think the alloy would "gas out" even after having them diamond turned to get the bright sparkly bits. He refused to do the spokes in clear laquer, as he couldn't guarantee good adhesion. In the end I had only the rims turned and done in clear laquer and the rest in black. The cost was around ?35 per wheel.

They did look good, BUT after three years of full on exposure to weather, they now look pretty poor again.... The laquer has lifted on the rims, where the shiny alloy has corroded underneath. I knew I was taking a risk & taking the decision again, I would probably go for new wheels at ?100 a time, either original style, or the 14" Minilites from Spyder. If pushed I think I would go for the 14" Minilites for daily use & refurb the old ones for show in dry weather! Any feedback on the long term weather resistance of the new ones at Matty's?!

I have been watching some of the post re Tyre pressures & I think the 14" rims would eliminate some of the variability caused by original taller tyres. I notice that mine seems to sway about under serious cornering & direction flips which I can only put down to tyre walls flexing. My only worry is losing the ride comfort - can't have everything!

Jeremy