Stripping and polishing factory painted alloys.

[Calaber]

I have Series 2 VY Calais rims on my car, which are painted in a satin silver finish by the factory. I would prefer them to have a machined or lightly polished natural alloy finish on the spokes, with a darker metallic grey in the recesses, the same as various other optional wheels on Holdens and Falcons.

Before I take to the rims to remove the original silver, does anyone know what the finish of the bare rim was prior to painting? Were they machined or a smoothly cast natural finish? I don't want a highly polished finish - just a nice low sheen bare alloy effect,. with the darker recesses setting the spokes off a bit.

Has anyone done this to these rims or something similar?

[Andrew426]

I dont know about your VY rims, but the VN alloys I stripped back were just a rough cast finish after I got the paint/powdercoating off. They were factory wheels, made by ROH ( believe ROH make all the factory rims for holden)

Also, I used a product called tergo strip from tergo industries to strip them - which worked really well IMO. Its an aircraft stripper, most paint supplies places should stock it. Do not get it on your skin though, I accidentally flicked a little bit up onto my wrist and washed it off within 30 seconds - and still have a chemical burn there 18 months later.