I’d like to paint my rim centers the body color (met. blk.) and leave the stainless lips polished. Would this look good (anyone with Photoshop that could help???) and would it last? After talking to my “painter” about it, he recommended not to. He said these cars generate too much heat in the brakes, etc. and it would blister/discolor regular automotive paint! Has anyone experienced this and is there a paint available that would prevent this but also match to the body color??? I did try the search and didn’t come up with much (sorry if it’s already been covered in depth here).

P.S. The car is mainly a daily driver but will see occasional track/auto-x use!

 

I recommend powdercoating over paint. Much more durable, accepts heat better and looks better too

 

Agreed but I don't think I could get a good match on color. I think a straight gloss black would not look good either but would be the closest match I could get in powdercoating. That's why I thought the automotive paint route ......

 

My painter is also an expert on Porsche brakes.....what a coincidence .


Anyway, on the paint & heat......your enemy is not brake heat.
I have painted hollows on the turbo for the track....not OE brakes & pretty sure they gen far more heat than you might see. Good painting procedures s/be followed....paint w/flex.....clear w/flex....bake and give em some time. All this is normal. They will be durable. I've had many wheels painted. If you drive where there's alot of gravel, you may want to powder coat instead.....I have not found this necessary for centers (but have for big-lip brushed rims).

If your wheels are 3 piece.....needless to say you should disassemble...paint...reassemble.

Good luck......and hey...your car looks pretty nice just the way it is right now.

BTW.....could be wrong but....possibly your lips are pollished alloy?....not stainless

 

Thanks GreggT for the knowledge and advice! And I don't think my "painter" is an expert on rims .... but he is good at painting cars! I believe they're two piece rims with stainless lips (ATP's now AT Italias - known for stainless lips from my research???) and yes, was planning on pulling them apart if I do paint them. And agreed they must be done right with flex agents, etc. Was just wondering if anyone had problems with this. I think I might need to find a painter who can do rims, ha! Thanks again for your input too!

 

Now if I can paint these without the paint blistering after a 2-days later at the track in the California Summer heat then I need not say anything further.

As far as Powder Coating is concern I can tell you all the reasons why not to go that route... (yes, I do this for a living) But then aqain I've said it before too manytimes. If his paint won't last then he shouldn't be around your wheels.

-Eli

 

Thanks Eli and nice work! Care to send me a PM with a "ballpark" estimate to do mine???

 

Can't advertise here, but here's a nice ball-park...

 

I had mine powdercoated...Perfect...

They are durable and have a great color. My pinstripe is painted and no heat is taking that off...

I wouldnt trust your painter. If he is saying stuff like that he might not be using the correct paint.

Painting is usually in the prep work anyways, regardless Im sure he's not an expert on Porsche brakes

 

Yes, I think I might need a new painter although I never thought I mentioned him saying he was an expert on porsche brakes. He simply stated he didn't recomend it do to heat generated etc, etc., ..... so he said.

 

Here's a close-up of a Baked-In finish...

Orange peel is going to show-up if it is Powder Baked... I personally paint the wheels as I would the hood of a car. No one stage shooting here...

 

are any finishes more durable over others?
diamond finish has a durable sounding name...
and seems to me a flat finish should last???



my wheels are very similar to the OPs... I've been thinking of a flat grey for the center, and the rim either leave polished or maybe a diamond red finish that I have seen on the fatforwardwheels site.

any one have any idea on cost to do all four?

 

Looks like a set of 545's you got there. The diamond finish is done using a chrome base.... That sort of finish alone gets pretty pricey. I have a set of my own I'm working on (3-pc) cost of material and cost for labor really adds up. One a one pc. wheel the average cost is around $300-350 per wheel, 3-pc wheels just ads to the labor involved.

On all diamond coating we use a "un-disclosed" material to allow a baked in bonding process to take to the metal. The finish is like no other as we end up using this finish on mostly high end and show cars.

 

go with a good paint job, although I'm not particularly fond of the wheel design in general...

Eli you do nice work man, why don't you become a sponsor here?

 

Here are my Kinesis wheels that I just had refinished (powdercoated). It cost $450 for two...so about $900 or less for all four.
Your car would look great with the centers of the wheels powdercoated or painted black and the outer lips left polished.