So, I have been busy with the modification of my 2006 MINI seven hole rims. The plan had been clear plasti, but when thoroughly cleaned up I realized there were defects and scratches that would not produce the "new" look I was hoping for. I want to contrast rotting paint with clean wheels. I had lots of black Plasti and my near-16 year old daughter likes black wheels (and hates my car, lol). So, when I concluded black was better than silver with the green pin stripes I planned... here ya go. Pics:
First job was cleaning. Before:
After cleaning:
After painting the first wheel with four coasts of Black Plasti and clear glossifier and UV protectant, parts bubbled-up in the trench with the valve stem. I discovered why. What I thought was faded paint was a peeling, DIY silver paint!
To avoid a recurrence of bubbling plasti, I used dict tape to pull off the weakest paint and then cleaned again. Finally, I used light dusting coats of plasti in the affected areas before full-on painting the wheel. Here is a detail of a light coat:
Four coats black and two coats UV protective glossifier on each wheel. I also used my "Stripe-It-All" tool to apply a forest green pin stripe. Final product with stripe:
Closeup with stripe:
Even though it could look good, the pin stripe was a disappointment. It went on easily and evenly. Nice tool! But no matter what I did the tool tore the plasti. So I only completed one wheel. Closeup with ripping of plasti:
THAT WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTING.
So, I have decided against the stripe until I have a better method or am ready to really paint them. Painters tape applied along the surface the tool runs along might protect the Plasti well enough. But for now, here is the final look without a stripe. I like the white lettering (paint pen):
NEXT STEPS
I will return to blanking the seven holes in each wheel, using a modified version of the method I wrote up a few posts ago. The blanking needs more reinforcement, of course. More write up later.