its not possible to do hte whole thing, you can only powder coat metal!!! Powder coating works by negatively charging the metal and shooting posatively charged powder onto the metal so they "cling" together then you bake it in a 400+ degree over to cure it together! Although a lot of cars that have been restored get their frames done. Its a very durable coating and it looks great!

 

Yeah but you need a decent oven if you want things to hold up nice. Also one of the most expensive parts of getting something coated is the stripping process. For rims it is best to use an acid dip solution, if you try to sandblast the factory powder off then you chance pitting the aluminum!

 

True, but shop around. I've found a place in Denver that will do $50/rim.

 

I can get tehm done for that much too but that does not include acid dipping the rims too! If I bring them a set of rims alreaqdy stripped it would cost a lot less! But for podwer to cure correctly the surface needs to be COPLETELY clean or the coating will be contaminated

 

damn ap1 s2k, you really know your shit about powdercoating. lol.

thanx, i learned alot today.

 

I know a little, I helped out a friend who does it! My valve cover is being done right now! It cost me $40 to have it stripped and coated Cusco Blue

 

As an aside to powder coating vs. painting. Touch up work is more easily accomplished with paint, you can touch up chipped powder coating with paint but you will need to mask off around the damaged area.
The only other downside to powder coating versus paint is that with powder coating you are somewhat limited in color choices.

 

NOT AT ALL

Have you ever checked out a set of chips that show the colors of powders??? There are thousands of different colors available! Then you can add you metallics and pearls etc. to them!

Although I will admit paint has powder beat in the overall range of colors, you are completely without restricytions on paint. And yes paint is easier to touch up but you have to touch up powder less often

 

Powder Coating is the only choice.

Painting will cost about the same, and you will have an inferior quality finish that will not endure abuse. And the above reply is 100% true, my powder coater is just a little opperation, and he has over 200 colors, and can for a cost do just about any custom color. If there is a drawback to powder coating it is the fact that you cannot powder doat plastic, so that leaves you will a challenge as what to do with your plastic center cap, for me, I solved that problem, I did nothing...

Pics don't do justice to this color, overall very dark grey, but sunlight/refl;ections turns it into something like black chrome.

 

I have done lots of rims, for me I do not believe in the acid dip. In my mind the best stripping is done by bead blasting - think sand blasting but with plastic beads instead of sand, they are a bit softer and dig into the material less. In addition, I also have to point out, if the supplier is talented and has good equipment sand blasting is just fine. The person needs to have skill though because you are right, sand blasting done by some ham-fisted dolt will really tear into the surface. All of the wheels I have done have been sand blasted, but my guy is a real pro.

Original finish


Powder coated after 10-years of track use


The color is awesome, very complex