tires and wheels Wheel Accent Painting (Alpina Content)

[bluebmw]

I just got my Alpina wheels back from the powdercoater, and I'd like to paint the center lug area black like they came from the factory. I'm looking for suggestions on how to do this - how to prep, scuff, paint types, etc...

 

EDIT:

Since starting this thread back in 2014 I have created a stencil specifically designed for painting ALPINA wheel centers. You can find the stencils here.

 

Example photos:

 

My wheels:

Edited September 5, 2015 by BMWnKTM

[John_in_VA]

Check ~2/3 down on this page - http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=95806&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=450

More pix here - http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=122019]

[designpunk]

Whatcha ya going to do with those steelies?

Interested if you are going to part with them.

Those Alpina wheels are wicked looking with your blue car.

 

Thanks, jim h.

[bluebmw]

Check ~2/3 down on this page - http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=95806&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=450

More pix here - http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=122019]

Thank you for the great links John, lots of helpful stuff!

[schoir]

The key to getting a good, long-lasting finish is all in the prep work.  

 

To get the paint to stick properly, you will have to first clean (i.e., degrease) the surface that you want to paint with a proper solvent.  Ideal for this type of work is something like Pre-Kleano or Prep-Sol.  They are both available at auto paint stores.  Follow the instructions on the data sheet to the letter.  Each one recommends wetting one cloth with the solvent and wiping the area with the saturated cloth.  Then, while the area is still wet, use another cotton, lint-free cloth to wipe it dry.  Don't get any fingerprints on any of the surfaces.  The oil from your fingertips might cause "fish-eyes".

 

Next, you will have to properly scuff the surface.  For the type of surfaces around the center of the Alpina rim, your best bet is using scotch brite pads.  These pads come in three grits and are also available at auto paint stores.  Depending on whether you are going to add a clear coat on the finish, you can get a good result with the coarser pad before shooting the primer, then the middle grade before shooting the color base coat.

 

For the longest lasting finish, you should use a flexible primer on the freshly cleaned and scuffed surface.  Sherwin Williams makes a really good, although a tad expensive, flexible primer and hardener.  it's called Spectra-Prime P30L 2K Primer Surfacer and it comes in various shades.  Best to use one that's as close to black as possible.  The flexible nature of the primer will help minimize rock chips as small rocks and tiny pebbles will bounce off without breaking the surface of the paint that lies on top of this primer.  The primer will also ensure that the color coat sticks properly (after a scuffing of the primer coat) and will eliminate peeling and flaking.  Again, follow the date sheet of the manufacturer for the number of coats and flash time, tack time and cure time.

 

Following the primer, scuff the surface with the mid-grade Scotch Brite pad and then apply your color coat.  Glasurit, Diamont, and Sherwin Williams are a few of the really good paint formulas.

 

I don't know if the orginal Alpina wheels that you are trying to duplicate came with a base coat/clear coat finish so you'll have to provide more details for that part of the job.

 

Regards, Maurice.

[dlhoovler]

I'm gonna be a little contrarian and say that, while Maurice certainly describes the best and most professional approach, a simpler method might be just as effective. Scuff up the centers, then with a couple of small brushes and a steady hand, brush on some semi-gloss black Rustoleum.

I sprayed black on the same part of a set of E30 basketweaves, and the masking was kind of a pain in the butt and if anything took more time than brush painting would. Semi-gloss shouldn't show the brush strokes if you're careful. This approach will be easier to invisibly touch up than spray and clearcoat when you get the inevitable chips around the lug holes.

Now, your wheels are much more valuable than my basketweaves, so the "proper" approach may actually be worth it for you. I just wanted to offer another option that would be good for less-particular situations.

-David

[schoir]

Either method will work, and, as David says, it depends on your goal and how particular you are.

 

Note that the Rustoleum will cost less than $10 and a pint of each of the products needed for the "professional approach"  will exceed $100.

 

Regards, Maurice.

Edited April 13, 2014 by schoir

[nbcbird]

Clean, mask  and scruff the hub center and spray with Dupli-color semi-gloss black enamel DA1603.

[VintageAutobahn]

I am about to do this same project. Does anybody know the correct sheen for the centers of 13" Alpina wheels? Semi gloss doesn't seem right...

[Conserv]

I am about to do this same project. Does anybody know the correct sheen for the centers of 13" Alpina wheels? Semi gloss doesn't seem right...

Good question, and I don't have a definitive answer. Rims, in the '60s and '70s, were generally neither true glossy nor true flat. Whether steel or alloy, rims did not have, for instance, the gloss of body paint. The metallic colors used on rims did not have the metallic content and depth of body paint. And the general quality of the paint and its application could not rival the attention we now pay to these details! It's not difficult to find a paint run on a set of original-finish rims. Specks of dirt in an original rim finish? No problem. Yes, from a strict restoration perspective, I believe that -- and I'm certainly guilty -- we considerably "over-restore" rims.

There's a set of Alpina alloys currently for sale on the German forum. The seller claims it has original paint. And, yes, the black centers are somewhere between high gloss and flat, perhaps just barely on the glossy side of the dividing line!

http://marktplatz.bmw-02-club.de/showad.php?adid=12244

So, although I love Maurice's approach, I'm not convinced that semi-gloss RustOleum is too far from "the truth" for period rims! But, you say, I don't have period rims! Well, you have to decide what appearance you're seeking. Do you want your 2004 rims to look 1974, or 2004, or 2014? It's your choice.

Steve

Edited April 14, 2014 by Conserv

[Conserv]

n/t

Edited April 14, 2014 by Conserv

[JohnS]

CoupeKing sells some really nice reproduction Alpina wheels for the E9 coupe.  The pictures of the wheels on Peter's website can serve as a good reference for what the correct center color on the wheels should be.  I have a set of real Alpina 7x16 & 8x16 staggered alloys that I need to have refinished and a couple of the wheels have the original paint.  CoupeKing's wheels look correct.  The center color has a tiny bit of metal flake in it.  Probably pretty hard to find an exact match. 

 

http://www.coupeking.com/?post_type=parts&p=4897

Edited April 14, 2014 by JohnS

[VintageAutobahn]

Steve,

I think your comments are pretty spot on. I used to have what I believed to be an original paint set of Alpinas, the centers appeared to have been brushed in black, I always assumed the centers had been repainted at a later date. They were very early wheels though (date stamped 76) so maybe they were hand painting centers at one point? On the original wheels I have seen I have always noticed that the sheen wasn't quite satin, semi gloss, flat etc... which led to my question.

[VintageAutobahn]

John,

I am pretty sure I won't find an exact match, hoping to get as close as possible though. Thanks for the coupe king link, that's a good reference.

[JohnS]

Another thing that has been debated quite a bit on other forums (like E9Coupe.com) is how the center gets painted.  Do you stop the black paint right at the edge (like on the CoupeKing wheels), or do you extend the circle beyond the edge like in the attached picture.  I guess it's all a matter of personal preference.  I've seen it done nicely both ways.  But I've also seen the extend beyond the edge method done poorly where it really looks bad in my opinion.  I'm leaning toward stopping the black paint at the edge on my wheels and using a paint color like the attached pic.  

Edited April 15, 2014 by JohnS