A car outcast needs some input from car guys.

[5thhorsemann]

Yiks!

[Healey Z]

Thanks for the replies. I don't think I would go for a multi-color option. Chrome would look good, however I have gone for the rally type look with the headlight screens, missing bumper and driving lights, so I think the factory painted wheels would fit the car best.

I found the cast aluminum engine paint that the guy was referring to. A little test spray shows it to be a gray with very little metallic in it. Perhaps I will pull the worst looking wheel this weekend and see the possibility of prepping and painting it in the garage.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

THe thought of prepping a wire wheel, just makes my fingers ache!!

[Healey Z]

Zed, if you cannot tell by the pics of my car, I am very particular about my car and I anticipate it will take 3-4 hours per wheel to do by hand.

I have a buddy that could blast them with baking soda, but I really don't want to remove the tires and I'm not sure if the baking soda would get between the spokes or threads and mess something up.

[EScanlon]

Actually the biggest problem with blasting with soda is that you have to be sure to neutralize and remove the film it leaves behind, NOT that it could get into something (it is to an extent water soluble).

Blasting with Soda wouldn't require you to remove the tires from the rims either unless you're intent on getting paint on the "under" side of the rim (the part inside the tire).

I'm of the opinion that if you choose to do two colors, the center hub and all the spokes as well as a portion of the rim, should be done in one color, the balance of the rim in a contrast tone, a complementary hue or a slightly different shade than the rest of the wheel.

You could do satin silver (with a degree of "chrome-ish" shine) and follow up with the edge of the rim in a bright polished finish look. There are a couple lines of spray can paint that will do a very nice job of emulating chrome and anodized colors if that trips your trigger.

My earlier posts allude to the problem of properly masking all those spokes from the rim (and hub) if you were to paint the spokes a different color than the rim (and hub).

FWIW

E

[cygnusx1]

DulpiColor Ceramic Engine Paint in Silver, is chemical resistant, and looks like bright, blasted, aluminum, in color, and texture.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=opera&rls=en&q=duplicolor+engine+paint&oe=utf-8&channel=suggest&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=9723597978317045487&sa=X&ei=f0nYTqmpCOrh0QHc_MDDDw&ved=0CFkQ8wIwAg

After cleaning the wheels, hit them briefly with the flame of a plumbing torch to prep the surfaces. Spray them when they are lukewarm to the touch.

Edited December 2, 2011 by cygnusx1

[JLPurcell]

First what a beautiful car! I would go with original silver personally. Now for that “racy” look the yellow with the green is a traditional British combo. “I want your car!”

JLP

[240260280z]

I built some bicycle wheels in the past. Not difficult at all.... I imagine this would be the same task so long as the spokes are not rusted into the spoke nipples.

If you are going to strip and paint or strip and plate (Chrome,nickel or (zinc/cad base)) then pb blast the spokes for a week before disassembling.

[DougN]

I'd go with some new chrome Dayton tubless wire wheels. It's great to be able to put standard tires on without needing tubes. They ride nice and smooth since they are factory trued before they seal the spokes. I have them on my MGB (which is painted a Healey green actually):

[cygnusx1]

Are any of those home galvanic coating kits worth it? Might investigate those. That yellow/gold metallic coating that people often use to restore the metal parts of a Z engine bay, would make a great color for your wheels.

Edited December 3, 2011 by cygnusx1

[Healey Z]

Like most times with old cars, things are not as they seem. I pulled all the wheels off and inspected them, which I am a little embarrassed to say I haven't done so to this point in owning this car.

Two of the wheels are "new" replacements and two look to be original with work done on them as evidenced by some new spokes on them. The splines on the hub and the wheel wear over time and need to be replaced, which it looks like this was the case on at least two of them. One of the wheels has a broken spoke, so it is being swapped out for the spare, while at bit tatty (British speak), mechanically it looks like it is in good shape.

I tested the cast aluminum rattle can paint against one of the new wheels and it is spot on. So much so that I cleaned up the newer wheels and touched up the spots that needed attention. The paint has ceramic in it, so it is pretty tough paint. I was able to blend them in really well by using the finest steel wool available.

Now on to the more difficult task of the other two wheels.

Edited December 3, 2011 by Healey Z

[olzed]

Nothing 'tatty' there.

'Godam thats one hellava nice lookin ride you have there.' The Healey is a classic shape. Like the S30 it is so appealing to the eye.

When I was a young fella a few years ago, the first 240z really appealed to me, as did the Healey. We had three kids by then, so any thoughts of owning either went on the back burner for many years.

Finally 12 years ago at the age of 55 got my 240. The Healeys still command twice the price of a Zed down here, so that was definately not on my shopping list.