HELP!!! Body shop might get this wrong....

[got one]

I was in a accident and the front passenger side rim was damaged...came off a 97 GTS. Well the replacement came today...didn't even look close. He said..."we can get the other three to polish right up to match the bright new one"...well, I tried to polish the old ones and they don't polish what so ever...hell the new one almost looks chrome compared to others. any help would be greatly appreciated...don't know what to do or where to go...

 

[hemibeep]

to polish the other three, you will have to get past the clear coat. I too, tried this and realized you can't polish until you strip the clear...there are a some good threads on this

 

[Qualitywires.com]

It sounds like you got a CAST wheel instead of a Forged Wheel...big difference..Cast is very weak and this can happen to it..

 

[99 R/T 10]

I bet you got one from the 98 year. Are your other 3 forged or cast? If they are forged, and the shine is that much different, you have one of the early 97's. That is what you need to match them up. There is a date code on the back of the rims. That should tell the tale

 

[got one]

date code?

 

[hemibeep]

also noticed that the cast that I have seen have a weld bead just inside the ribbed wheel lip(inner wheel). the forged are smooth front to back on the inside

 

[got one]

yes, mine are cast then

 

[hemibeep]

send them to C.C.W. and they can chrome for around $150 ish each...plus repair curb rash for a little more $ $ ..

The $150 also included the center caps being chromed

The are listed in site vendors and give 2 year warranty

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

96, 97 and 98 had a higher polish each year.

Chrome is for posers Dave, don't think I'm going to let you borrow my sill insulation with an attitude like that.

 

[GTSPOWERED]

I just got my wheels back from California Chrome and that was one great investment. $150.00 per rim.

 

[hemibeep]

Chuck, me a poser.

Wait a minute, it took a long time and a lot of money to get the spinners made to look like stock rims.

yes, I do have chrome. just tired of the polishing from the years of centerlines that I have had

 

[Gerald Levin]

Also concur that chroming thru http://www.calchrome.com would solve your problems. Your curb rash will be gone and the 4 chrome wheels will look great and match perfectly. They won't break if you don't track the car. Easy solution.

 

[unreelviper]

I agree, call John at California Chrome and he will definitely take care of your wheels...What a great company!!

 

[A1998]

Check out my post here on the Wheels section. I have just what you need and are looking for alot cheaper than buying elsewhere. It is a cast 97 front wheel in perfect like new condition. Can email more pictures if you like.

A1998

 

[got one]

Thanks guys. A couple of the guys around here seem to think that we might just polish through the existing clear coato on the other three...polish them up nice then clear coat all of them...any down side to that...insurance is paying for this anyway...

 

[vipergts2000]

When my 97 was wrecked I made the persons insurance company polish all of my wheels to get them to match because they repalced both front wheels......

 

[got one]

and that took care of it? Were your others clear coated?

 

[RobHook]

I would tell whoever ordered that rim to return it and get you the right rim. You might just polish them all and find they don't match anyway. Why go to the trouble when this is someone else's fault?