[dataway]

I've finally got my original dated steelies for the 68 GTO, they are glass beaded, and ready to paint. I'll be using a typical alkaloid oil paint with no primer as per factory finish. I was wondering about using a phosphate dip/treatment before painting ... typical "metal prep" etc. type of stuff.

Do these products actually enhance paint adhesion or provide any real world benefits? I don't recall ever using one before.

[Goatracer1]

how about power coating them.

[dataway]

I actually owned a powder coating gun and oven for a few years. I hate the stuff. Once it starts to go it's a nightmare to remove and refinish.

[Dick Boneske]

If you have the surface clean and use a good primer, adhesion should be as good as factory--or better. The problem I've had with steel Rally II wheels is the silver is easily flaked off the primer. Any ideas on how to prevent that?

[dataway]

That has been my reason for hesitating to use primer, for whatever reason, the paint seems to chip easier, or scrape off easier when primer is used compared to an oil base paint on the bare steel.

[Dick Boneske]

Did the factory use primer. I don't think they did.

[MUSLCAH]

2 part epoxy primer....then 2k primer... then activated single stage...

[dataway]

No primer on the factory steel wheels I've stripped ... and they held up pretty well.

[Keith Seymore]

At some point they used e-coat and then sprayed the color on top of that.

Not sure when that started; this pic happens to be from Flint Assembly circa 1978/79.

K

[dataway]

I'm guessing they finished plain jane steelies different than any kind of option wheel. Most steelies were totally covered by wheel covers anyway.

[Keith Seymore]

Negative. They all went right down this same line (ie, for white wheels he just grabbed the white spray gun).

K

[dataway]

Whatever they were doing in 68 it did seem to hold up pretty well, certainly lasted longer than the silver finish on my late model steel truck wheels