have rims sand blasted? (126 SDL)

[WANT '71 280SEL]

I, like many others, don't have the best look from the rims. I know of a place that does sand blasting. Shoudl I take them there, have them blasted, then I paint with the Wurth's paint? I did a search and some mentioned powder coating, what do you guys think. I want something that wil last and don't want to spend $400.
Thanks
David

[Kestas]

Sandblasting leaves a dull, matte finish. But if you don't want to spend $400, this is the tradeoff. I'm actually considering sandblasting for the alloy wheels of my winter car (91 Marquis).

Powder coating requires heat to bake the powder into a paint. Whoever is doing this will have to be very careful not to overdo it with the heat. Too much heat can overage the aluminum alloy rendering the wheel soft and junked. This has been discussed recently in the Wheel Topics forum.

[dieseldiehard]

Flat Face wheels, right? Find an autobody shop that will strip them using media (crushed walnut shells is popular for this purpose) they can paint them easily if they have a set up that spins the wheels and they should be able to use a DuPont paint or equivalent, Wurth is fine if you plan to use a spray can, but the pros have similar silver paint that comes in bulk - then they should put on two coats of clearcoat.
$125 per wheel would be tops so yes you are looking at $400 or more for that kind of job. DIY and see how it turns out, maybe $75 for materials and the rest sweat labor. Do NOT use sand blast. Bead blast maybe but sand is too coarse for this.

[Brian Carlton]

DDH is correct.

I had the SDL wheels bead blasted as a courtesy at the shop I normally deal with. Then I painted them with the Z1 lacquer followed by the clearcoat. The finish is not as good as a professional job, but, from three feet away the wheels look perfect.

Total investment: about $60.00 for the paint.

Powder coat is much more durable and professional, however, you are looking at $300. minimum.

[Hatterasguy]

I would go the way Brian went, or go to a junkyard and try to find 4 nice spare tires.

Btw Tirerack sells brand new 15 hole wheels for $105 each, you can upgrade to the 16in 8 hole wheels for $129 each.

I wouldn't spend $120x4 to have a 17 year old wheel with 200k+ miles on it repainted.

[Steve Gutman]

I sand blasted and painted with Aluminum paint. Should have clearcoated but they look good form 3 feet. THey are my winter rims and the old Bunt-cake style. Refinishing is almost as expensive as new ones. Try Wheels America and negotiate. I got a great deal on 4 AMG rims. The one I dealt with is in Prospect heights or Elk Grove, IL.