another wheel restoration thread

**jrcook320** · 10-16-2009, 02:56 AM

I bought this set of wheels on this thread(ETA Beta's, the same wheels as drewdude). After finally getting the wheels, they turned out to be in pretty bad shape with severe curb rash and every wheel was almost 1/4" out of round. I didn't feel right about selling them again and I couldn't use them in the condition they were in so I decided to have them repaired.

after cleaning the nicest one up (less bent and curbed than the others):

I finally got around to having them repaired last week by weldcraft wheels in detroit. They charge between $45-$100 per wheel, I got charged about $60 per wheel. They press them true again, re-weld for curb rash or cracks as needed, then re-machine them. They were still pretty rough when I got them back, so I spent the night polishing the lips out some.

And for drewdude, I hated the centercaps that came with the wheels. It occured to me that the stock hubcaps might fit but they were too small and the wheel bore doesn't have a locking groove for the caps. I hammered the locking tabs out so the caps fit tight, the used a dremel to cut a shallow groove 3.5mm into the bore and the stock caps snap right in! I plan to grind down the original hub cap mounting flanges and fill in the bolt holes before I repaint the wheels.

I think I might like these wheels more than the ones I'm running. I'm not sure...

**dblsprt68** · 10-16-2009, 03:03 AM

Lookin good!!!

**bflan2001** · 10-16-2009, 03:28 AM

wow those look amazing!! nice job!

**B3MW** · 10-16-2009, 03:44 AM

Good work

**Steinkek** · 10-16-2009, 04:22 AM

Love those wheels.

If your running the wheels in your sig then these are way better

**DrewDude320i** · 10-16-2009, 05:30 AM

Originally Posted by jrcook320

And for drewdude, I hated the centercaps that came with the wheels. It occured to me that the stock hubcaps might fit but they were too small and the wheel bore doesn't have a locking groove for the caps. I hammered the locking tabs out so the caps fit tight, the used a dremel to cut a shallow groove 3.5mm into the bore and the stock caps snap right in! I plan to grind down the original hub cap mounting flanges and fill in the bolt holes before I repaint the wheels.

They're from an Italian company called "Eta Beta" - you rarely see them. I've only seen pictures of one other pair on an e30 on the random far end of the internet. I really like them - they're Alpina esque, but I feel like they match the car really well. Mine didn't come with center caps, but after seeing what they came with, I didn't want them. Jason Miller drew up a design in CAD or solidworks or something, then handed it off to Layne so it never got done

.

I realize you probably already have them on the car by now, but our cars are essentially the same color and I have euro bumpers and a drop similar to yours, so I can get some pictures for you if you want.

**Layne** · 10-16-2009, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by DrewDude320i

Jason Miller drew up a design in CAD or solidworks or something, then handed it off to Layne so it never got done

.

I drew that myself. But yeah I'm lazy, so what? You don't need hubcaps anyway.

**Beam318ti** · 10-16-2009, 10:24 AM

Josh---Nice work on those rims. I saw how bad they looked when you first got them as I remember asking you about them when I visited you.

If you want the original caps, keep an eye out on German Ebay as I have seen them come up a few times a year.

**TheNeek** · 10-16-2009, 11:17 AM

Yes! So happy about the vintage wheel work being done around here!

**jjgbmw323** · 10-16-2009, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by blaktoutbm

Good work

Excellent stuff

**mlovesj1020** · 10-16-2009, 02:47 PM

Nice work

**Zan320** · 10-16-2009, 03:12 PM

Very cool! I did similar work to my original caps to make them fit my BBS RA's.

**DrewDude320i** · 10-16-2009, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by Layne

I drew that myself. But yeah I'm lazy, so what? You don't need hubcaps anyway.

Hello pot, meet kettle.

J/K <3 Layne.

I didn't know you drew that up - do you still have the original file?

I couldn't make my little bmw center cap things fit on my wheels, I'll have to look into that. I agree though, center caps are completely unnecessary on those wheels.

**jrcook320** · 10-17-2009, 12:22 AM

Originally Posted by DrewDude320i

I didn't know you drew that up - do you still have the original file?

I couldn't make my little bmw center cap things fit on my wheels, I'll have to look into that. I agree though, center caps are completely unnecessary on those wheels.

It took me about 2 minutes to tap the locking tabs outward to make the stock e21 caps fit tightly, then about 5 minutes to grind a groove in the wheel for them. The ease of this makes custom center caps pointless, IMO.

So, today I finished cleaning up the rims and they're ready to have the slicks mounted. I have no interest in the original ETA hub caps, I have 3 that I would like to never see again (they're hideous). To that end, I ground the mounting flanges for the original hub caps flush with an angle grinder and ground them smooth with a sanding flap disc. Then I filled the bolt holes in with JB-weld, then primered with black primer, painted with charcoal metallic, then clear coated with VHT wheel clear. Then I scraped the paint off the polished portion of the spokes. Here's the first wheel, I'll post pics up once the slicks are mounted and the wheels are on the car.

**undastan** · 10-17-2009, 12:24 AM

Nice job! What was your polishing method?

**FranzE21** · 10-17-2009, 12:26 AM

Sweeeeet.

**Steinkek** · 10-17-2009, 02:06 AM

wow turned out sooooooo good.
Cant wait to see them on the car

**bensmall** · 10-17-2009, 02:48 AM

wow they look rad! well done.

**RayZ28** · 10-17-2009, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by jrcook320

It took me about 2 minutes to tap the locking tabs outward to make the stock e21 caps fit tightly, then about 5 minutes to grind a groove in the wheel for them. The ease of this makes custom center caps pointless, IMO.

So, today I finished cleaning up the rims and they're ready to have the slicks mounted. I have no interest in the original ETA hub caps, I have 3 that I would like to never see again (they're hideous). To that end, I ground the mounting flanges for the original hub caps flush with an angle grinder and ground them smooth with a sanding flap disc. Then I filled the bolt holes in with JB-weld, then primered with black primer, painted with charcoal metallic, then clear coated with VHT wheel clear. Then I scraped the paint off the polished portion of the spokes. Here's the first wheel, I'll post pics up once the slicks are mounted and the wheels are on the car.

Wow those came out great! I love how close they match your car!
Did you test drive them with the slicks yet? How do they look on the car?

**TKO383** · 10-17-2009, 04:33 PM

Josh, those came out magnificent. I urge you to reconsider putting slicks on those at this point. They are now in nicer condition than the wheels currently on the car. Take some time to decide which wheel you REALLY like better, and put your street tires on the wheels you like better. Don't get me wrong, I like your current street wheels, but I like those ETA wheels better now that you've shaved the mounting holes and installed the original center caps. Those 2 changes really tipped the scales for me.

**jrcook320** · 10-18-2009, 11:45 PM

I decided that for now I'm just throwing the slicks on the ETA's. I hope to make it to one event still this fall and I'm running the slicks. I want to see them on the car before I make the swap, plus I'll be due for rear tires in the spring so it doesn't make sense to pay to have both sets mounted right now. I'll be able to take pics and mull it over all winter this way.

I went to get them mounted at walmart saturday and they wouldn't do it because there was no tread on the tires.

. I tried to explain to them that they were slicks, they weren't supposed to have any tread, they weren't street legal and weren't going to be driven on the street anyway but no dice. I'm taking them to a real tire shop tomorrow to get them mounted.

**RayZ28** · 10-19-2009, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by jrcook320

I decided that for now I'm just throwing the slicks on the ETA's. I hope to make it to one event still this fall and I'm running the slicks. I want to see them on the car before I make the swap, plus I'll be due for rear tires in the spring so it doesn't make sense to pay to have both sets mounted right now. I'll be able to take pics and mull it over all winter this way.

I went to get them mounted at walmart saturday and they wouldn't do it because there was no tread on the tires.

. I tried to explain to them that they were slicks, they weren't supposed to have any tread, they weren't street legal and weren't going to be driven on the street anyway but no dice. I'm taking them to a real tire shop tomorrow to get them mounted.

Wow, thats crappy that they wouldnt even mount them! Why dont you photo shop the wheels onto a pic of your car?? i'm anxious to see them installed!

**jrcook320** · 10-19-2009, 10:42 PM

got my tripod out (for the camera... not my wang) and went on a photoshoot. Most pics didn't turn out, some were ok.

**RayZ28** · 10-19-2009, 10:51 PM

Those look good Josh! but I still think you should have gone with those sweet teddy bear wheels! lol

They turned out great! if i do say so myself! ;-) lol

**jrcook320** · 10-19-2009, 10:58 PM

ah yes... the teddy bears. If only I could find a set of those.

Thanks for the help on friday cleaning these up and getting them painted. I'll post pics in the daylight once I get a chance. Tomorrow my brother-in-law is playing against the harlem globe trotters for make glorious benefit of something so I won't have a chance.

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