W-Body Wheels for my H-Body

[95naSTA]

I got these GP cross laces about a year ago.. At the time I owned a beater 90' Regal Custom and I was looking to get into another 95 Bonneville. I had one previously but was involved in an accident which totalled it.. I knew these were the wheels I really wanted down the line so I just grabbed them. They were gold with a polished lip and in OK shape.. The intention was to strip the gold and paint the cross lace part black. It would make for a real nice look and stance. Especially with the wider rim (8" vs. the Bonnie's 7") and lower offest..

 

When I picked my new car up, the tires were in good shape so I didn't bother to do anything with the wheels.. Fast forward 10k later and it's about time to get on that.

Here is a couple pics of the car:

 

 

I got pretty decent at polishing aluminum earlier this year (Master Cylinder, Thermostat Housing) but stopped due to hand surgery. Now that my hand is somewhat ok I can re-polish the lip on the wheels and get them power coated. I had the powder coating place strip the gold/clear and I started polishing them this week.

 

Enough babbling.. On to progress pics:

 

This wheel was in the worst shape out of all of them. I had to start from 220 grit in some areas and even 180 on others because the oxidation penetrated deep into the aluminum.. It took me 2.5 hours to get the outer lip and center cap lip to a 320 grit finish. After that it took an hour to work through 400, 500, 600, 800, 1000, and 1200 grits. All hand sanding btw.. After a quick pass with a cloth wheel bit on the die grinder and some aluminum polish, this is what I got:

 

 

Here's what one of the unfinished rims looks like. The one above was in much much worse shape.

 

 

And here is one I'm almost finished from the other day. I have to go over the very outside of it and then go over it again with polishing wheel. This one was a little easier. It took 3 hours to get it to this:

 

 

Hopefully I can get the polishing done by next week sometime. The powder coating will be done shortly after. A nice high gloss black on the lace section and center caps then clear to seal the polished center ring and the outer lip.

 

I thought some of you guys would like to see these being brought back to life.

[cutty]

Those look great! Good job on getting them looking good.

[ZoomZoomFan]

Looks good! Around here there's a Bonneville similar to that one with Grand Am GT wheels like mine.

[55trucker]

These wheels are a labor of love....I know that intimately......keep going, looks goooood!

[95naSTA]

Thanks guys.

 

Hey 55, Those look great!

 

I finished polishing the last rim tonight.

Heres a couple pics of the rims cleaned off and ready for the powdercoater. They're being dropped off tomorrow.

 

[J]

wow they look great!

[Brian P]

niiiiice!

[GP1138]

So I have to change my pants again. Thanks.

 

Gorgeous wheels. I wish I had that kind of patience.

[AWeb80]

NICE

 

 

that is how mine looked before I got them powedercoated....

[95naSTA]

I finally got them back and he forgot to do the center caps.

 

I'm never going there agian.. They did turn out nice though.

 

Here they are:

 

 

I'll grab more pics when I get them on the car.

[Brian P]

that is seksy

[AWeb80]

OH!

 

That is just wankable...................WOW

 

 

........Wait...I have my own to wank too.....

 

 

Looks great.

 

 

FYI, a solid black center looks better IMO

[95naSTA]

I took just one pic because my car is real dirty.

 

 

 

And no doubt on the solid black center cap.

[Psych0matt]

I actually like how the center breaks it up a bit

[95naSTA]

Here's the car after a slight drop and brake upgrade:

 

F-body Fronts on 00+ Bonneville knuckles with W-body AGXs and Eibachs and stock top mounts.

[AWeb80]

nice

 

 

now get a logo on that center cap....it's too plain

[95naSTA]

Thanks and yeah those caps are just the stockers spray painted. The powder coater didn't do them.

 

I've got some black ones with a white dart outline in the middle coming in the mail.

 

Edit-

 

Here they are:

[AWeb80]

Nice. I Still Say The Lip Around The Center Car Should've Been Black Too. I Originally Had Mine Like Yours And Hated It. Center Car Looks Good Though.

[Euro]

wow those turned out great! But uh....purple?

[95naSTA]

Thanks. And yeah purple. It's one of those love or hate things. I'm sick of seeing red, blue, etc.

[White93z34]

I had no idea w-body stuff was that compatible, how much modification if any was needed to make it all work?

[95naSTA]

I'm working on a write-up now. Theres a little more work than bolting it all up.

[SSEiyah93]

I'd like to know that too...you can find me bitching about my 93 SSEi being totaled by and asshole in a pick-up in a hundred places on here...when I do get another SSEi...I'd like to put wider wheels on, maybe even as wide as my turbo 16inch 245s as opposed to the SSEi's 16inch 225s

[95naSTA]

Here's the write up:

 

Right Click Here and Save As

[mfewtrail]

I had no idea w-body stuff was that compatible, how much modification if any was needed to make it all work?

 

8'' W-body xlaces should go directly on a Bonne with NO problems. The Bonneville wheels will not go on a w-body without spacers though(for the front, they work in the rear just fine).