I was going to buy black alloys from TireRack to match my black '08 Prius. But when y'all pointed out that the Prius' alloy wheels have wheel covers that can get snapped out. Lightbulb: why not paint those and save the money for other fixins'. So does anyone have any suggestions on how to prepare the wheel covers for paint/what type of paint I should use - brand, etc./ other tips?
First off you do realize the wheel covers don't cover the entire wheel, just the outside 1.5" or so. Any paint you put on it will have to be able to withstand a pounding from the road elements. Your garden variety piss can from the auto shop or hardware store isn't going to cut it. You'll have to sand them down to scuff the surface so the paint will adhere. Use a medium to high grit sandpaper for this, say 200 - 380. Any lower and you may leave grooves in the plastic, those will be hard to cover. Then clean, clean, clean, clean. After you're done washing and drying them, CLEAN THEM AGAIN. And wash your hands. Oil from your hands will effect the paint. In a clean, ventilated envirinment spray a little at a time, be patient. Use a good primer and at least a couple coats of paint, then finish off with a coove poly clearcoat. Remember this is plastic and will flex, don't be surprised if the paint cracks. When you're done with all that, last step, go out and buy some really nice light wheel to compliment the car, you'll feel better about it and your wheels wont look like poo.
Nope. I just went out and now see what you mean. Arghhh! Will have to spend money to get the look. Oh well...
let us know what you find. There are some hyperlite wheels out there that are supposed to be pretty good, and expensive.
Try this link: http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/pix/quad-rings.jpg I bet your car would look real nice with the rims painted in the "Ben Hur" style paint job.
I recently purchased blue "Ripped" side graphics for my new white '08 and was planning on painting the spokes a co-ordinating color of blue. I'll post pics and any experiences pertinent to this thread. I am waiting on warmer weather to put on the vinyl graphics and clear bra. Waiting on warmer weather for tinting the windows also... Stupid winter... Where's that global warming when you need it:huh:.... jf
I kinda like the Ben Hur look. I was thinking about a prior post that indicated that plastic is not a good surface to paint due to changes in whether. But isn't plastic all over the exterior of the car? Anyway, how's about something like this: MOTEGI TRACK TRAKLITE Flat Black Painted
UHHHH, 200-380 grit paper is way to rough to do this. 600 grit is fine, you just want to scuff the surface not scratch the heck out of the plastic. Regardless, though, IMO that would still look bad. Do a nice set of light weight rims and tires, check Tirerack.com for options. Good luck.
I bought an extra set of rims from a guy on Priuschat, and those I keep in the garage in case I want to restore my car to OEM appearance. I tried various schemes on my computer, using photoshop, and concluded that painting the whole rim makes the wheel look much smaller and out of proportion. So..my suggestion is to paint only the sections of the rim between the spokes, so that the silver colored spokes extend to the outer rim of the wheel. I used "One Shot" brand sign painting enamel (I've done car art for years), and the stuff is bulletproof; it will easily survive normal road use. Painting on just the rims is easy since they snap off and you can do the painting inside. You can easily get glossy or flat black. Use foam brushes. If you're planning to paint the entire wheel black, the above advice is moot. I don't think painting the whole wheel to match the body color would work for any color except black, where it would certainly create a dramatic, if not Darth Vaderish, look. Post photos when you're done.
