What would you do?

[carlbrainiac]

Ok so as some of you know I recently purchased a RX7 FD. Seen here:-
 

 
However the wheels have seen better days. Seen here:-
 

 
So here are my options. Just wondering on your opinions as what would be my best option.
 
1) Get them refurbished but to get them how I want them is probably going to be very exspensive. I would like the outter deep dish rim polished back to a mirror finish again. And the centres painted black. But I hear obviously painting the centres black is the easy part. But only way to get the high polish rim again is to use a technique called diamond cutting which is the exspensive bit. But this is what I am really leaning towards doing if the price isnt too high. Going to pop to wicked wheels in guildford to get a quote.
 
2) If price of getting refurbish is too high then try to refurbish myself. But so worried will make a hash of it.
 
3) Get a new set of wheels perhaps just rims to match my current tyres to keep the costs down a bit.
 
4) Get new set of wheels and tyres slightly smaller in size for a more comfortable and managable ride. As it is rather harsh on 19\'s But then gotta go to a lot of exspense and complicated working out of offset and spacing etc and worrying if they will rub etc. And then I have this set of wheels who no one is likely to want.
 
I really dont know what to do. All I know is I love the deep dish rim and want the centres black. Regardless if I keep these wheels and have them refurbished or perhaps consider new wheels.
 
Here is my goal thanks to some photoshop:-
 

 

 
Opinions and advice would be greatly appreciated

[Lacey]

Seeing as they look like split rims it shouldn\'t be too hard to put the car up on axle stands and dismantle the rims into the respective parts, put the black centers that look fine off to one side marked up which came from which wheel and start rubbing down the dish bit of them. Although they look nice metal on black I personally have no idea how to refurb back to that, but given the colour of your car, I would be sorely tempted to completely rub down all the \'metal\' work on the dish bit of your rims and spray them a matching red to your paint job.

[carlbrainiac]

I did think about that lacey but thought it would perhaps be a bit too much red. And cheapen the look. A high polish adds class. At least thats the way I see it. I know it means a lot more work. But I think it looks better. Although have yet to do photoshop of red rims. Could see how it would look I guess

[Lacey]

Black on red rims look wicked <3

[carlbrainiac]

Oh dont get me wrong I agree. But only if the red bit on the rims in minimal. Like a thin line. Not a whole deep dish rim. In my opinion I think it will just look too much and look a bit like a clown car lol.

[Lacey]

Fair enough

[Nik da Greek]

I\'m not convinced that they\'re genuine splitrims, very possibly it\'s just a look and they\'re one piece. If that\'s the case, then they\'ll be a lot cheaper to refurbish than proper splitrims, a lot of places won\'t touch them or will quote stupid prices cos they don\'t want the work. Doing it yourself is comparatively easy, rattlecans are very good quality nowadays, but it\'s still a lot of work to do it properly and the trouble is that it\'s difficult getting a strong enough lacquer from a rattle can. Nothing more annoying than watching all your hard work dissolve and flake off when the salt hits it!

As to the colour, I think it\'s hard to top dark wheels on a red car. I had mine done in anthracite with polished rims first off, like in your photoshop but the lacquer went through and rotted on the rims, so I eventually ended up with all-gunmetal and I think they look better for it. Added a red stripe (that glows in the dark, woooo) and I think they look ace. But then, I would, I suppose :rollin

[carlbrainiac]

hmm. They do look quite nice. But would still prefer to have it like my photo shop. Although I am a bit nervous as could cost a lot of money and worried like with your issue the laquer could peel and the rim could go all horrible again. :-s They did say when I phoned up Wicked wheels that instead of polishing the rim again could just paint it in a high silver. But I really dont know about that. I think it would look a bit naff. I suppose I could get the centres done in dark shinny black and then the rims done in gun metal. That might look quite cool. Might photo shop that a bit later see how that would look

[Nik da Greek]

It\'s really hard to lacquer polished alloy, that\'s the trouble. Mine were done by a good quality firm (Lepson\'s in Kent) and they still went through as soon as the salt hit the road. I guess if you don\'t use the car in winter or have spare wheels for the cruddy weather then it might not matter to you. Another point to consider is having the centre dark and the lip polished makes the wheel diameter look smaller (if you care). It\'s one of them hoptical delusion fings

[carlbrainiac]

Don\'t mind if the wheels look a bit smaller as my mate said they look a bit big for the car in his opinion. So making them look a bit smaller won\'t be a bad thing. And doubt I would use the Rex in winter anyways. Will just use my subaru when weather gets rubbish

[carlbrainiac]

Sorry this was a double post

[Ada7]

Have you had a quote back from Wiked wheels for the refurb work?

Adam

[carlbrainiac]

No been working so haven\'t had a chance to het over there yet. Hoping while car is in guildford on Friday having alarm fitted they will finish that in time before wicked wheels closes so I can get over there for a quote then

[jetpilot]

Pretty sure Mania alloys are imitation splits. I would get the lips polished without laquer or diamond cut and then do the centres black.

[jackaleks]

They did say when I phoned up Wicked wheels that instead of polishing the rim again could just paint it in a high silver. But I really dont know about that. I think it would look a bit naff.

i think most OEM wheels are finished like this now. it\'s been a while since i\'ve seen a new car with bare alloy that\'s been polished.