1. The first step is to clean the front and back of the wheels so you can see what you have. Use a i-inch nylon bristle utility brush and an all-purpose cleaner like Fantastic or Formula 409. Thoroughly rinse the seam area where the wheels are put together, and let dry. Be sure to remove dirt, grease, wax and loose paint.


2. Our wheels were pretty rough to begin with. Some previous owners sprayed them silver, and later painted them to match the body color of their car. The finish was peeling badly and needed to be stripped. If your wheels have only minor flaws in their orginal finish, you may prime and topcoat (see No. 6).


3. Because of the polyurethane composition of the wheel face, you must be careful during stripping. If you chemical strip, use a Urethane Part Paint Stripper like Kleen-Strip No. US-366. We opted to have our wheels media blasted. Larry Fucci of Quick Strip in Carteret, N.J., stripped our wheels, using plastic media at low pressure. This method can be done so precisely, that the factory primer can be left.


4. If your wheels need only minor prep work, lightly scuff-sand the honeycomb surface using a 3M No. 02604 "Fine" SoftBack Sanding Sponge, being careful not to expose polyurethane material. If you discover that the polyurethane material has cuts, nicks, or cracks, repair as outlined in the article text.


5. If the tire side as well as the backside of the wheel are not rusty, lightly scuff-sand the metal surfaces by again using the 3M "Fine" Sanding Sponge to clean and prepare the surface for paint. If these metal surface areas are in rough shape, we recommend sandblasting. Use Aluminum Oxide Blasting Media, 80-grit size, at 80-90 psi maximum to remove original paint and embedded rust.


6. After cleaning the honeycomb surface, we recommend first spraying Marhyde Adhesion Promoter No. 3001, a quick-drying formula designed to improve adhesion of paints to flexible polyurethanesurfaces. Second, for a smooth topcoat, spray SEM Flexible Primer Surfacer No.39133, LightGray.


7. If all the Honeycomb wheel surfaces are in good shape and you didn't have to chemically peel or sandblast the original surfaces, we recommend using a solvent-based grease and wax remover on all surface areas to remove any contaminates. Using a clean paper towel, wipe the solution on in one direction and let it dry. DO NOT touch the wheel surface after you have applied the cleaner.

8. Prior to painting the steel backside of the wheel, start by masking off the wheel slots and holes, using a premium grade of tape. Cover each slot, then use an X-Acto knife to trim. On any original Honeycomb wheel, you'll notice that the area around the backside slots has polyurethane from the outer side showing (arrows). For correct appearance, this material should be masked. Also be sure to mask off all the slots, valve stem and lug nut holes.


9. With the Honeycomb side tumed face down, use the gray Inner Rally Wheel Finish (No. 12010) and spray a light mist coat 6-8 inches from the surface. Then apply a full coat Seveal thin coats will result in a better finish than one heavy coat. Recoat within two hours. Let dry for at least 24 hours.


10. After the steel surfaces wheel are dry, flip it face up, and apply the topcoat, using Honeycomb Wheel Coating (No. 11015). Spray a light mist coat 8-10 inches from the surface, making sure you cover the honeycomb from all directions. Again, several thin coats will result in a better finish than one heavy one. Remember to spray the "outer" bead of the Honeycomb wheel adjacent to the polyurethane material. Overspray on the gray painted "tire side" is acceptable and correct.


11. We couldn't put our beat-up trim rings and center caps on our freshly refinished wheels, so we called up Year One and ordered new ones. We expected reproductions, but when the parts arrived, they were in GM boxes.


12. Let the Honeycomb wheel surface dry for at least 24 hours. Once our wheels were dry, we snapped the new rings and caps on to complete our resto. The finished product is absolutely showroom-quality.