Painting on anodized wheels

[chris]

I just posted on Facebutt and want to ask here as well. I picked up some Pontiac GTA/Trans Am wheels (16x8") but some of the color is faded. I know anodizing was used to color them so I'm wondering if I can paint over the anodization? Obviously I'd clean and possibly lightly sand for the paint to adhere but does paint stick to anodizing?

[scooperman]

yellow can Easy Off oven cleaner gets the old anodizing off, then you can clean and prep for paint. Suggest you experiment on a small area first. Good discussion on the H.A.M.B. here https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/thr ... er.687718/ .

[chris]

yellow can Easy Off oven cleaner gets the old anodizing off, then you can clean and prep for paint. Suggest you experiment on a small area first. Good discussion on the H.A.M.B. here https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/thr ... er.687718/ .

Thanks! I've read that it needs to be the Easy Off in the yellow can since the other stuff doesn't work.

[Phil Dally]

Multiple links about painting anodized aluminum...looks to be easy.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=can+you+paint ... era&ia=web

[kmart356]

@chris - we request before & after photos to show the fantastic results!

[cnicol]

I'm pretty surprised to read the GTA wheels are thought to be anodized. All the GM wheels I've had were painted in the colored or plain-silver areas, machined or polished in the shiny areas, and then clear-coated. I've always thought the clear coat was a clear paint product.The IROC an Z28 wheels I've had were factory color accented in all kinds of color; yellow, gold, charcoal, black, teal. These hues are not available in anodize processes. Do I need some edumacation?

[chris]

Craig, that's a good question. It seems I read at one time that the wheels were anodized but that could be completely false (and my memory could be fuzzy)! I'll take some photos of what they look like now after I give them a wash.

[Vairone]

The IROC an Z28 wheels I've had were factory color accented in all kinds of color; yellow, gold, charcoal, black, teal. These hues are not available in anodize processes. Do I need some edumacation?

Edumacation: The color in the anodize process is a dye and pretty much any color could be done to the aluminum. Yellow, gold and black are very common anodize colors.

[cnicol]

Anodized or Painted?
What's more likely considering these were supposed to exactly match 10 or so different body colors? Did GM develop dyes to match or did GM use body paint to color the wheels? Also note that we've all seen peeling clear coat and anodize doesn't peel.

[66vairguy]

I'm pretty surprised to read the GTA wheels are thought to be anodized. All the GM wheels I've had were painted in the colored or plain-silver areas, machined or polished in the shiny areas, and then clear-coated. I've always thought the clear coat was a clear paint product.The IROC an Z28 wheels I've had were factory color accented in all kinds of color; yellow, gold, charcoal, black, teal. These hues are not available in anodize processes. Do I need some edumacation?

Not saying your wheels are NOT anodized, but my experience with GM wheels is the same as Craig's. They are clear coated aluminum. When they get "aged" you strip off the clear coat, polish, and repaint.