ANSEN Wheels done differently...here are mine (PICS)

So I finally broke down and started on the wheels. These aren't actually Ansens, but are ET's...same idea though. This project isn't for the faint of heart...it's a pretty big undertaking and is very time consuming. I filed the outer lip by hand then I took a DA sander to the lip at 120 grit, then 300, then 600, then sanded 1000 and 1500 by hand and then went to 0000 steel wool (which probably wasn't necessary) then used red rouge on a buffing wheel and still need to do the final white rouge buff and I'll be done. The centers will be as cast gray paint to mimic the look of similarly styled Salt Flats and Torque Thrusts. 5 hours for the first wheel and 3 wheels to go...


Here is the before and after. The wheel I actually polished was all gouged and really in bad shape around the outer lip, the one in this photo is 10 times better and will be easier to work with. You can see the lip I removed:

 

looks good. don't forget you're gonna want a spare too!!!! good job and good luck.

 

ooooh shiny. looks good. polishing is one of my most hated car related jobs, luckily i know a guy who loves it and does a bloody good job so he gets most of my work

 

Awesome!!!

Those are the kinds of details that I love!

 

Yeah, I know...not looking forward to the 5th one...

 

they look good.Had the same set in the same shape i spent a week of evenings cleaning them up.Was alot of work and they still dont shine up that well.

 

I really like the way that looks with the lip smoothed and polished!

 

Thanks guys. Here's what I'm going going to do next...cast painted centers and knock-offs.

 

Purdy! I like that!

 

Nice idea. They're going to look really good when you're done!

 

Me likee - nice work and painted centers really work....

 

Damn, I like that..............and I have a set of Ansen Sprints in the rafters.

 

I'm looking for a good resource for knock-offs that won't cost me a limb and a months worth of groceries. Any ideas?

 

They look cool, what are they going on?

Scotty.

 

Those look awesome man.I too dig little details like this.Get one done n painted and keep us updated.

 

Unilugs? Be careful with those.

 

I had painted centers and knock offs on my GMC back in the 80's. They looked kinda cool...



Neal

 

Wheels look great. Wish I kept the beat up set I sold.

 

Very nice. What kind of paint do you plan to use on the centers?

 

What a change, great idea!

 

5 hours? save your self some time and bolt them to something that spins,

 

Beautiful, One question though. How are you going to mask off to paint and get a nice smooth circle. I tried one time and it was very difficult to get it a nice rounded corner, without touching eitherthe polished area and the painted area.

 

Wheel polishing is work buddy I commend you.

I have a pair of Skinny Ansens that I need to work. Someone welded near them so I am going to really have to work them hard. I may end up just polishing the lip and bead blasting the centers.

Anyway I am stealing your thread here sorry. Getting back to it looks real good you get a big thumbs up from the 'beaner.

 

They look great. These were sitting outside for the last 25 years until my old man found them. Ansen front runners

 

Your only half done. If you really want to get into some work radius the edges of the windows (about 3/8ths"). they will look almost like Halibrands.

Frank

 

The paint is Rustoleum textured nickel for the rough cast texture and will be followed by KHT cast gray (I like their cast gray the best). I may have to primer between these two as they may not be compatible.

The wheels are going on a '56 Chevy pickup that will be flat black and is lowered 6" in the rear and shooting for 7" in the front.

I was looking for a way to mount on an old axle, but I found that holding the DA completely vertical was a lot harder than holding it completely horizontal. If I could mount them on a vertical rotating shaft that would hold and spin the lip perfectly parallel to the ground that would be the best scenario...just haven't put much thought into how to do that.

 

How about machining the outer lip on a brake lathe?

 

WOW! Looks really good!!!

 

Why use FAKE knockoffs? Run em with exposed lugs.

I also still vote for teh idea from your other thread of radiusing the windows! Either way, they will look good when done.

 

Exposed lugs would be kinda cool...would give the track look, but what to do with the drum / rotor centers? Black paint? I'd have to think about that...

I'd like to radius them but cannot imagine the time involved and the HIGH possibility of messing up and scrapping a wheel.