To make this fairly brief, I am in love with classic wheel styling and looks of stuff like the original American Racing Torq Thrust wheels.

Old wheels were Magnesium centers, and generally looked like a flat grey visually.

Years later when they stoped using Magnesium centers they painted them a flat grey.

With the modern fitment Torq Thrust M they are painted a brighter shade of grey that is also glossy. (or can be purchased chrome or black)

I am putting 20x8.5 and 20x10 TTM's on my '13 GT Vert. They've been in my possession for a few months now.

I am wondering if it would be possible to gently scuff the painted centers with a scotchbrite pad to kill the shine of the clearcoat and successfully just have flat grey centers ala the originals.

I hope this is a good place to put this, since it's totally a general wheel/paint question.

If not, I'd had to have them painted just to have a flat grey center.

 

really? nobody?

 

My guess is that to get the affect you want you're going to have to paint the wheels. But I'm not an expert.

I'd start by scuffing the wheels so that the paint adheres better and then get a flat gray paint of your liking.

 

Thinking more about this, there might be a Matte clear coat sort of product that you might use. Start by scuffing off the existing gloss finish and then work down to finer and finer abrasives until you don't have any scratch marks or anything and then hit it with a matte clear.

 

If you scuff it with scotchbrite, it's just going to look scuffed, there's a technique you can do to make it look like stainless steel, but that's not what you're after. If you want a more matte finish, you'll have to have them redone. I'm not sure if you can get a finish like that in a spray can or not.

Enough people are doing the matte finishes now that I'd imagine there would be something on the market.

 

It is Christmas time you know...

 

Can't offer up any suggestions but had to comment as I'm also a TT fan. I've only seen a few late model stangs with these but they really look great, sorta old school/new school. As I'v always loved the classic TTM style wheels (on certain cars) I'm also ordering them in the spring in gloss black to match my 13 black GT. I''m also going raised white letters but that's really old school. Your car's gonna look great!

 

This is your answer. And the only correct answer, if you want it right. Attempting to physically adjust the sheen of the paint will simply make you upset, and wind up painting them anyway.

You may can find a matte clear coat, but that will still require painting. Might as well do it right the first time.

You might can use plastidip, or get the wheels hydrodipped or something like that nature.

But the first choice is the best: Get them done correctly and be happier for having done so.

Happy Holidays, and Merry New Year!

 

Plasti-dip does have a certain appeal in this case....

 

This may help...

http://www.shelbyforums.com/forums/1...oke-color.html

http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/vi...thrust-ds.html

http://www.roadsters.com/wheels/


http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=382691

 

Post a pic of the wheels you have and maybe a pic of kinda what you want them to be.