I'm looking at buying some 17" OE ZO6 replicas off of ebay. I'm pretty sure that i want to go with the shiny wheel on the black car. I noticed that the polished aluminum is around $490 while the chrome is at $620. What is the difference in the two? Does the chrome last longer than the polished aluminum or are you just paying that extra $130 so that you can say, "Yea they're chrome! "
Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
What's the diff? chrome vs. polished aluminum
Collapse
X
-
What's the diff? chrome vs. polished aluminum
1993 Formula - 99k
Throttle body bypass, K&N FIPK II, SLP Loudmouth, Mad Z28 Chip, 3.73 motives, TPI airfoil, Spohn LCA relocation brackets, Fuddle 3200 Stall, B&M Supercooler, LS1 driveshaft, and chrome ZR1's 17"/9.5" and 17/11" in the back!!!Tags: None
-
fastTa
Originally posted by blackfire93I'm looking at buying some 17" OE ZO6 replicas off of ebay. I'm pretty sure that i want to go with the shiny wheel on the black car. I noticed that the polished aluminum is around $490 while the chrome is at $620. What is the difference in the two? Does the chrome last longer than the polished aluminum or are you just paying that extra $130 so that you can say, "Yea they're chrome! "
Polished aluminum on the other hand needs to be polished with a metal polish pretty regularly but it is worth it. I do mine about once a month.
As far as wheels are concerned, I prefer the look of polished aluminum over chrome. To me it just looks better. Looks more business than chrome.
-
Originally posted by fastTAChrome wheels are usually a steel or alloy that have been chrome plated with a 3-4 step electrolysis process involving alkaline copper, zinc, nickel, and then finally the chrome. Chrome has a much more reflective and hard "shine" to it than polished aluminum does. Chrome is also easier to maintain than poilished aluminum. Soap and water on a regular basis will keep the chrome shined and in good condition with only an occasional chrome polish needed to be applied.
Polished aluminum on the other hand needs to be polished with a metal polish pretty regularly but it is worth it. I do mine about once a month.
As far as wheels are concerned, I prefer the look of polished aluminum over chrome. To me it just looks better. Looks more business than chrome.
plus...you get a chip in chrome.. and it starts rusting from the "inside" out..pretty soon.........you got flaky wheels.......
The Goldens: Reno and Rocky
2008 C6, M6, LS3, Corsa Extreme C/B, (it flys) & 2008 Yukon loaded (Titanic), 03 Ford Focus..everydaydriver.
Wolfdog Rescue Resources, Inc.:http://www.wrr-inc.org
Home Page: http://www.renokeo.com
sold: 97 Firehawk, 97 Comp T/A, 2005 GTO, 2008 Solstice GXP turbo.
Comment
-
Its possible to clearcoat polished aluminum, to eliminate the maintenance issues. My AFS ZR1 replicas came with clearcoat, and require no more than a coat of Zaino every once in a while to help them shed brake dust.
I also have the uncoated polished Weld Pro-Stars, and because of limited use, they need one "good" polish a season, and a touchup for any "show" events. Would definitely take more frequent polishing in a daily driver.
After living in CA, where every car seems to have oversize chrome plated (and sometimes gold plated) wheels, I prefer the slightly softer look of the polished aluminum.
Fred
381ci all-forged stroker - 10.8:1 - CNC LT4 heads/intake - CC solid roller - MoTeC engine management - 8 LS1 coils - 58mm TB - 78# injectors - 300-shot dry nitrous - TH400 - Gear Vendor O/D - Strange 12-bolt - 4.11's - AS&M headers - duals - Corbeau seat - AutoMeter gauges - roll bar - Spohn suspension - QA1 shocks - a few other odds 'n ends. 800HP/800lb-ft at the flywheel, on a 300-shot. 11.5 @ 117MPH straight motor
Comment
-
Chrome is cool...if it's stay clean it looks awesome and attracts a lot of attention. I loved the way my chrome 16" TA rim reflect the sun and literally bling when it spinned...
But my vote goes for polished Aluminum...not as clean a little harder to maintain...but looks much more serious and meaner...and expensive (to me at least).
My Speedlines with the clear coat looks amazing with a shot of Z5 and Z6.
But if you can get your hands on gloss black with silver/polished/chrome lip...that takes the cake, hands down.
Christopher Teng
1999 · A4 · 3.73's · Auburn LSD · Whisper Lid · K&N · Pacesetter Headers/Y-pipe
Magnaflow Cat & Catback · MSD Coils/Wires · Bosch +4 Plugs · EGR Bypass
B&M SuperCooler · 160* Stat · Descreened MAF · SLP CAI · BMR STB & SFC
Strano Sways · Eibach Springs · Bilstein HD Shocks · Hawk-Pads · Brembo Blanks
Speedlines · Nitto 555s · Texas Speed Mail Tune
Lots of Weight Savings · Stubby Antenna · Corbeau TRS · Zaino · 273K
F-Body Dirty Dozen
Comment
-
I have 18 aluminum wheels with crome coating same weight as a strait aluminum wheel. Only difference is the shine. one draw back of chrome is the chiping but if your in town or on the highway this is probably not a real problem. Aluminum is much harder to keep clean. One thing I would suggest is to stay away from wheel designs that are very sharp and angular as they are much harder to polish/clean than a nice set of smoth flowing rims. This is experience talking as I hated polishing my Eagle alloy 202s but my BossMotorsort 304s are a breaze.
Eric W.
89 Firebird Formula WS6
Accel/Lingenfelter Super Ram
6.2L/382.97 ci
Custom PROM Dyno tuned
WCT-5 speed
BW 9-bolt Posi 3.45
Boss MS 18" Rims
Headman Headers 1 5/8 Ceramic Coated
Custom Dual exhaust
1LE upgrade
Custom Temperature / Navigation Rear View Mirror
In a constant state of upgrade!
Comment
-
Chrome, easy to keep clean and it looks good!2006 GTO Impulse Blue Metallic, Blue Leather Interior
Traded in: 1998 Z28
http://www.cardomain.com/id/hotwhip9
Comment
-
Originally posted by lt1marosorry to hijack your post dude, but Fred i love your car
Originally posted by ryan34Aren't the aluminum wheels lighter in weight as well?
My first "alloy" wheels were a set of 15X8" Cragar S/S wheels that I put on my then-new 1966 GTO..... The wheels were actually a polished aluminum center section, with a chromed stamped steel rim. They were not clear coated, and had to be removed at the first sign of snow, because the salt used on icy roads would coat the wheels with a furry white powdery corrosion, with black stains beneath the corrosion. Simichrome polish was about the only available remedy.
Fred
381ci all-forged stroker - 10.8:1 - CNC LT4 heads/intake - CC solid roller - MoTeC engine management - 8 LS1 coils - 58mm TB - 78# injectors - 300-shot dry nitrous - TH400 - Gear Vendor O/D - Strange 12-bolt - 4.11's - AS&M headers - duals - Corbeau seat - AutoMeter gauges - roll bar - Spohn suspension - QA1 shocks - a few other odds 'n ends. 800HP/800lb-ft at the flywheel, on a 300-shot. 11.5 @ 117MPH straight motor
Comment
Comment