My Cragar SS rims are in real tough shape and I was wondering if I could sandblast them and paint them .The chrome is peeling off and they are looking rough. Kind of tight on cash right now and can't afford new rim's yet.The price of gas is really putting a squeeze on everyone.

You sure can. They are just steel wheels under that chrome. Be sure to post pics of when you're done so we can all admire them.

The center sections are aluminum, and the outer parts are steel. The wheels where first copper clad and then triple nickel plated (polished between plates) before they where finally hard chromed and polished to a high luster. What is peeling off now are all three layers of nickel and it is taking the chrome with it. This is because moisture has worked through cracks to attack the copper under coating causing it to corrode. You have to stop the corrosion first, or it will continue to erode the wheels.

Have you seen chrome paint? It looks like chrome when properly applied and has none of the evil associated with chrome plating. Google "Chrome paint" for possible sources and instructions on how to prepare the wheels.

I researched this once before (but unlike Shifty I never save old research) because it looked promising for painting fiberglass parts to look like real bumpers. Not that I would ever attempt to pass off a lightweight tube chassis car with featherweight fiberglass body panels as a real street car in some dark alley late on a Friday night.

Big Dave

The center sections are aluminum,
That's interesting. I have a friend that bought a car with some old Cragars on there and the centers were rusted. Was it the coating rusting? I wish I would have known this then I would have told him to give me the wheels so I could see what was rusting. He just tossed them.

I have some PPG Blue Basecoat Clear coat that is the same color of my car. I thought that would look cool . I would just paint the alum. ctrs. Kind of like a set of 79 Z-28 Wheels. Someday I will have some 16's or 17's on this car but this will work for now.I plan on passing this car down to my sons someday.So it will be around for a while.