Revell Smokey and the Bandit Wheels

I've not done a set of these wheels, but looking at the photo I think there may be a couple of ways to go about this.

First of all, no part of the wheel, except for the centre cap and lug nuts is chrome. Spray the wheel with your gold paint of choice, then remove the paint from the high point of the 'spokes'. Once the paint is removed, spray the wheel with matt clear to give the exposed chrome the machined aluminum look.

Removing the paint from the spokes can be done using a very fine point cotton swab (the type specifically for hobby use) or a toothpick dipped in paint thinner, etc. Work carefully and use magnification to ensure clean work. Another method would be to use liquid masking medium on the tops of the spokes before painting with gold, then remove the mask, but this may be a bit of a pain.

Whichever way you go, use liquid mask on the centre cap and lugnuts before painting the gold to preserve the chrome on these parts. Remove the mask after all other work is done.

Perhaps the most realistic method of all would involve stripping all of the chrome and lacquer undercoat from the wheels and use aluminum plate Metalizer and then gold paint, but it would require some experimentation on how best to remove the gold from the metalizer paint without damaging the metalizer.

These are just a few thoughts on how I would tackle this job. Hopefully others will chime in with their thoughts or experience.

Trevor is definitely onto something with the gold and matte clear idea. Those Molotow chrome pens would more than do the trick for making the center caps and lugnuts chrome again but the liquid mask idea is a good one as well.

I've never tried painting chrome plating before, will the paint adhere to it? If so, your idea would be better than striping the chrome off.

Technically speaking, paint should not be applied over chrome. By design, it won't adhere as well as unplated plastic. However I frequently use this technique when painting Torque Thrust type wheels.

So far I have had no issues with paint flaking off. I built the above model about 12 years ago and the wheels still look good. I think the overcoat of matt clear helps to hold everything together. On this wheel the liquid mask on the centre cap/lug nuts trick was used (though the photo is not the clearest).

I agree with all of the above . i built that kit a year ago it's on this forum select number 13 lucky # it's called 77 bandit t/a wip I hope it helps bty painting part is easy it's those pin striping decals is the fun part.

Bainford has the right idea.

I often spray paint over chrome and have never had a problem.

This is a great way to duplicate the annodizing prosses on aluminum parts.

Chrome valve covers become blue annodized with a light cote of metallic blue.

Crome carberators become red annodized with metallic red.

Chrome Bandit wheels  become gold annodized with a cote of gold.

Ect. Ect. Ect.

I hand painted dullcoat and then painted Vallejo gold paint on the inner parts.  It takes some time but isn't difficult.

I've painted Testors Dull-Cote several different times over chorme plated pieces and it came out well leaving the parts lookin' like aluminum, which is great sometimes for wheels, front bumpers on funny or A/FX cars, blowers, and of course Moon tanks as they are made from spun aluminum and are never chromed. I have recently been using some Tamiya Smoke TS-71 over chrome pieces and wheel covers as it tones down the sometimes overly shiny look on many plated parts.

Thanks all

I have used the Molotw chrome marker pens and they work great !! 

 Being metric challenged, I ordered the 2mm at first. when it arrived it had a pretty fat tip, but it worked so well I sent in another order (Amazon) and got the 1mm. That has a finer point and I used it to do the trim on my recent art deco bashup.

 I would suggest stripping the  Bandit wheels (oven cleaner), paint the gold, and get one of those 1mm Malatow pens. They are about 11 bucks on Amazon, but will do the  spoke edges quite easily 

I hope mine turns out that well, nice job