SSR Wheel Restoration - Star Shark, Formula and EX-C Mesh

jace · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:39 pm

Hey guys.

My name is Jace, i'm from a lil place south of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia.
I currently drive a NA6 Mazda MX5/Roadster but i hope to have a KE25/TE27 someday soon.

Anyway, i have a wheel problem. That is, i'm addicted and can't help impulse buying from YAJ

The first set of wheels getting a resto are Star Sharks in 4x100, 14x6.5 +13
Here's some pics of what i'm working with

here's the other bits and pieces i have rounded up

and close ups of cleaning the bolts
before

after (soaking them in white vinegar for about 12 hours)

they're getting there

The set of wheels are currently at a wheel shop getting some work done.
This includes TIG welding the outer lips to fill the gutter rash, re-rolling the lips to fix the flat spots (one of them is so bad that the tire didn't hold air

)
and finally polishing the lips and spokes.

i'll hopefully have them back in 2 or three weeks. While i wait, i'm going to have the bolts re-zinc'd locally.

i should have my meshies in another 6 or 7 weeks (

!)

The meshies are 14x7, staggered offsets like +9 and -3 or something iirc

i scored them both reasonably cheaply (about ¥50,000) which means i can spend a bit on them making them new again!
i also got some center caps for them which i'm pretty stoked on

thanks for viewing, expect an update soon!

tristinGrind · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 2:01 am

SSRs are my favorite brand of OG wheel... Just like yourself, I too have an addiction and hope to continue my collection of SSRs. I just had my MKIIs and MKIIIs refinished and was quite pleased with the turnout. Ive fallen on harder times right now with the American economy, but will continue to build my set over the years.

Star Sharks are mos def one of my favorites of the brand. Thanks for sharing and I hope you post completed pictures. I went away from the SSR branded bolts and replaced them with something different so if you need extras, PM and we can work out a deal.

jace · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2012 1:30 am

other than MK3's, there's not many other wheels i desire to own. feel free to post pics of your restored wheels, help me stay motivated!

if Advan A3A's were made in 4x100, i'd be the dude stupid enough to pay too much for a set. same with Techno Phantoms.

i currently have 14x6.5 +9.5 A-type Watanabes on my car

i also had 14x7 +12 4x100 SSR MK2's, but sold them because they were orange and i didn't like the look against my white paint! :oops:

tristinGrind · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:40 pm

iPhone edit:

jace · **Posted:** Sun Jul 22, 2012 12:57 am

so rad!^

aww yeah time for some pics for you guys.

got my Star Sharks back, lips are looking pretty good now. i'm slowly reassembling them with a lot of sealing wax and care.

i'll be zinc coating the bolts and dying them black, and i hope to paint the centers an cast iron colour, so that with black bolts, wheel nuts and center caps i should get some nice contrast between the lips!

got the stickers reprinted too!

i also picked up my Formula Mesh from my local importers place yesterday. nice dish, really looking forward to switching it up!

the lips aren't quite as fucked as the Star Sharks were, but they're not brilliant either.

once i've worked out who's working on the lips, i'll know whether i can pull the centers out to have them blasted and clearcoated
they'll also have black bolts and i've got a set of black center caps for them too!

so more once the weather warms up and i can be bothered painting the Star Sharks!

RdS · **Posted:** Fri Jul 27, 2012 11:50 pm

I enjoy everything here.

Plans for the starriest of sharks sounds great. def a nice combination of shades.
where the hell did you get those stickers redone?! its amazing you still had one to work off - those things do NOT like gurney/pressure-washers.

and <3 formula mesh step lip. urgnf..

jace · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2012 2:44 am

oh hai ross!
i'll find out when i speak to Wheels next (that's the name of the company who redid the lips...)

SSR Star Shark 4x100 by Jace B., on Flickr

Camshaft · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2012 6:25 am

Looks good man! Your car is still too high, though.

(j/k)

bos · **Joined:** Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:36 am **Posts:** 66

Looks nice man, how much did the resto cost you?

Eeyore · **Posted:** Thu Oct 11, 2012 5:23 pm

Can anyone help with the actual colour code or something similar for the gold finish on older SSR wheels? Mesh rims in particular. Would it have been the 'Touring Gold' colour that is still offered on their current range?

oldcafe · **Posted:** Sun Oct 14, 2012 11:04 am

i have the same wheels on my BRG 14x6,5 et13 and 14x7 et0

Eeyore · **Posted:** Wed Oct 24, 2012 4:13 pm

This is the colour I am trying to find. I've seen a few in this shade and then some lighter in appearance. Maybe there is no right or wrong colour.

john · **Posted:** Wed Oct 24, 2012 5:44 pm

Eeyore wrote:

I've seen a few in this shade and then some lighter in appearance. Maybe there is no right or wrong colour.

I think you hit on it there. :tu:

Eastwood sells some wheel paint called "Vintage Racing Wheel Gold" that is very close to that?

http://www.eastwood.com/vintage-racing- ... -gold.html

jace · **Posted:** Wed Nov 07, 2012 10:40 pm

I think Eastwood paint is closest to BBS gold that you can get in a spray can (dude from Eastwood used to post a lot on Vortex)
Your best bet is to try every can of 'Gold' paint you can find and see which one you think is best.

I've disassembled the Formula Mesh, but got held up in their resto by a new car (BMW 2002) and rebuilding some 16" BBS RS wheels for a friend of mine.

I've bought more wheels though, they are on their way from Japan now.

14x6.5 ET19 SSR EX-C Mesh. 4x100. They might get turned into 15" step-lip EX-C Mesh, not too sure yet.

Cody mackay92 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 2:46 am

Yes! I love this thread! Slammed, sweet cars, a 510 and Miata, oh lord. Sweeeeet little, wide wheels, this is so good. I'm about to take photos of the two sets I have to add in!

jace · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 4:34 am

Hell yeah.

I have got some better pics of what i'm working with with the EX-C's.

EX-C Mesh by Jace B., on Flickr

EX-C centers by Jace B., on Flickr

I haven't started my Formula Mesh yet, although they are disassembled.

I bought a BMW 2002 which has eaten up some of my time. I should probably put the Star Sharks on the '02 just for kicks, it uses the same rolling diameter as my miata does :twisted:

jace · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 4:39 am

and just because

Cody mackay92 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 5:35 am

Hahahah, just because is the best reason.

The EX-Cs? don't look like they need any restoring, they look pretty schmick?

Hotwires after a polish. They don't feel special after seeing your wheels. ):

Centrelines after a real rough polish, just to see what they'd come up like.

Centrelines again, one polished, one not. I've just started sanding all the pitting and some of the more shallow scratches out of the faces, then I'll go right up to 1,000 grit and polish them again. The rims are in pretty shocking condition, one of them has actuallt been in a fire.. But I did pick up both sets of wheels for only $100 each set.

jace · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 5:39 am

centerlines and hotwires, how bloody australian is that!

Cody mackay92 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 5:42 am

I'll never hear the end of being Australian on here.. At least they're not on a Falcon or Kingswood.

SSR Wheel Restoration - Star Shark, Formula and EX-C Mesh

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