I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A PICTURE OF A BLACK FACTORY WHEEL??? http:///Users/randymcpherson/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Originals/2007/dad's pictures/DSC02316.JPG

when u say black, u mean the black steel wheels or the alloys done in black? if it's the former, click on the link under my signature and u can see them powder coated in gallapagos green to match the paint.

Sorry, I would like to see a picture of an alloy EX wheel. Thanks

I am looking for the same thing. I am going to be getting a Black Element in June and am Thinking of powdercoating the stock wheels Black or Gunmetal.

I'd love to have SOP wheels on my SOP. Hope you are successful.

okay don't shoot me - i am no photoshop expert but i stole some pics of a guys element and changed the colour of the wheels. I am sure the others could do better but it gives you an idea. I like both but I think I will go black if I do it. This is also with larger beefier tires which I am going to do.

The only thing i wish is that you get the LX with AWD in Canada. You can't - only the EX comes with AWD and it has the painted panels. I would have a black element- with rugged tires, black rims and the unpainted panels. I guess I will just have to swap out the body panels if i really want it.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l214/kaikara99/Kumhos007a.gif

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l214/kaikara99/Kumhos007.gif

I like the way that looks...:cool:

Powder coating the stock wheels may not be economical, unless that's what you really want. I always thought that powder coating was pricey...

I got a price of 75 canadian per wheel in black. That was the cheapest I could find. That is cheaper then buying a new set of rims.

how long would you be with out wheels

Certainly no more than 24 hours to do the actual powder-coating. But taking the tires off the rims, and the wheels off the car for delivery to whomever does the job? It's almost always cheaper than aftermarket wheels, but one needs to keep in mind the wheels require having the tires unmounted to do the "baking" process. :-|

We just did an story on powder coating for
Workbench Magazine (Issue 300 April).
I have been doing it for years with a
Craftmen powder coat gun, ($110.00) on sale at Sears
and an old oven outside (free). Its works great.
I also use a $14 toaster oven, in my basement, for small parts.
The powder is very cheap an the internet and you can get
any gloss, flat, transparent, candy color, texture you can think of.
I just did my rims for my Dodge M37 (flat military green) in my shed oven.
I have heard of people using heat lamps and heat guns for large parts,
I have not tried these methods yet.

So give it a try.
It's fun, its easy, and it very durable. . .

how long would you be with out wheels

they said 2 days - drop off morning, pick up afternoon the next day.

as for tires being unmounted - the plan would be pull the wheels, take them to my tire place and have the tires pulled off them. Drop them off at powdercoaters and then when i get the rims back have new beefier tires installed - the BFG A/T look good or something similar.

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/files/1004698_jemkr/LUNCHBOX%2099.jpg
http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/files/1004699_focs1/LUNCHBOX%2098.jpg
http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/files/1004700_tbdxe/LUNCHBOX%2097.jpg

hopefully that worked..........scuffed them with a 3m scotchbrite pad, & painted them with about 3 coats of Duplicolor semigloss black, engine enamel..... looks great & its been about 7 months....... Pat

i powder coated a set of GSR webs for my previous car and it wasn't too bad. this was done in 2000 and at the time they charged $30 per wheel and $12 for sandblasting. The wheels were out for 2 weeks and luckily it was during the winter so I had my steelies on there.... or else I would of been S.O.L.ed...

7 years later the wheels still look like they did when I brought them home.

IMO: Powder Coating gets the thumbs up from me!