Are these the current wheels you have to work with? They actually look pretty good - you're right, they didn't hold up very well, and really susceptible to corrosion. Since the outer part is already stripped down to the bare metal, might be able to sand the imperfections down w/ a really fine grit sandpaper, or wheel. Once smooth, the rest of the imperfections may cover when you hit it w/ a couple coats of the argent paint. Time consuming, but might turn out surprisingly well. Just some thoughts . . .