chipping clear coat

My factory rims clear coat is flaking off. I can chip it off with my fingernail. It has had 13 years of road abuse grime. It's beyond touch up now, it needs to come off. My question is how do I go about removing the old clear coat? Is there a special kind of chemical to remove it without damaging the alloy underneath? What kind of protective clear coat would I need to put back on the rim to get that shiny look and would take the daily driving road grime abuse?