Correct silver wheel color.

If anyone cares:

http://www.356registry.org/Tech/wheel_paint.html

I'm re-doing a set of wide five lug, 14 inch '68 VW bus rims. More offset towards the inside and a half inch wider rim. They ought to work very well on the SC coupe.

Because of the unusual rim I'm trying to use the most "correct" color possible. The above link is how the 356 crowd is handling the question.

The cheap match has always been chrome aluminum spray bomb and a clear coat urethane spray bomb. Not very durable But it looks right.

Gm argent siver is close but to blueish . I did use it anyway on the beetles marathon rims. because it avalable in PPG a real good paint.

Mid thought idea! Paint up a flat peace of scrap metal with the cheap stuff .

Then ,,, HAVE a paint shop that uses a GOOD paint scanner match it. to get the right formula. for a good basecoat and clearcoat finish.

Thats probably your best bet. if you want the highest quality.

I DO love Argent silver. That always seemed to be THE color for British cars. Wires and steel wheels alike.

Any thoughts/advice on powdercoating vs. painting? Seems like it'd be more durable...I've never seen what it might look like, though.

I had that priced to me before i did the beetle rims . OHHH JOY!

I did different.

The argent silver is the rally sport rim color used on camaro,s and vett.s.

and

Also the NC Hwy Patrol cars. painted up black & silver.. ( that part is kinda spooky)

I decided once to try and be "as correct" as possible which according to the Porsche crowd is "WURTH" silver and clear. I tried it and paid a lot more than the old "rustoleum" bright silver aluminum and the paint was crap....................I am back to the rustoleum which comes in a lot of different shades to your liking and lasts as long as those lousy third world rims (rust-wise) allow it to.

Fred Adler
San Diego

That's a really clean, sweet look! The painted rims look terrific with those flat-style caps and crests,
don't they ! ? ! ?

NICE ! ! !

Thanks. It was making the best of "budget" considerations. The caps are OK but rusty underneath so I undercoated them. The wheels were badly rusted so a wire brush on a drill smoothed that out. I have painted more darn wheels in my life (MGB wires, MGB mags, 914 wheels, 914 Rivieras) and this was just the same old thing. Since the car is a "stock" 356 color (Aquamarine) I thought a more stock look would do. The whole trick to painting is a clean wheel, a good quality paint (rattle can is fine)and taking your time masking with better tape on a dry tire.

Thanks for the compliment.

Fred Adler
San Diego

It is a very clean look wihout the rocker molding

Here is close shot.

Fred Adler
San Diego

This code is correct, TC.

I feel like a sleeper who's just received his activation signal.

Cory,

"I like your shoes."

Yeah, real subtle, huh?

TC,

"The rusty squirrel goes at midnight."

"The bearded clam has no curfew."

Jimbo, you crackin me up:):):):):)


Marty

Marty - I crack myself up!!

Peace - Out!

Confucius say " Man wearing pineapple hat know nothing about bearded clam"

Sorry, Jim, couldn't resist, brother!

Join the revolution, Jim.
Put that 70s-era clam-digging habit to rest.
Due to recent watershed preservation acts and environmental concerns, clams nowadays don't have beards.

Sorry to break up all the fun... serious question. Can you paint chrome wheels? I have a problem with my speedster, besides the fact I was supposed to have it at Carlisle May 16th, I asked for painted wide 5 wheels. When I showed up to the shop chrome wheels were installed. I was initially told they would be sand blasted and powder coated. Did not make sense, and after reading up on the subject sandblasting chrome does not work. You would have to hit it so hard that the steel would be damaged. I brought it up to the builder, was then told a really nasty primer that etches itself into the chrome would be used prior to painting. I cant make sense of why you would want to go through the trouble. Labor and cost of materials alone would be about the same as a new set of wide 5's. To be completely honest I am concerned about not only the finish, but what happens a year or two from now. What if I ever want to re-finish these?
I was told by the builder you can no longer get painted wide 5 wheels. I found them, Brazilian, ready to ship. Let the shop know where, how, and I want them. Pretty sure I am not getting them, cant be completely sure... no returned phone call/email. After 8 months of this crap I am beginning to get used to it.
Question is:
Can you paint over chrome? What would the process be?

Sounds to me like someone does not want 4 chrome wheels laying around the shop waiting for an owner.

paul

Have them sand blasted and include 8 cans of high fill spray bomb primmer 2 per wheel.. Sand blasting will do just fine with medum course grit.
Include instructions to prime each one as soon as its free of chrome right then to insure that no moisture is trapped in the metal.
Take um home and sand to your hearts content re primming as needed and just spray bomb them as commonly done . with the chrome alumium and clear.

One warning, most spray primmers are laqeur you cant get to thick and it needs a day to dry between sandings and coats, You cant rush it.

A ppg epoxy High fill primmer is expencive but it drys hard enough to sand and re coat in about a hour. and you can put it over a base coat of laquer. thats over a day cured. you still sand between coats.

Then on down the road If you want to redo or powercoat them it will be less work to just glass bead and coat them

What your looking at is a lazy bodyman that knows he cant charge you much for them and dosen't want to mess with them. No money in for them.

Ive seen it before They want your money not your headaches.

Sad But usalley true.. Its hard work.

Research shows that Jim is correct. The bearded clam still exists and it has trouble telling time.


Marty G.

Paul,
I'm running into a problem finding 5 1/2" painted wide 5's, where did you find them?
I wanted to put them on my car, and still might, but the more I think about it the more I'm leaning toward 4 1/2's with 185/55's on them. I'm a little worried about the space I have in the rear wells even after narrowing it up. The back side of the 4 1/2's with 165's is pretty close to the spring plate (approx 1/4" to 3/8") so I don't want to push it with 5 1/2's with 195's.

Hey Im not even attending the event,The time issue is there problem. I just told them the facts of it