Saw a recent thread describing the repaint of a rally hub cap. Since I had recently reconditioned mine, I thought I'd share my approach. I started with an ebay set (caps were missing on my '69) that turned out to be average - flaking paint, some chrome pitting, dull/scratched/dinged stainless steel. I separated the caps and ornaments, and stripped the paint from the ornaments with paint remover. Using blue painter's tape, I taped off the entire top surface. Using an exacto knife, I removed the tape from the chrome surface that contained the GM script by using the two concentric rings as guides. Obviously, I left the two rings exposed so they could be painted along with the script (next time, I'll take pics!). After painting and tape removal, I used a rag dampened with lacquer thinner to remove the paint from the surface. I was careful to keep the rag stretched tightly around my fingertip to not affect the paint in the recesses. I also found that if I kept adjusting the rag to a clean spot and blotting it after wetting with thinner, the process went more smoothly.

For the sides of the ornament, I first tried spraying the entire surface and then removing the paint from the ribs using the lacquer thinner technique described above. However, I couldn't keep from touching the paint between the ribs with the rag. While it didn't remove the paint to the chrome, it did leave "wipe marks" which left the paint dull. So, I scrapped that idea. (I did try the razor blade method, but discarded it because of pitting along many of the ribs. I also had difficulty getting the desired chrome "exposure" along the rib. Multiple passes would be required while rolling the blade to each side of the rib. Too tedious for me!) Instead, I masked off each rib with a 3.5mm strip of masking tape that I cut. (I laid a 12" strip of 1" wide tape on a piece of glass. Using a straight edge and a sharp exacto knife, I cut the strips. If I remember correctly, I then cut the tape crosswise at 3" intervals. This gave me enough strips to do half an ornament (40 ribs per ornament for inquiring minds). I made a jig out of scrap lumber to hold the ornament while applying the tape. I used the exacto knife to lift one end of each tape strip and small tweezers to grip the other end. This allowed me to keep the tape taut while applying it to a rib. When finished with the ribs, I taped off the ends of the ornament above and below the ribs. Since the exposed chrome ring at the base of the ornament is very narrow, I cut long strips of tape. The narrow strips seemed to adhere better than a 1" wide pieces.

The final step was to try my hand at buffing the SS. This, I found, is more art than science. I say this because I had no prior buffing experience. It was definitely a learning process. I buffed those caps so many times that I finally had to tell myself "Good enough"! While they are many times brighter than when I got them, I'm still not satisfied with them.

This turned out longer than I had intended. But, if anyone can extract anything useful from it, great. While I didn't document the process with pics, I do offer a few "after" pics.

 

I think they came out beautiful !

 

Quite a patient process... They turned out very nice. What kind of black paint did you use (or did I miss that in your post?)

 

You have the patience of a saint !
They really turned out nicely , congrat's

 

The 'ribs' can be painted more simply, I think. Buy a flat, square-tipped artist's brush about 3/16" to 1/4" wide at a craft store. It needs to be a little bit more narrow than the actual width of the "valley" between each set of ribs. Use semi-flat or satin black paint (if you have spray paint, you can spray some into the cap and use the liquid paint for this), dip the end of the brush in the paint, then start the tip of the brush at the inside end of one valley and draw it down the entire length of it. You don't want the brush to actually touch the area next to the ribs...the paint will flow out to the ribs by itself and only go up so far [due to surface tension in that paint fluid], and it's very predictable and consistent. You may want to mask the outer edges of the cap to end your paint at the same spot all the way around.

I find that this works very well. And after doing 4 or 5 ribs, it becomes relatively easy to get an even flow of paint and a very smooth and consistent paint line without any waviness to it.

 

Hi 69v,
VERY nice results!
Anyone who has worked on restoring caps will understand the work required to get the kind of appearance you have!
Regards,
Alan

 

Nice work. The lacquer-thinner-on-a-rag is one of my favorite tricks.

 

Very nice

 

Thanks to all for your feedback. About your "patience" comments, I am retired, so time is no longer money; it's just time! Stroh: I used Krylon Fusion For Plastic, Satin Black. Also good for metal. Went on smooth; seems to be adhering well. 7T1vette: While I didn't try your brush method, I did try a "Paint Marker" with flat black enamel that my wife had in her craft supplies. It has a felt tip, much like a magic marker. Didn't like the results - it left application marks. Next opportunity, I'll try a brush. Would definitely be faster.

 

69, Thank you for the write up. I will be tackling this job in the summer and will save this thread. Your cap came out wonderful.

 

Wow, they look great! Can you show the buffer tool and what product was applied to make them shine?

[[/B]

 

They look very nice, great job on them.

 

Great Job!! Do you farm out your services?

 

very nice
Try your patience on PO2 hub caps,it gave me a few grey hairs

 

Those look great. A few years ago I did the same, but cut a small square paint pad from a paint edging tool the width of the black slots glued it to the end of a pencil. Painted each length with it using steady a hand as possible. Not as good but it worked.

Tedious worrk but the results are worth it. Cheers,

 

I used a couple of different 6" X 1/2" buffing wheels on my 6" grinder with emory and stainless steel compunds. Also tried my hand at wet sanding some of the deeper scratches out. Suggest you google "buffing polishing stainless steel". You'll find suppliers of buffing equipment that also provide diy help. There are a couple of youtube videos that are especially informative. Good luck!

If I charged by the hour, I'd be laughed off the forum. However, I might set up a booth at B-J; those guys have plenty of money!!