Wheel paint - centers
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
Wheel paint - centers
Hey guys,
I've been debating about painting the centers of the factory aluminum wheels black (as they were originally), or leaving them polished. Also tied into this would be the center cap choice. The factory black sided caps or to use the '78 caps which were just a polished finish. We are unsure of the paint color we will use, but the car was black originally, so that's what we are leaning towards at this point.
I guess this is a multi-part question.
Part One: Does anyone know how they painted the center area at the factory?
Part two is just asking for your opinions on painted, not painted, polished caps, black caps. I know in the end it's our choice, but I would appreciate any feedback and also respect the opinions on this forum.
Here are a couple of photos from the web which show the options:
A shot of the wheels with no painted center and the polished caps
The wheels as they would have been originally on our '77
Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have,
Adam
I've been debating about painting the centers of the factory aluminum wheels black (as they were originally), or leaving them polished. Also tied into this would be the center cap choice. The factory black sided caps or to use the '78 caps which were just a polished finish. We are unsure of the paint color we will use, but the car was black originally, so that's what we are leaning towards at this point.
I guess this is a multi-part question.
Part One: Does anyone know how they painted the center area at the factory?
Part two is just asking for your opinions on painted, not painted, polished caps, black caps. I know in the end it's our choice, but I would appreciate any feedback and also respect the opinions on this forum.
Here are a couple of photos from the web which show the options:
A shot of the wheels with no painted center and the polished caps
The wheels as they would have been originally on our '77
Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have,
Adam
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
Hi 76Vett,
I wondered about something like that. Did the edges come out clean doing it that way?
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
From: Laquey Missouri
[I wondered about something like that. Did the edges come out clean doing it that way?[/QUOTE
Yes the edges turned out great, my son held the can firmly in place and I sprayed the rattle can. I got the idea from someone else here on the forum.
Yes the edges turned out great, my son held the can firmly in place and I sprayed the rattle can. I got the idea from someone else here on the forum.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
Not sure I understand what you mean - did you mean if the car is black that the centers should also be gloss black etc? What shade were the centers originally?
Thanks again guys for your thoughts on this
Adam
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
I have repainted mine a couple of times over the years. '77 through '79 got semi-flat in the centers only. '80 through '82 got semi-flat in the slots only. I use 3M Fineline 1/4" plastic tape to mask the center then cheap 3/4", and 2" masking tape to do the rest of the wheel. Painting both centers and slots may look quite good. I believe the car in your photo has both painted. My original centers keep getting stolen back in the '80's so I went with the spinners. I painted the mounting towers black. The chrome center caps look better with the unpainted centers. Black caps look better with painted centers. At least to me. mike...
Last edited by mds3013; Aug 10, 2013 at 10:13 AM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
Hey mds,
Nice shot of your wheel - looks great. Thanks for the info on the paint situation - had no idea about the centers vs. slots being painted. I thought that all of the earlier wheels had painted centers and slots!
You did a fantastic job of masking that off - working in a circle like that would be tough to keep it from looking off center when the wheels are spinning.
The 2nd photo in my original post shows painted centers and slots along with the black sided caps. Think I'm leaning towards that look.
Adam
Nice shot of your wheel - looks great. Thanks for the info on the paint situation - had no idea about the centers vs. slots being painted. I thought that all of the earlier wheels had painted centers and slots!
You did a fantastic job of masking that off - working in a circle like that would be tough to keep it from looking off center when the wheels are spinning.
The 2nd photo in my original post shows painted centers and slots along with the black sided caps. Think I'm leaning towards that look.
Adam
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
Three ways to paint the slots. Cover the outer side with tape and paint from the backside. Cover the outer and inner side with tape than trim around tape along the slot outline with a sharp #11 Exacto blade to open the slots then paint from the front and back. Cover the outer side with tape and trim on outside of slot plus about 1/8". Remove tape and let paint dry for a few days. Then take a fine Scotchbrite pad or very fine wet or dry sandpaper with water and remove over spray to create a clean edge. Polish wheel by hand and you will then have an exact edge around slot. Before painting any area use a coarse Schotchbrite pad to prep. the surface. mike...
Last edited by mds3013; Aug 10, 2013 at 10:11 AM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
I painted the slots from the backside and then polished the fronts out. Had one that was pretty badly damaged but I managed to save it 
And yes, those tires are gone - they were 10 years old when we got the car.
And yes, those tires are gone - they were 10 years old when we got the car.