3X2

Time to replace my 30+ year old tires and I finally found blackwall tires in the size I want. Still have perfect tread and the nubbies on the sidewalls, but because of age, it is time to replace them. Years ago I had my rally's repainted an incorrect silver both front and back and it is chipping where the trim rings clip on. I want to have them redone with the correct silver. How were they originally painted? I've been looking at pictures where the backside is black and the front is argent silver with various degrees of silver over spray on the black backside and different variations of sometimes poor coverage. So, originally were the wheels all black and what kind of black? Flat, satin, semi flat, semi gloss? How much silver was sprayed beyond the tires bead surface? Should apply some clear after painting? And what degree of gloss should the clear be? Right now I can't get to my spare to see what it looks like and it may not even be original to the car. And, what would be a better choice of paint, rattle can or sprayed from a paint gun? My car would make a NCRS judge laugh, but if I'm going to re do them, I want them reasonably close to original.

maj75

I looking at my original early '69 spare tire and wheel, I give you the following observations.

The wheel was definitely painted argent silver, front and back. Then a pretty sloppy coat of black paint was applied to the back. The backside of the hub was lightly covered with black and a section of the outer rim wasn't covered by black at all. The paint is so light, the backside of the wheel has a gray appearance.

cv67

make it so they look good to you, hard to go wrong with plain old argent, no clear
Anyone know if Krylon still sells that in rattlecan? Best looking shade ever.
Saw a set of wheels long ago that had the same shade but with a little metallic, looked pretty good in the sun

Alan 71

Hi 3x2,
I believe you'll find the wheels on your 69 were first painted completely in semi-flat black…. both sides.

The wheel was 'hung-up' vertically and the outside of the wheel was sprayed with silver paint. It was done quickly and haphazardly. However quite a bit of paint was used and many original wheels are seen with sags and runs. The metallic particles in the paint emphasize the sags.

The only silver on the rear of the wheel was incidental and the result of the silver paint blowing through the holes in the wheel while the front side was being painted. Originally no attempt was made to paint the back of the wheel.

It's pretty easy to duplicate this appearance since it happens naturally when painting the front side of the wheel.

The paint used in 69 was an unusual silver color with a pale-greenish hue.
Later wheels are a more pure silver color.
The paint for the later silver rally color is readily available in spray cans, but I'm not sure if the greenish hue is available in spray cans.
Regards,
Alan

An example of the greenish hue seen on 69 and 70 wheels.

maj75

Alan, I know you are the expert, but I've done a bit of painting and I think it would be impossible to get the black and silver pattern on the back of my wheel if black was the base.

I'll lightly sand a silver area on the back and see if black shows up.

Alan 71

Hi Maj,
Please, I'm not an expert.
It's been documented pretty well over the last 30 years by many folks looking at the wheels on original 68-72 cars that the only silver paint on the rear of the wheel is the incidental silver that blew back there while the front was being sprayed.
Because some spare tires/wheels have survived in original condition we have a pretty dependable source of information.
Regards,
Alan

Tiger Joe

Wells were not originally painted All silver, black rears, argent face and the overspray blows thru.

I've seem some barely have any silver on the back and other practically covered.

I've refinished 2 sets of rally's and all wheel were exactly what Alan is describing

Tiger Joe

Wells were not originally painted All silver, black rears, argent face and the overspray blows thru.

I've seem some barely have any silver on the back and other practically covered.

I've refinished 2 sets of rally's and all wheel were exactly what Alan is describing

maj75

Lesson learned, don't doubt Alan.

I sanded the silver area on the outer rim and there is black underneath. Hard to see how the silver paint could have coated that area of the rim if paint was being painted from the other side, but whatever.

Alan 71

Hi m,
Some pretty strange spray patterns have been seen.
This is an odd one I posted a week or so ago.
He must have held the gun still for a moment or two to get that much paint on the backside of the wheel.
Regards,
Alan