bronto

Now that my paint is pretty much squared away, it's time to consider and plan for the wheels. I would like my phone dials to look like they did from the factory. What is required to do this? Is it necessary to take the tires off (I assume so)? I just found out that my brother bought a sand blasting unit, although I am unsure of the size.

Advice and alternatives?

Jadz928

I would strip them, not blast them (or heat bake off the orig. paint)

Silbermetallic #936, followed by a clearcoat. If you were pleased w/your full repaint, your body guy will be able to hadle this for you.

bronto

Is the paint you are referring to the same as the paint on the car?

Jadz928

Matter of fact, it is.

bronto

This is surprising to me. This, I think, is a good representation of what they are supposed to look like:

http://www.wheelenhancement.com/inde...elDetail&id=15

Which isn't a glossy, polished finish. But of course the Silbermetallic is very shiny. Maybe I am just accustomed to seeing deteriorated finishes on them?

Jadz928

I based my info off of Porsche Classic saying they used #936.

Coupled that with some NOS center caps I've collected, which have a clearcoat on them.

Followed that with painting a wheel with #936 and clear, then installing the NOS center cap.

It's a very close match. Not perfect but close.

linderpat

I powder coated mine. Not sure of the precise color match, but looks close to me

Rob Edwards

I've had three sets of wheels powdercoated, on the whole I'm happy with them but the finish is not a good match to OEM when held next to new factory wheels or center caps that have been in a box for 20 years. I'd defer to Jim's research on this one.

whatudrivin

I wonder how one powder coated gunmetal grey would look on a black car.... Anyone able to do that in photoshop?

dr bob

The question on custom colors like gunmetal is getting center caps to color-match. Most you can paint with the wheels, only the metal ones can be PC'd at the same time as the wheels.

Optimator

Are we certain that early phone dials were painted? Those on my '78 appear to be annodized silver with no clear coat. I don't know if they are original, but it would be hard to believe that someone would go to the trouble to create this kind of finish if starting out with a painted wheel (much easier just to re-paint, I would think)

Do you have any manufacture dates on your NOS center caps?

Jadz928

Phone dials wheels were factory painted. I can't say 100% of them (because I know of one that's different... the '77 Frankfurt show car), but a vast majority, I'm sure.

It is way more likely that your wheels were anodized at dealer-prep. Very common for a dealer to send out wheels and have them finished to the customer's spec (chrome, polish, anodize, diff. paint color).

My #1 car's wheels are currently painted white. If I assumed they came that way from the factory, being a hand-made press car and all (easy to do)... I would've been wrong.
Instead, I scratched off the white paint in a couple spots and found silver paint (the color which matches ca. 1977 photos)

We've talked about this before on another thread. Consider your current logic, then turn it 180 degrees.

bronto

For those of you who powdercoated, how much did it cost and how long did it take? I am wondering about logistics. What do you do with your car when your wheels are being worked on?