MTFCA Forum

I am going paint a 1927 coupe steel spare tire wheel as a trial run before painting the other four wheels. I will get it sandblasted and then prime and paint by spray can. It looks to me that painting the individual spokes by spray is going to be difficult. It also appears to me that by the time I get all the spokes painted that the over spray is going to cause a lot "thick" paint on the rest of the wheel. I am new at painting so any thoughts regarding these two items or any other suggestions about painting wheels will be appreciated.

I am also going to paint the two splash pans that fit on either side of the motor. The paint is appears to be fairly good. There is some rust areas. Should I get them sandblasted (I worry about warping)? If I don't sandblast, should I remove all paint (how?)?

Get the biggest wooden dowel you can find (closet pole). Glue, or attach however you want some wood wedges to hold the wheel upright. Place it between a set of nails on a couple of saw horses and you can spin the wheel as you spray. Do not spray any paint on the inside of the wheel that contacts the hub. Others will come up with other suggestions. Take your pick.

Curious question.
What did you bake them in. They are pretty good size!
Thanks!

DHort wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 3:25 pm

......... Do not spray any paint on the inside of the wheel that contacts the hub. ......

Why?

I don’t know what you intend to sandblast, but do not blast the wood. If you blast the rims, protect the wood by wrapping the spokes near the rim with thick 3M rubber (not vinyl) tape. Be careful, also, in blasting the dowel ends poking through the rim holes. Dab on some rubber RTV, such as the right Stuff to the dowel ends. The reason for this is to cause the sand to bounce off the wooden portions. Ten years ago, I painted the wooden spoked wheels of my 1926 coupe and they look as good today as they did ten years ago. Using a good 1 1/2” angled sash paint brush, I primed my wooden spokes by hand using Sherwin Williams Oil based exterior primer (old timers know it as A-1 primer) then, it was allowed to dry for at least 4 days to a week (as long as it emanates a strong smell, it is still drying). I painted the primed spokes with Sherwin Williams oil based gloss black enamel. On the steel spoke rim and steel center hub parts, I applied Sherwin Williams red oxide primer by hand using the same brush, then, using the same gloss black enamel, carefully paint the steel parts by hand. If you apply the wood primer to the spokes, then The red oxide primer to the steel, it is much easier to hand paint the entire wheel (primed steel and wooden parts) at the same time, using the gloss black enamel.

These paints are very high quality with lots of pigments that provide the ultimate protection to the wheels, which are very susceptible to water damage from mud puddles and rain. Sherwin Williams also makes a product called “Silver Brite”. A very durable, bright silver paint for painting metal roofs. I apply this with brush to my demountable rims and it is shinier and looks better, longer, than zinc plating or galvanizing. All of these paints Go on thick and level out very smoothly, eliminating all brush marks. Jim Patrick

Frank, the inside of a whire wheel centre and the taper on the axle hub, need to fit closely. They are part of the way the two mount and supply support to the wheel. Otherwise the cracking which often happens at the stud holes would be even more likely. A thick powdercoat will even stop the wheel mounting correctly. I leave the hub un-painted and the wheel just primed to prevent rust.

Hope this helps,
Allan from down under.

Jim, My wheels are steel not wood.