Wheels / Tires: refinshing well used oem wheels

[Jeff T.]

Good afternoon

Now that the weather has changed from 90+ to 70ish with lower humidity, I have started to clean up a set of well used magnum 500ish steel wheels (no chrome) that I picked up from a Mopar guy. I'm cleaning and finishing these wheel good enough to use on my 30 foot driver Lark

I question I have is what finish of black would I use: Semi-gloss or satin? The thing is: what's the difference between semi-gloss black and satin black?

[daytonadave]

I used Chrome wheels on my Daytona.


StudeRich will tell you to use Factory Hub Caps.


Post a photo of your car so I can deicde which Black looks best.

[StudeRich]

I would use the Argent Wheel Color, Wheel Paint by Duplicolor, which is of course a shade of Silver/Gray and designed to resist Heat, Brake Dust etc.

ANY Dark Color on a wheel, will "blend" with the Black Tire to look as awful as a New Honda! It will appear as Just one Too Large Dark Blob.

[rockne10]

StudeRich will tell you to use Factory Hub Caps.

But that '63 is sporting full wheel covers, not hub caps.

[60HawkJim]

To answer your original question. Semi-gloss has more sheen than satin black. Satin black is not as flat as flat black. I don't know if that helps.

[Videoranger]

satin has less reflectivity than semi gloss. I think satin would work best IMHO. The Mopar Magums also used beauty rings. Others are chrome plated. Painting the spoke faces and outer rim circles satin silver would also look good.

[daytonadave]

What color is you car?

The 1977+ Avanti II had the GT magnum wheel. It was chromed & black.


A repo Ford Mustang wheel



Studebaker never offered the GT Magnum wheel as an option.

Do what you think is best.
We all have opinions, but it is your decision that counts.

[Big Dan]

To answer your original question. Semi-gloss has more sheen than satin black. Satin black is not as flat as flat black. I don't know if that helps.

Not to mention that Satin will absorb oil and dirt easier than Semi-Gloss.

[BRUCESTUDE]

I just had the original wheels off my ‘51 Commander powder coated; they sandblasted them before applying powder coat, and look like new! I know it’s more expensive than painting but it is very durable!

[Jeff T.]

My Lark is currently a multicolored mess of primer, riviera blue, aqua, white and black. When my Lark was built it was painted red and being in Lincoln, NE and a graduate of good old Nebraska U, I can't escape red, I just don't care for the color.

I may repaint it in riviera blue, or ermine while like my late lark sedan.

As far as my wheels, I spent the weekend grinding, sanding and brushing one of the wheels and started on a second wheel. I'm currently leaning toward rally silver on the wheel and black on the insets. I only paid $50 for these worn and rusty wheels a little elbow grease and some paint. My Lark is not a show car but I like it.

[Videoranger]

Urethane enamel should work. If using a gun a catalyst really helps.

[Big Dan]

I never realized how similar all there "rally" type wheels were between the big car companies. I was looking at the Mustang wheel pictures posted here and told myself those were exactly the same as the wheels on my folks '68 Firebird. They're VERY close (looks wise)! But they also had a beauty ring on them, and if you want to find those "PMD" caps now you'd have to sell your liver to pay for them!