good wheel paint

[toolboy62]

I'm trying to restore my phone dials on a budget, and today I found some wheel paint that's cheaper than the Wurth stuff and closer to the original color and metallic than the parts store Plasti-Kote stuff. I didn't like the Plasti-Kote as it is way too dark and the metallig is freaking huge, almost a "metalflake" effect. I picked up a couple cans of Eastwood's Argent Silver wheel paint (I think it's actually intended for Chevy Rally wheels) and it's almost dead nuts on, only difference I could see was that what factory paint is left on my wheels appears a little "warmer" but that may be due to the yellow primer showing through. In any case it's close enough to be unnoticeable to me from a distance, and I'm picky. It's $10 a can, not cheap, but better than $16+shipping for the Wurth stuff. (I picked it up at the Carlisle swap meet so no shipping charges.) Appears to be good paint too, I sprayed two center caps as a test and it covers like mad, so I shouldn't have to use a lot of it.

Now I just gotta find a hobby shop so I can get some paint for the crests and I'll be good to go.

hope this proves useful to someone,

nate

(hopefully with non-embarassing wheels soon.)

[Panzer909]

I'd be careful. You just can't get away (in the long run) by going the el cheapo route if you want a quality look, IMHO. I said it before & I'll say it again - the $60 Griot's garage refinishing kit will do the whole job and you'll have great results. Wheels always stand out on a car.

[serge944]

Lots of people have had luck with duplicolor wheel paint. Cheap too.

[toolboy62]

I have never heard any complaints about Eastwood's quality. I'm going to be clearcoating over the final product anyway, so the paint doesn't have to be *that* great. The color seems closer than anything I've found in a parts store, and the paint is marketed specifically as a wheel paint so hopefully it's a little more resistant to brake dust than ordinary paint (although, as I said, I'll be clearing over it...)

personally I can't see spending the big buxxxx for the Griot's stuff, good though it may be. The wheels will already look better than the rest of the car when I'm done

I was sorely tempted to try Eastwood's home powdercoating kit, but didn't think my landlady would like me installing a Salvation Army-sourced oven in the basement

nate