16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

I have searched this forum and found a handful of posts on painting hub caps and steelies but nothing super detailed. I had some questions so I just decided to pull what I learned from the posts and give it a try.

Truck is a 1972 Cheyenne Super 20 custom camper with painted wagon wheels

My wheels are the Ford van accuride wheels that I got from a member - thanks Mr.mud1.

They are in pretty decent shape but need painted as they are grey.

My hub caps are original style brass/chrome plated that I got from a local source who actually is a member on here but I don't know his handle.

Hub caps are driver quality and will look good on my driver quality truck. They need painted as well.

First I am starting with the wheels then will move onto the hub caps.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

I started out with sand paper that I had already. It may not all be optimum but it's what I got.

-150 grit on rough spots and rust.
-220 over entire wheel
-scotch bright with dish soap
-Blow off with compressed air
-rubbing alcohol and no lint cloth
-tack cloth
-primer
-let dry over night
-600 grit over primer
-Paint semi gloss white

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

Finished product so far. Now just have 3 more to go and will move onto the hub caps

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

There’s a guy on Facebook that sells decal kits for the hubcaps…WAY easier than masking and painting.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

I have it in my mind that I want to paint them, but it may change after I do the first one!

Maybe the decals are a better route to go. Searched the forum and found a link to an instagram account. I don't have one of those so maybe I need one now?

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

wheels look great.good work.they along with hubcaps will certainly make the the truck look good.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

Can be found on ebay as well, always wanted to give them a try

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

Thanks mr.mud1 - They came out better than expected using the rust-oleum performance enamel. In the past I avoided rust oleum because I didn't like the way it sprayed but it came out nice. I am glad I used semi gloss as it is still very glossy. Full gloss might be too much for this.

As for the decal set - I looked up the kit on ebay and it really doesn't look that good in the pictures. This might be overly critical since my caps really aren't in the best condition. I'll try masking a spraying them and see if I want to do the other 3 that way or just buy the decal set.

More to come once I get the rest of the wheels done.

Here is a before picture of the truck with the current wheels. Notice now I have mismatched wagon wheels! Got a flat and have been looking at the truck this way for the last month. That's what has sparked this project.



I'll make sure I will do an after picture once the wheels are done and I have tires on them.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

The ones on eBay are not the same as the guy on Facebook (at least the ones I’ve seen on eBay). Look up Matt Clinard on Facebook and compare his. He has sold a lot of them and no complaints that I’ve seen. He has them available for 1/2 and 3/4 ton in Chevy and gmc.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

I know the brass/chrome caps are technically correct, and some purists insist on them, but they are somewhat fragile, and prone to dents and cracking simply due to the material. I buy/swap/sell, and restore the stainless type, and most prefer those, as not only can they be polished to look almost as good as a chrome cap, they hold up much better and not as easy to dent when putting them on. On occasion I get a brass cap in a set (sometimes unintentionally), and probably 90% of the time I can count on them having at least one crack around the outer rim, and I have several hanging on a wall that I cannot restore. I have a '72 C20 I am restoring, and it will get the stainless caps vs. the brass/chrome. Even though my truck is a highly optioned Cheyenne, it came with painted hubcaps, but going with the Accuride wheels, and restored stainless caps.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

Leddzepp - yeah those decals look good. I’ll do some Facebook stalking later.

I agree the brass chrome plated ones are prone to issues but that’s what I have and I was able to score some that weren’t cracked for a reasonable amount.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

I have a set of 73-76 stainless but, I wanted painted so I sand blasted them except for the back sides, masked em and, got em painted black and am gonna paint them white and, blue when I get around to it. I blasted them when I was in college so I can't tell you what kind of material I used but, they turned out great.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

Do you have a link to his marketplace profile or a post in a group where he is selling them?

Thanks!

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

It won’t let me copy paste a link. Search his name and you should be able to see his posts

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

I went through the process of painting mine really wasn’t hard just time consuming taping it off.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

I did search the name and more than a few came up. Not sure how to contact him.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

Those painted caps look great. I may just suck it up and start masking haha. Bought some vinyl tape to hopefully aid in this.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

You the man

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

Painted all the wheels. Waited until the humidity wasn't above 80% haha. Picture is kind of washed out because of the garage lights but they came out really nice.

With enough sanding you can get by with the rattle can. I have a sprayer set up I should have used but did them over the course of several days and just didn't want to mess with clean up. Sounds ridiculous I know.

Hub caps next on the list.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

The wheels look great. I should have done this instead of powder coating.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

Thanks, they really came out as good as they could have.

I originally bought gloss white paint and then had seconds thoughts, went back and got semi gloss. Good thing I did, semi gloss is the sheen I was going for and still very glossy.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

wheels look great.they'll look extra nice once they're on with shiney hubcaps.i need to find some for my truck.great work.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

I decided to go the decal route mainly because I ran out of decent weather to paint so gave it a chance. I purchased them from Matt Clinard mentioned in post #18.

They came out really nice. Not perfect, but worth the money for them. I think if you could get tighter lines from masking because what you find out is that all the old caps are not all the same and have some degree of distortion. But they fit as good as they possibly could have. My caps are driver quality so the decals are the best looking part!

Also the material is a 3M vinyl wrap and is pretty east to manipulate with good results.

Now I need to decide what tire is going to go on the rims.

Re: 16x7 steelies and original hub cap resto
 

looking good.i just started today,to pull the motor and trans from my truck but always on the prowl for hubcaps like yours as i'll need them too.great work.all the best.Greg