hubcups paint

[Alex Rozzi]

Hi, anybody know haw can I do a decent painjob on a hucups set (those small ones) I tried 3 times with horrible results, and wich primer would be the correct on stainless steel?

thanks amigos

[300SDog]

Buenos dias to Buenos Aires, you found the right forum. Must scratch surfaces to be painted, gives "teeth" to grab paint you understand. Then if it was me, I'd use canned paint with artist's brush instead of making a mess with spray paint - ask for Acrylic Lacquer Primer. Brushed paint always sticks better than sprayed. Meanwhile for perfect sprayed finish coat, there's stencils available on loan - can be found here: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tool-rental-program/

[t walgamuth]

By scratch, Dieseldog means to sand with wet dry sandpaper, probably with 320 grit.

Tom W

[jaimekop]

Hi Alex,
Like the others have suggested, I've had good luck with scratching the surface with sand paper before painting.

In detail:
1) Strip old paint completely with chemical stripper... be careful not to strip the paint off inside the hubcaps on earlier cars.
2) Carefully sand the surface you will paint with sand paper... something like 320 as suggested it good... the surface should appear a little dull and lightly scratched.
3) Mask off the area to be painted with high quality masking tape (its available in wide rolls) and a razor. This is tedious, but worth it. Cover larger areas with the tape, the cut out the pattern very carefully. You might want to look at other hubcaps in detail to see where the paint really is masked from the factory.
4) Paint... use automotive paint in a spray can, if available. I use paintscratch.com, where you are you might have to search around for such a service.
5) Primer... I've never used it, but last time I did this, I decided a very light coat of primer would be a good idea. Very light. Get what is recommended by your paint supplier... automotive paint.
6) The actual painting... several light coats. I've always done enamel paints, so I can't comment about clear coats.
7) Remove the masking tape very carefully BEFORE the paint completely dries. This will ensure you don't have edges that lift when you remove the tape. You have to be careful not to disrupt the paint too much.

All this work is really worth it... writing about it again makes me want to put hub caps on my W116 and W123!

Good luck and enjoy!
Jaime
'95 E320 (no hubcaps for USA)
'84 300TD (factory bundt wheels... hubcaps would look cool here)
'80 280SE euro (This W116 probably had hubcaps... I'll have to look at the data card. Bundt wheels as of now.)
Jaime

[Tom Drew]

I agree with Jaime's process, but I would use an "etching" primer as your first coat, then paint. This type of primer bonds to the metal better. You can get it in an aerosol can at Autozone, etc.

Tom

[sokoloff]

Jamie makes a good point about removing the tape before the paint is completely dry. I found that to be key.

I have painted a couple of sets of hubcaps about ten years ago and they are holding up just great. Turns out my perfect paint color match was a Rust Oleum color. Maybe that's the reason it's holding up so well, but I never did a thing to prep the hubcaps except use a stripper to remove the old paint down to bare metal. I assume that the metal was prepped properly before the original paint was applied and my new coat is not peeling or chipping at all.

[cth350]

Jaime, I have about 30 piled up here in the garage if you just have to paint some.
Glad to see two old friends here and on the same thread no less. -CTH

[Alex Rozzi]

Hi amigos, and thanks for the comments, great to see old names here, many of you gave great help some years ago when rebuild my engine, hey remember that interminable 250 SE head!!! well, it has 2 years or more on street

Tomokrrow saturday is the great day! I will try your sueggestions, I didn't locate a sepcial primer for stainless that is very useful on yachting, so I will sand surfaces, and wias masking with PVC tape (electric repair tape) wich is enough flexible to take the curves,

thanks again and will let you know about the progress,

PS: as I was a little bored Im trying to install a 15" rims from mi ex 220Sb on my 108, but as may know calipers need more space inside, so I decided to modificate the rim patern, I'm waiting the rim returned from shop to test it,

take care

[jaimekop]

Originally Posted by cth350

Jaime, I have about 30 piled up here in the garage if you just have to paint some.

You're twisting my arm! You wouldn't happen to have any steel wheels to go along with them, would you!? ;-)

I gotta decode that data card to see what belongs on the car.

Jaime

[Alex Rozzi]

Jaime, sorry, my english isnt the best, dont understand as well as I would like, your comments, please can you explain,thanks a lot