Does anyone know of a way to get a mask to paint a hub cap for a 123 series Mercedes. One of my hub caps was stolen in Atlanta, and I am going to buy a replacement that is unpainted because I can not find a similar one to match. The dealership says they never sold one and all of the area body shops say that they no longer have them. I was quoted for two hour of work just to tape the hub cap in preparation for painting. I am hoping some knows of a place to purchase the mask. Even if i have to get it from Germany.

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1983 240D Yellow
1989 300E Champigne
1993 190E Gray
1986 325 BMW Burgundy
1987 Chevy S10 Blazer

What color is it? ...I might have an extra one! (cheap!) Unless you really, really want a new one.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

If paying for the two hours of labor to mask off the hubcap bothers you as much as it would me, perhaps you can obtain the hubcap, get a roll of masking tape and "Do It Yourself". Then you would just have to pay for the painting.

Merry Christmas!

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Ted
1979 240D
165,000 miles

Hey, get online and search! There are plenty
of folks with pictured caps and descriptions.
Good Luck.

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1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

A roll of tape and 20 min, and your done! Patience is the key.

The body shop that painted my 300 had a jig mounted to the wall of the paint booth. The 'door' folded down, you inserted the cap, closed the door and latched it with a pin. It masked the cap perfectly for painting. I suppose it was a specialty item for shops that deal with Mercedes body work... probably very expensive, too. Then again, maybe they made it?!

Anyway, mask it yourself and save the labor.

Couple of weeks ago, I needed this template to help with painting ten (10) 123 wheel covers. Having no luck with the search, I decided to mask the appropriate areas with tape. I taped a very sharp-pointed blade to one side of navigation dividers (basically child's drawing compass without the pencil) and using the center of the star for overall center, was able to cut the masking tape very nicely and efficienctly along the appropriate curved lines; removed excess tape, leaving the appropriate areas covered.
Edges cut with the sharp blade are nice and crisp.
Eight of the wheel covers I painted had MB original paint of wrong color, three were right color but very faded and worn; two had no paint.

Areas to be painted were wet-sanded with 600 & 1500 grit paper & wiped down with a liguid sanding aid (deglosser) just before painting. MB # 623 (ivory) paint was applied via spray can purchased from Tower Paint @ $20/can - well worth it for me. I tried to not let paint build up too thick on the surfaces, but I did make it a little thicker than MB original - paint on most of the originals appeared too thin. I carefully removed the masking tape soon after painting to allow the edges to "feather-out" very slightly, so they would not have that "masking tape look". Finished products are nice and smooth and glossy - almost as good as original - in some ways better than original. I also painted couple of areas on the car - upper right rear quarter panel & entire left rear quarter. 'Hard for anybody else to tell that I've painted those areas - match is beautiful!

According Tower Paint, they can mix any color, etc., using paint chip or the manufacurer's paint code. Check towerpaint.com.

LoveLEE143,

Are you in Raleigh? What color do you need?

I see Wilton is the only poster above who knows what a wheel cover is.
PS: a hub cap goes on the end of the spindle and covers the bearings.

P E H

It appears that the people at Mercedes are as stupid as the rest of us, except for P.E.H., of course.

My Owner's Manual's instructions for changing a tire include the following, ".....pry off the hub cap" and later, "To install the hub cap......."

My MB Chassis and Body Manual refers to the cap covering the spindle as the "Wheel cap."

Perhaps MB would pay a lot to have someone edit their text for correct terminology before they print it.

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Ted
1979 240D
165,000 miles

They were likely called "hubcaps" since the early carriages and wagons, etc., when they really were hub/spindle/bearing caps. The term continued into the automobile era, when they still really were hub/spindle/bearing caps, even into the fifties on some vehicles. One of those terms that stuck, I guess - very much like calling truck drivers "teamsters", though their teams of horses have been dead for several decades.

BTW, do some race/sports cars still have/use spin-off, real HUBCAPS?

Don't know about newer cars, but our 64 MGB has the real thing - knock-offs. Piece of cake to change a wheel, just need a good hammer and a solid whack.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Ted2222

Many things are lost when translating languages. Wouldn't a universal language be nice.

But hub caps, bearing caps and spindle caps are one thing and wheel covers are something else. If people would use language more precisely, there would be better understanding.

P E H

PEH,

Yes, a universal language would be nice, indeed. On the other hand, we are not talking rocket and space science here. There have certainly been instances where lack of precision in describing a problem or situation have left all of us wondering what was being said. However, everyone who responded to this thread seemed to understand what the subject matter was. And understanding is the key. A more precise terminology would not have contributed anything in this case, so why try to put down people who are just attempting to be helpful in their own(even if less than perfectly precise)way?

Merry Christmas!

__________________
Ted
1979 240D
165,000 miles

LoveLEE143,

What's the latest on your replacement wheel cover? I painted several about three weeks ago. 'Thought I may be able to help. I may have painted over what you're needing. 'Sorry. New color on mine is ivory - light yellow (#623); original color on three of them was the darker yellow - possibly the color you mentioned. Paint # is on metal data plate on cross bar immediately in front of the radiator on driver side of the hood latch. Plate has, generally, three columns of numbers. Paint # is three digit numer in middle of bottom row of left column of numbers. Let me know your progress, if any, on this.

Happy new year!