Not really just for vert but what I am working on

My 73 vert originally came with the sport wheel covers. The PO had changed to some aftermarket aluminum wheels but did send the Sort wheel covers and steel wheels with the car when I purchased it. As with lots of the sport covers one had one of the fake lug nuts broken off where a tire changing guy thought they were real mag wheels and twisted the casting off, lol. Some had curb scratches also. I have been looking around and have bought 7 more this year and was going to put the best 4 together and maybe go back to them on the car.

I have a pretty good handle on polishing the stainless and chrome. My big question is what is the color called the center casting is painted? It is not argent but more of a gray. Anyone found a great match?

I have a NOS set of the big stainless covers and a great set of the dog dish and trim rings and several sets of the Aluminum wheels for 73.

David

Never got any replies on this subject. I looked on NPD site and they list both the dark gray and argent for the hub caps. I have some of the sport wheel covers that are all dark gray and some are painted the two tone like in the brochure pics. I have some that are two tone also. I just have to order $40.00 worth of paint and it be totally wrong.

Nobody ever repaint theirs?

Some pics. The dark ones had Mercury centers also.

David

Never got any replies on this subject. I looked on NPD site and they list both the dark gray and argent for the hub caps. I have some of the sport wheel covers that are all dark gray and some are painted the two tone like in the brochure pics. I have some that are two tone also. I just have to order $40.00 worth of paint and it be totally wrong.

Nobody ever repaint theirs?

Some pics. The dark ones had Mercury centers also.

David

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David, 

As it looks like you have the parts, why don't you visit a car painter or shop that composes the colours for you?

They usually work both ways:

1: You have a colour serial and known brand/manufacturer, if they have a chart for conversion, they compose from this chart.

(that's how I get my T-bird grey, having this tad of pink in it)

2: you have no serial, just a painted part (your case), they usually have color choosers. Some 3x3 inches monster of the paint.

They have hundreds of them in all variations and finishes, and its the game to put the monster and test it on different light condition to get the nearest possible to the eye looking like the part color you have. That's usually how I get my paint the first time (I then have the correct mix ref number)

My fav shop guy always loose his mind if I pick a colour card myself, as he has them in a perfect logical order for color variation.

You then pay for a 1/4 quart, 1/2 quart , 1 quart or more... for these a 250cc is more than enough.

Another plus, is that you really get the color you picked.

As about the colour itself, I'm not sure which one is truly correct, but a friend of mine had these on many year ago and the top first pict is what I remember they looked like.

David,

69 & 70 have a darker raised section than the 71-72 models.  Mercury also used the darker color for those years. 71 -72 utilize the argent on the raised section and black on the background.  I will include some pictures of mine. 

[attachment=47666]

Here is a 69-70 color

[attachment=47667]

Daylight shot

[attachment=47668]

Thanks for the info. Looks like a masking nightmare for sure.

On getting the paint mixed. The nearest place that does that for me is 55 miles each way. Most are lazy and just want to mix by the numbers and I do not have any codes for the two colors needed.

I think most of the aerosol paints are produced by Seymore Paint and then people put their label on them anyway.

D

The 70 sports wheel covers were probably the same charcoal black as the Mach 1 lower body finned moldings.

The 71-72 look to be the same argent as used for the lower body accent, not sure what the black is, probably just the 'ol low gloss black used in the same. If so, the black is just black with a flattening agent. The silver/argent is depending upon the paint company, silver metallic or silver iridescent. PPG is 4733L

Masking shouldn't be too bad if you make a paint mask. The black goes on first, then lay the mask over the black and spray the silver. They weren't perfect from the factory that for sure.

Let me tell ya! Went through a whole roll of tape painting 5 wheel covers. I first masked off the chrome trim around the 5 openings and painted the entire wheel black. I then came back and taped off the black area and over the chrome openings then scuffed and painted the raised Argent section. I used Eastwood Argent and Satin Black for wheels.

My paint for the Sport Wheel Covers came yesterday from NPD. I started masking off so I can spray the charcoal outside edge first. I sliced a finger with exacto knife so that is sore, lol. Going to see if I can make a template to mask off the Argent center part with. Need to get the Charcoal on and I will bake in the oven to harden faster, lol, no wife. Then I can mask and spray the Argent. I have all the stainless buffed and plastic centers polished and the die cast center caps polished and ready. Will post up some pics later maybe.

D

Well I got them done in about 6 hours, lol. Like others had said tape off all the chrome around the slots and i just painted the outer portion with the dark color. BTW what NPD said was for wheel covers is not right but I went ahead and used it. What they sent is the Charcoal metallic used on the 72 grills. The Argent was correct.

I had some 1" wiring heat shrink tubing that I put over the 5 simulated lug nuts heated and fit like a gloveand just pulled off and put on the next cover as I progressed. It was a hot day with lots of sun so did not bake them. 4 -5 coats of paint and did not even use one can of either color, I ordered 2 of each.

I used my rotary scissors to cut 1/8" wide pieces of masking tape to freehand the curves around the cap. Went very well. I tried for an hour to cut some kind of a template but gave up and just did freehand.

Went to get pic and battery was dead in camera, lol. Maybe later today could not find battery charger, lol.

So I will have the correct caps on for show this weekend and for the Mustang show next weekend. Will look totally different for sure. They are all polished, painted and assembled will wash the white wall tires on steel rims and install today.

Here are some pictures. The paint the NPD said was right for the hub caps is way too light and is marked for the 72 Grill, Charcoal Metallic. I did go ahead and use it just to get them on the car.

I was at show Saturday I think over 150 cars and trucks of all makes. I was only 71 - 73 as usual, lol.

This set of tires for sure not as smooth riding as the others.

I am going to get started on polishing and cleaning up a set of the 73 Aluminum wheels and get new tires on them.

The caps do look nice but I like change, lol.

D











D