De-mountable rims color?

[hammerless-12]

I'm in the process of bringing a 1921 model T roadster back to life. I've got the de-mountable rims in primer. My question is what color should I paint them? Aluminum, silver? Many shades to choose from. I'm useing Nason enamel paints, formerly Dupont. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[J Franklin]

Find a Zinc or Zinc color paint they were originally Zinc plated or hot dipped.

[hammerless-12]

Thank you.

[signsup]

I painted mine dull silver per a recommendation and I don't like them. Too bright and shiney, looks fake. I hope they dull back or just get some rust on them to age them up a little. Stained the spokes gunstock wich has a reddish/bronish hue and the silver sticks out too much. I'd go with a iron or steel spray paint or a zinc if you can find it.

[signsup]

Well, the obvious tip is to try to paint the rims with not tire or tube on them. I started with 4 old wooden spoke 21" spokes and 5 rims. Took off the old tires and tubes, sandblasted the rims and while my son was sanding and inspecting the wooden spokes and staining them and spar varnishing them, I cleaned up, inspected and painted the rims. As I mentioned, I used the silver and it came out too "bright" I sprayed one coate of red oxide primer and then hand brushed the dull aluminum shade paint on them, two coats to insure good coverage. Let dry and cure a week if you can as you will put some scratches on the rim with the rim spreader or wood blocks or whatever you use to mount the tire.

Other than the shade, I'm happy with the way they came out.

[J Franklin]

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Original Wheels were painted black (dipped most likely). The tire rim was zinc or maybe cadmium coated.