29 Roadster - barn fresh - what to do with rims

[Jim M]

Hi, My 29 Roadster is now mechanically sound and I'm getting ready for my first trips as soon as spring arrives and the weather cooperates. I have left it as original as possible and the original paint (green) is in great shape as is most of the car. I am getting ready to put on a new set of tires and the wheels are my dilemma. They are yellow and the paint on rims and spokes is not in great shape. Since I am going to have all the tires off I don't know what I should do with the rims. My first thought was to sand blast them and paint them but I am afraid the car will look strange with newly painted rims and the rest of the car original. The other thing is I am getting quite "attached" to it and really would like it to remain as original as possible. Thant being said should I just take some steel wool and/or wire brush and clean them as best I can?? Any ideas or suggestions would be VERY welcome. Thanks, Jim

[Tom Wesenberg]

I would sandblast the rims and paint them BLACK, as it came from the factory with black wheels. If you don't wash or wipe the wheels, they will pick up road dust and look right at home with the rest of the car. Even if you clean the new black wheels, I think it looks better and more correct than yellow wheels.

[Tiny]

I think they would stick out, if the rest of the car is weathered and they are new. Are they really that bad? Don't they match the rest of the car? How about some pictures? Maybe just a wash? Furniture wax works good on old well loved paint.

[Joe K]

I would run it as it is. And someone thought yellow looked pretty good on that green vehicle.

Now you might keep your eyes open for some period looking black wheels (which would have been original.) And these don't all have to come from the same source or at the same purchase. Black was the "color du jour" of course. This should sort of be like looking for hay in a needlestack?

By keeping your car "original" you sometimes have to accept the fact that it is not the car that Henry rolled off the assembly line. More important is the statement that this is a "survivor."

Those yellow wheels might have been the difference that made it happen.

Do the minimum necessary to keep it on the road and safe.

Joe K

[Marco Tahtaras]

There is another option in my opinion. If you car has taken on that special patina of a survivor, the other option would be to have the wheels painted in semi-gloss black. They will indeed look fresh initially but more appropriate and before long they will look original to the car or very close to it.

[Mitch//pa]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

i would also paint them black get rid of the yellow then run through some mud puddles and all would match

[dumb person]

My theory would be to only sandblast and paint the area where the tires are. The tires will cover the fresh paint (Nobody will notice if there was 1/16 of an inch of new paint showing at the edge of the tire. Even less likely to notice if that paint is black) and the old paint that still shows on the outside can be left untouched, cleaned (steel wool should be fine) or covered with dust to suit your personal taste.

[Will N]

I would have them blasted and painted in order to preserve them. If that sounds counterintuitive (i.e., you're not preserving it if you're changing it), think of this: the only reason those wheels are have survived 85 years is that they were protected by a coat of paint. If you want those wheels to be around for another 85 years, they're not going to make it if the paint is chipped and the wheels are rusted.

You will most probably find when you remove the tires that the inside of the rim is quite heavily pitted and rusted. Moisture gets inside the tire, and is held there and the inside of the rim pays the price. You're going to have to deal with at least that if you want the wheels to last.

[Jim M]

Thanks for the reply's. I attached a few pics that I had on my computer. This car is a survivor and I have a couple of stories about it. Right now I am very strongly leaning toward just cleaning them up as best as I can and leave them alone. It is Rhode Island now and we winter in Florida. I am hoping to bring it down here next fall so I can ride on some flat roads and sunshine with the top down.

[Tiny]

Although my preference is toward black wheels. In this case I think I would clean and polish and not repaint. You don't have anything to lose by not painting them, but if you paint them its kind of hard to put them back if you don't like the look.
Nice looking roadster BTW

[Tom Wesenberg]

Here is my 28 as I bought it in the first picture. I didn't care for the wheel color and spayed them right away with semi-gloss black rattle can paint, just as Marco mentioned. The front two tires were bad and I replaced them with good ones mounted on rusty rims.

[Tiny]

Tom
You showed drive it more often.
I think there's a tree starting to grow through the middle

[Mitch//pa]

tom you pull that with your olds?? no wonder why that car has been blowing up on you

[peters180a/170b]

I would follow what Marco had said... Flat or semi black paint would do the trick... i would spray it like a dust on job after sandblasting them and not a heavy paint job...

[Bob C]

I also vote for Marco's suggestion.

Bob

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Tiny

Tom
You showed drive it more often.
I think there's a tree starting to grow through the middle

I was at the Nowthen Threshing Show and bought those 2 trees cheap at the Saturday auction, where they sold about 130 of them. Sure wish I'd have bought more. My neighbor had to hang onto the tree on the running board for the 20 mile drive home.

[JtownJoe]

Might think about cleaning and degrease them and have flat or satin finish clear coat to keep them in good shape if you don't want to have them looking new.

[glenn in camino]

Powder coating can be done done in semi gloss or flat black

[stainless steve]

Originally Posted by dumb person

My theory would be to only sandblast and paint the area where the tires are. The tires will cover the fresh paint (Nobody will notice if there was 1/16 of an inch of new paint showing at the edge of the tire. Even less likely to notice if that paint is black) and the old paint that still shows on the outside can be left untouched, cleaned (steel wool should be fine) or covered with dust to suit your personal taste.

I agree blast the inside and paint with POR-15 then use comet to clean the yellow ....Its your car and if you want to preserve it how it is, go for it...the outside can be done later if you wish

[stainless steve]

Originally Posted by dumb person

My theory would be to only sandblast and paint the area where the tires are. The tires will cover the fresh paint (Nobody will notice if there was 1/16 of an inch of new paint showing at the edge of the tire. Even less likely to notice if that paint is black) and the old paint that still shows on the outside can be left untouched, cleaned (steel wool should be fine) or covered with dust to suit your personal taste.

I agree blast the inside and paint with POR-15 then use comet to clean the yellow ....Its your car and if you want to preserve it how it is, go for it...the outside can be done later if you wish