The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Wheel color suggestions/ideas needed, AD big bolt

I am taking the set of seven 22.5" wheels for my truck to be shot peened and powdercoated on Friday.
But don't know what color to have them coated?

My truck is a 48 6400, the frame is flat black, cab will be a dark red.

This is the truck before I started on it:
[IMG]http://thumb9.webshots.net/t/50/650/3/70/26/2308370260080251109QQTnOp_th.jpg[/IMG]
Here are the wheels, the silver part at the rim is only paint, they are one piece wheels:
[IMG]http://thumb9.webshots.net/t/55/455/0/49/21/2232049210080251109StQDkj_th.jpg[/IMG]
This is the red color that the cab fenders and hood will be painted, I also like the green, but don't think it will be used on this truck?:
[IMG]http://thumb9.webshots.net/t/55/555/4/90/82/2940490820080251109UgwVBP_th.jpg[/IMG]

I had thought the wheels would be a gloss black, now I can'd decide what to do.
I want the truck to pass as original appering to the average persion, and want it to look nice.

Any ideas or thoughts?
thanks,
Grigg

I'll vote flat gray

Bill

I just looked through several original Advance Design Chevrolet Truck Color Catalogs I have, & most of the Big Bolt wheels are body color. Another thought is if you go with the cab beltline pinstripe color for a red truck which is argent silver, the wheels might look good silver, or gray, to match the pinstrip. I had a black '49 4400 series truck, that I had the wheels, painted the original bumper gray, & they looked good.

My black 48 has white wheels and my red 48 has black wheels with the silver band, on the front it's the outer ring. I like them both but don't know if I would like the wheels red or not. Maybe a universal gray would look good too,
Not much help here. Too bad they don't make 20" aluminum wheels,
Scott

Hey Grigg, I really like the red color. I'm sure you know the color's that went with that vehicle,that year. That would be my preference, but that is just me. Is that red color one that Chevrolet had or one that is close that you like? Mine was originally the medium blue and eventually I would like to go back to it, but I like blue. The red and green are really great colors. My .02 cents

I vote red, there is a photo of a coca cola 48 loadmaster with red wheels in the ATHS show time from Colorado, it looks pretty nice, but I guess you saw it in person.

I have been looking through pictures from bunches of truck shows, and so far my observations are:
1. White or gray does not look so great with a red truck, not bad, but not spectacular
2. Black with a red truck is really plain.

Spanky,
I think I like the body color idea most right now.

Scott,
I thought about black with the silver rim, as the wheels are now, they look a lot like UPS truck wheels, and still not sure gray suits me..

Mike,
Not sure about the red Chevy had then, my truck was originally red, and still is in the engine compartment, not shiny any more. The red on the AC Mack in the third picture is a deep but bright red, hard to describe, but I really like it, gives the feeling of an old truck just by looking at the color, not counting the actual truck.

obrien1952gmc,
I remember the one from CO, but don't have any pictures of it on my computer, I'll have to dig out the show time picture book.

Now the question, if I choose red, then I have to have the code for the red I will use on the body, and a sample, and even then the powdercoat for the wheels probably won't match so great. This could be a problem..

An easy solution to that problem is a contrasting wheel color, say the dark green on the Mack? Then the question is how will it look? I have searched and searched my truck pictures, but can't find an example of red truck, black frame, green wheels (perhaps there is a reason).

My other choice of colors to go with red is yellow like Estes Express lines trucks, probably not a good choice for wheels though..

I thought this would be simple, but it's a big decision, and I have a hard time visualizing colors.. the mechanical stuff is no problem, that's just shapes, these colors are frustrating :crazy:

I may have to sit on this for a while, it's just that Friday I am going to pick up six 9R22.5 tires I got a good deal on, and on the way is the powdwecoating place I use, so it makes sense to drop off the wheels on the way by, it's 180 miles from home, so not a short trip there and back.

Grigg

If you can find the magazine there is a wine red 48 GMC one ton dually with matching rims that looks really sharp too.Check out the Kenworth section for some red with yellow.

Yes, I just looked through the hundreds of pictures I took from CO, saw the GMC, and the KW's, and lots of white wheels too.

White/gray is definitely out. Although gray rims on red Dayton centers is a possibility.

lots of the trucks had the wheels same as body color.

So, I have decided on the wheels the same dark red as the cab (same as the AC Mack)
Front bumper a gloss black, possibly Linex on the top flange.

I need to make some phone calls and get the paint code used on that Mack, then have some mixed up, spray a card, and take it with me to the powdercoater. If in the end the wheels don't match quite right I'll have to paint them too, the podwercoat would be a tough "primer" at that point. Basting and powdercoating is a lot cheaper than I figured it would be, so no loss if it has to be painted over.

If red is the wrong color y'all don't have long to make a convincing argument otherwise...

Thanks again,
Grigg

gray with red centers would work, I think the gray sets off the Mack nicely - but don't count on matching the red with powder, it comes in a range of colors, but no variations over whatever is available ... and make sure they don't use a slip agent in the powder if ya wanna paint over it

Bill

Consider outlining the rim with white/silver if going with the red. I think that looks sharp... kind of how you've got it now.
You can paint it on after the powder. Detail is what makes things look sharp... and I think this is a good one.

Even a white rim around a green inner would look good too.

Sounds like you're gonna make the right choice, either way.

Grigg,
These thoughts come from a how I think the truck would present itself as you view it.
Red would look good but I think it would draw to much attention to the wheels. The fire truck look.
Black on the other hand has hardly any draw at all and the tire and wheel become ONE. Adding no pazzaz at all. Except for trimming the outer rim in silver.
I would think a darker silver would bring enough attention to the wheels without making them stand out hard as you view the truck and provide a contrast between tire and wheel. Can you picture it.
I know... get one of those PC programs that let you put in a pic of your truck and then let you change the colors. A guy did that for me once when I was trying to decide what color to paint this car I had.

Wheels are at the powdercoater with instructions for a "true" red, no orange or burgundy, it just looks RED, I helped pick it out from samples he had.
I have a few days to change my mind before he gets to them.

He will make up a sample when he coats the wheels so I can match paint to the powdercoat later.

I had no luck getting the paint color from the gentleman who restored the AC Mack in the picture above. I had talked to him at numerous truck shows, and asked about the color, he seemed willing to help then, and asked that I call when he was at the shop, he would get the paint code for me, I did about a year ago, he was busy and never got back to me. Last week I left a message and sent an email, no reply.
I'll have to take my sample powdercoat card with me to the shows and compare it in person next time I see the AC Mack. Hope it is really really close, and if not then I suppose I can paint the wheels if I have to, if I do ever get the color of the Mack, or may end up just matching the cab to the wheels if they look great.

Grigg

All done!
They look really good I think.
[IMG]http://thumb9.webshots.net/t/52/652/1/54/12/2816154120080251109wWWrOK_th.jpg[/IMG]

The clamp plates that go on after the wheels, but before the lug nuts, will be powder coated gloss black. The hubs will be a dull black.

I'll try to get the tires mounted this weekend, not really looking forward to that... I don't care much for wrestling tires on and off rims by hand, but I don't trust anyone else to do it without messing up the powdercoat, I'm a little nervous myself.

Grigg

Those are "AWESOME" !

ditto that! great choice and they will stay nice for a long time. what do they charge for that service, blast and powdercoat?

Thanks for the complements, and the help deciding.

Cost $45 per wheel to shot peen and powder coat. They did a really nice job.

Grigg

Nice pink

John

Grigg;
will John ever grow up.......................He is just jealous cuz his wheels are black. BTW, I like the color. From prior experience with mounting lock rings (mine were the one piece with 2 tapers on them) use a rubber hammer, I have one from Kent Tool just made for this and you will lessen the chance of marring the wheel.

John

Thanks John,
I have had good luck assembling two piece lock ring wheels using regular tire tools and pieces of plastic antifreeze jugs as pads between the tool and paint or chrome. The wheels I worked on were for a 28 Hudson, and a 32 Marmon V16, both were perfectly painted wire spoke wheels, and chromed locking rings (one per wheel). Used lots and lots of the plastic pieces, about 1.5 or 2" wide, and 5 or 6" long, and took my time.

My wheels are single piece tubeless, and I have a hard time getting tires either on or off, much less being careful of paint. I end up worn out and frustrated, but to watch an expert is almost like magic, how effortlessly they can do it when they know what to do.

I'll have my neighbor help, he drives a service truck, and has plenty of experience changing big tires, he can give directions, I'll follow. I will use the plastic strips between the tire tools and the rim, so long as they don't slip it should go fine.

Grigg

Very cool Grigg, I'm jealous, you better keep them rims locked up. I can't wait to see the finished truck!

Very nice.

John

Here they are:
[IMG]http://thumb9.webshots.net/t/63/663/6/86/82/2817686820080251109pQiKpl_th.jpg[/IMG]

Click it, and in the album are a few more of the wheels and tires.
At least on my computer they look not so dark as they look in person, they look really sharp with the black clamp plate, black tires, and the plated lug nuts. I'll have to paint the hubs again...

The tires went on without much trouble, not nearly as bad as I was expecting. Used plenty of tire soap, and the first side would fall on if I picked up the tire and gave it a running start, then the second bead went on easily with two pry bars with masking tape, and some strips of rubber roofing material between them and the rim, no scratches.

Grigg

Looks "GREAT" !

Those look great! I like the look of red rims too

Grigg, I like the color you chose,can't wait to see the whole truck
done.
Whats the dia. of the tire your using ? Is it close to the dia of a 7.50 or 8.25x20. Will these tick the frame on a hard turn.
Just wondering cause I think I read that 8.25 would but I don't know cause I have 7.50's
Dan

Thanks guys, I'll get a picture of the whole truck when I roll it outside next, it has a much different look than it did with the black rims and 8X22.5 tires.

Don,
I am using 9R22.5 tires, which are about the same as 8.25X20 as far as width and overall diameter. Right now they don't rub the frame or springs, as the turning stops are adjusted right. But you can't learn much from that, as my axle is not stock, nor is it stock width. I actually goofed and narrowed it to much by about 1.5", thinking the 2 ton front track width was about the same as a 1 ton. I used the axle on my 1 ton for a while, and that was fine, eventually I'll narrow the spare axle I have to the right width, or as wide as I can and still look factory and fit the fenders, that will give the best turning radius I can. Then the axle under it now can go back in my 1 ton.
I expect these tires and wheels would rub in a stock AD setup, and the turning stops could be adjusted to keep it from rubbing.

Grigg