The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Task Force PAINTED Hub Caps

Reproduction chrome hub caps for '57 - '59 are easily found. Red58 posted a photo on an unrelated thread that happens to show very well the details of an original hubcap. I'm fairly certain that my truck never had chrome hub caps, but had the lower level painted ones instead. I picked up a set of painted hub caps over the weekend and now have two questions:

1 - Can anyone point me to a source for decals for the 4 bowties on each hub cap? They should be graphite or nearly black, as far as I can tell.

2 - Do you have a suggestion for a Rustoleum, Valspar, or similar over-the-counter rattle can paint that approximates Bombay Ivory? I want to spay paint the hub caps to see what they'll look like. If I like it, I'm considering powder coating them for permanent. I'd run rattle can short-term, but I don't want it to be too white.

Thanks,
Bill

I can't say it's the right match for the real original Bombay Ivory, and it is pretty 'white', but I used Chrysler Pearl White that you might find in a "touch up" spray can .... AFAIK you won't find the bowtie decals, they need to be painted

Bill

Dang, I was worried about those bowtie decals. Thanks for confirming it, though. Saves me a heap of digging through websites. I was hoping I could put decals on powder coated hub caps. I guess I'll have to paint the bowties whether I paint or PC them.

I'll keep the Chrysler tip in my back pocket. I'll go to one of the bigger auto parts stores (at this size, they lose the F and L in "FLAPS") and see what they have in the paint aisle. If not Pearl White, maybe something similar.

Mucho appreciado,
Bill

for decals you might have a local sign shop cut you some vinyl ones from your pattern or even an actual cap for them to measure themselves

Bill

I thought about that. I'm looking at 20 bowties (total) and thought decals would be the best way to get them all looking the same. I'll see what kind of price they give me and decide. Thanks for the tip.

Bill

The truck has 4 hubcaps on that are painted white with a black bow tie in the middle. I am not seeing anything like this on the web. So far I have not had any reason to doubt my uncle replaced anything with aftermarket so I tend to believe this are original. But before I pay a lot to have them refinished, I wanted to make sure, if I could. Can you tell me if you have seen this style cap as original before? Hub Cap Close Up
Hub Cap 1

those are the 55-56 standard version UncleFranks - 55 and 56 caps [deluxe chrome repro version] - 57-60 version .... shouldn't cost "a lot" to have yours stripped and repainted, same color as grill and headlight trim if you're going original

Bill

Thanks Bill. Might as well sneak this question too. I found an online copy of the 1956 Truck Specifcations and it says the white grill, bumpers was Arabian Ivory. So the hub caps are that too - correct?
Thanks, Joe

yes, that's it

Bill