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Yet another '57 wheel color question


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Just got my 46R back from the paint shop with a new Dover white paint job. Now I am ready to get the rims taken care of. If I under stand correctly, rims were either black or red and if red there should be a "1" on the data plate. So I guess my options are black. Does anyone know the correct paint code. Would it be the same code as the black for a body? What about the stripe(s) on the rims? Should they be white?

Also what about the color in the center of sweep spear? I am considering red/tangerine as that appears to be what was there.

Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks

Gary

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Hi Gary: Now just going on the two current Roadmasters I have, the wheels are the same color as the tangerine on the sweep spear and I have no "1" on my data plate that I can see and I know mine are 100% OEM stock since both are 1 owner cars before me. I would paint your wheels the correct tangerine color as the spear inserts and you would be O.K. and spot on.

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Gary,

Agree with David on this. I did not have a 1 on my data plate, and my wheels and sweepspear were tangerine as well. From discussions with OldTank, do not worry about the pinstripes on the wheels, unless you do not have deluxe wheel covers. They are hidden anyway.

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Thanks David and Jim. I am going to stripe the wheels as this is a "plain Jane" '57 with a standard transmission. I believe it to be an original car also and it has the "poverty" hub caps thus requiring the stripes. Any thoughts on stripe color?

Gary

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Gary,

White stripes - 3 on the felloe's of the wheel. OldTank is correct as well, the wheels could also be body color. Tangerine was optional, black standard or body color. Not sure if the black was striped, but tangerine for sure, and sounds like body color as well. The paint color for the stripes is called "french white" whatever color that is..

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Nice example Paul. One can clearly see the stripping layout pretty well. It's interesting to note that the red does not appear to extend into the center radius of the wheel hub area only that which would be expose after the cap was installed. Perhaps this wheel was painted over as one can see the blue under the reddish paint in these exposed outer areas.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Rob McDonald

The '57 Buick sales order sheet that's made the rounds of this forum indicates that the wheel "felloes" could be optionally painted Tangerine. I take that to mean that only the exterior outer rim would be thus painted, similar to Paul's example.

BUICKMAN, how are your original wheels painted - entirely Tangerine or just part of the exterior?

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Rob and David,

Here is a photo of my original spare with the original 1957 tire that still holds air. It looks to me like the whole wheel was painted tangerine, as far as I can tell. This did come with my car and is the original.

post-65800-143142790818_thumb.jpg

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Lots of good info here! Here is my question. Again, this is a "plain Jane" 1957 Special with a standard transmission. I believe that the sweep spear was Tangerine originally and the wheels were black with the white stripes and poverty hubcaps and wide white walls. So I am trying to decide what color to paint the rims. Tangerine or Black. I tend to go with the Tangerine but some have told me that will be too much red. Looking for thoughts and opinions. Thanks for your opinions!

Gary

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Gary,

I'm with Mike. You cant go wrong with the tangerine wheels. They really set off the vehicle. Also, either will be ok for BCA judging, I would think, since they are available as such from the factory as a 1957 option.

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All great advice from our great community. For 1957, Buick designers kept the 15 inch wheels and did not go the trend of the 14 wheel because among other things, wanted to fill out the wheel well that helped stage the long sweep spear lowered design new for 57. Also this mandated a narrower 2 1/2 white wall and away from the broad 3, 3 1/2 or 4 -inch whites that were prevalent up till then.

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I can say that the Roadmistress looked pretty dull with black wheels and a faded Tangerine Sweepspear.

On a white car, Tangerine wheels and Sweepspear really pop, and looks great in any light.

Imagine if she was all white...

roadmistress_2xa.jpg

Larger

Besides, we already have red on the grille and in a one-plate state, you can have lots of fun with front license plates.

dpc_badge.jpg

Makes me kind of chuckle when someone walks by and tells their friend (or wife, or date), "It's a '62 Buick". :eek:

(The tag came from the same place as the car, a sweet coincidence).

TG

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  • 3 years later...
On 10/20/2014 at 6:00 PM, 1957buickjim said:

Rob and David,

Here is a photo of my original spare with the original 1957 tire that still holds air. It looks to me like the whole wheel was painted tangerine, as far as I can tell. This did come with my car and is the original.

post-65800-143142790818_thumb.jpg

How wide is the white wall?

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12 hours ago, 1957buickjim said:

Lance,  I'll measure it for you and let you know. 

Thanks Jim.  Someone on this forum once said that 2.75" was correct, but Dave says 2.5".  Not sure if Roadmaster might have been a tad bigger since they were bigger size tires?

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On 9/7/2018 at 8:08 PM, lancemb said:

Thanks Jim.  Someone on this forum once said that 2.75" was correct, but Dave says 2.5".  Not sure if Roadmaster might have been a tad bigger since they were bigger size tires?

 

Given that our '57s were assembled in 8 plants all over the country, with local sourcing, can anyone even prove there was a standard whitewall width?

Is there is a company directive specifying both tire brand and ww width?

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4 minutes ago, TG57Roadmaster said:

 

Given that our '57s were assembled in 8 plants all over the country, with local sourcing, can anyone even prove there was a standard whitewall width?

Is there is a company directive specifying both tire brand and ww width?

Good question.  I'd be very surprised if they put on smaller than 2.5" or larger than 3" when new though. 

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9 hours ago, 1957buickjim said:

image.thumb.png.19eab8f9c6c1d2012bf6c442a20684a0.png

 

Lance - I measured it this weekend. It measured 2.25 inches on the whitewall from rim to edge. FYI.

Thanks for that!  That is surprising it's that small.  Looks good though!  I'm thinking maybe 2.5 on next set I buy, since it will be a Roadmaster and a little bigger.

Edited by lancemb (see edit history)
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