Which paint for '91 wheels?

[Guest jcc3inc]

Good morning,

I'd like to repaint the hubcaps and touch-up spots on a wheel for my '91. Somewhere in the past there has been a discussion as to which paint matched well. Could somebody say what they used?

Thanks,

Jack C.

[KDirk]

Jack,

The factory recommend color for 91 rims (per a GM TSB of some years ago) is named sparkle silver. I know this was available in DuPont and I think PPG auto finishing products (same name, but color number code would be different by brand). The TSB also referred to Spies-Hecker which I had never heard of and have not seen sold anywhere - perhaps it was a regional supplier, or has been renamed since the TSB was first published.

I know that I had retyped the pertinent portions of the TSB in a post here well over a year ago. Try a search and hopefully it will show up. If not, I will go digging for my TSB (in a big file of misc paperwork so may take a while).

FWIW, I had my center caps repainted with sparkle silver, and it was a perfect match to the rims.

KDirk

[Guest craig hewitt]

Take your wheel to a paint shop they should have a tool (camara) that they use for paint matching a perfect match Then have them mix it and install in a rattle can Most of the time you will get two cans worked great for me as i needed to paint 12 wheels Craig !!!

[Guest jcc3inc]

Gentlemen,

I have looked over my folder of copies of problems/solutions that have been on this forum for the past 5 years. I have maybe 300 of these. Had I done this earlier, there would have been no need for my query.

On 1-22-08 I copied Kevin Dierkes' response that refers to a TSB #53-17-03A / May 1966 RE: Aluminum Wheel refinishing.

"Color Selection:

If the wheels being painted were previously clearcoated aluminum, we would recommend using Corsican Silver WAEQ9283 for a "fine aluminum" like look, or Sparkle Silver WA9967 for a very bright look."

On 5-20-06 I copied Barney's response on the problem along with his comments.

From Barney's post, WAEQ9283 = (PPG#DBC-3531); and WA9967 = (PPG# 35367) as alternates for paint suppliers.

Thanks for all your comments over the years. They have been very helpful.

Regards,

Jack C.

[Ronnie]

I added that information to my website. Is the TSB date, May 1966 correct?

[Barney Eaton]

In reference to my 2006 post.... there was a discussion about which color to use.

A couple of regular posters were going to get some paint and report on which of the two colors was correct.

Four years later, no report. If I were going out to buy paint, I would try the PPG # 35367 first. The reason, over the years, I have purchased several (6-7 touch up cans) different GM silver paints and none of them had the high metallic content that the wheels have.

[KDirk]

Barney,

Based on my repainted center caps, sparkle silver is a match to the stock 91 wheel color. Bear in mind that I did not repaint my wheels as they were in reasonable shape so the paint was slightly dulled from 17+ years of exposure. With that in mind, I cannot say sparkle silver was equivalent to brand new factory finished rims, only that it was a good (near perfect) match to 17+ year old rims with original finish.

If one was repainting the rims, I would suggest doing the center caps at the same time. I believe you have even pointed out here before that the factory finish on the caps was very slightly mismatched to the rims. Of course, one would have to do all 4 wheels to ensure consistency, but sparkle silver should be a good match even if doing only one of four. Of course, it would still need to be clear coated as well for proper appearance.

KDirk

[Barney Eaton]

Kevin you are correct that factory hub caps and wheels were not a perfect match.

At one time the thinking was that was because the wheel is aluminum and the hub cap plastic and when painted you got a difference because the base material was different.

I believe the problem was because they came from different suppliers.....

Like you said if the wheel and hub car are painted at the same time they match.

From experience, I had a set of '91 wheels painted white (which was an option on white cars)

and they are not 3 years old and they still match.

Side note.... the factory white wheels and hub caps did not match either.