1956 Center Cap

[CT Car Guy]

I bought new center caps for my '56 but they are not painted. I think the color should be off white but the car is not stock so the color is not critical. What is the correct color and how do you paint the background like the picture? (Picture for reference only)

[1957Birdman]

I think the paint may have been a semi-gloss Colonial White, but no way to tell for sure. If any of the wheel covers you got have any paint on them you could take one to the auto paint store and get them to match it. As for how you do it, that is another matter. The wheel cover supplier that Ford used had a way to do it to get acceptable results while working at production line speeds. You might check with CASCO or Prestige Thunderbird and see how they do it.

Good luck,

Lew Bachman

1957 Thunderbird

[charlespetty]

On 7/16/2022 at 2:34 PM, CT Car Guy said:

I bought new center caps for my '56 but they are not painted. I think the color should be off white but the car is not stock so the color is not critical. What is the correct color and how do you paint the background like the picture? (Picture for reference only)

The hubcaps you show in your photo are not 1956 Thunderbird.  These are the correct 1956 hubcaps. Yours appear to be 1957.

[harris speedster]

Paint color may be a stock Bird color.

They used Colonial white on many Ford cars and truck.

Just a good guess that might help out?

I have some new NOS ford/bird dog dish caps and some full wheel covers.

Both look like they laid a stencil over it and sprayed them.

Few have overspray.

Very cheap and light spray that sometimes is so thin, almost looks like somebody polished them and wore through the paint.

 

BTW, have a 57 Supercharged F bird for sale, and several T Bird Jr Cars. 55-63

Thanks

John