i love steelies - but stuck on color choice...

[jocko]

Ok gents, appreciate your feedback - I am trying to choose a color - the truck color isn't going to change, but am putting the old original steel wheels back on with no whitewalls (the crusty old spare's whitewall was painted black just so I could see how it would really look - hours on photoshop are good, but seeing the real thing meant a lot to me. I just primed and painted the wheel 3 times and took pictures so I could compare apples to apples on my own truck.

Mid-70's poverty cap will be the cap of choice.
Bottom line is this - I think I prefer the black wheels. Truck is going to be mildly hot rodded (4 or 5 speed, maybe an old vette dual quad setup, etc) and lowered a few inches (MAYbe) from what you see in the photos.

If the truck were all blue vice blue/white two-tone, the black would be a no-brainer. But the white wheels really seem to set off the white top and trim insert.

(I realize the white doesn't quite match the white paint on the truck - this was just a "test"... same holds true for the light blue (and this is the color the wheels would actually have been for this truck since it was 2-tone), I realize it doesn't match the truck's blue very closely either, but, again, it's just a test to choose.)

The old crusty spare was cracked and checked and not road-worthy (sad because it was the original I believe), so had no problem painting its whitewall for this little experiment. Am concerned that black wheels don't really go with the two-tone paint - but then again, not going for a stock look either.... black wheels scream hot rod to me, the white ones, on the other hand, look good and white "goes with" the truck - but it's mundane and screams "grandma" to me.

Thoughts?

jocko

[72BlckButy]

Definitely white...

Have you considered silver?

[losthope]

i voted white!

[jocko]

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Definitely white...

Have you considered silver?

I DID consider silver, it looks good I think - but for the same reason I'm a little hesitant about black - silver and black both seem like they go best with a non-two-tone truck. But they do look good - wish i'd taken a picture of that now too! But I am saving the rally wheel paint I have for the rally wheels. I've got some truck rallies that I'll be painting argent silver, but they're going to have BFG T/A's on them - so that will give me my silver fix.
Good question though - I think silver would look pretty good too.

[markeb01]

This would be a tough choice for me. I also have always been a black steel wheel kind of guy, but this reminds me of one time I felt the change didn’t fit well. I had a white over blue 54 Chevy sedan that I restored cosmetically stock, but then I came up with a cherry pair of painted reversed rims. As usual, I painted them black and after I mounted them on the car, quickly came to the decision they really messed up the overall presentation. Perhaps if I had painted them blue they would have looked okay. Here’s a before and after of what I mean:





Personally, I prefer the blue rims best of the three, following closely by the white. Either adds a design element to the overall appearance, whereas the black wheel eliminates detail. I agree the white wheels look grandma, but if I ever get rid of the mags on mine, that’s probably what I’ll put on.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by markeb01

This would be a tough choice for me. I also have always been a black steel wheel kind of guy, but this reminds me of one time I felt the change didn’t fit well. I had a white over blue 54 Chevy sedan that I restored cosmetically stock, but then I came up with a cherry pair of painted reversed rims. As usual, I painted them black and after I mounted them on the car, quickly came to the decision they really messed up the overall presentation. Perhaps if I had painted them blue they would have looked okay. Here’s a before and after of what I mean:





Personally, I prefer the blue rims best of the three, following closely by the white. Either adds a design element to the overall appearance, whereas the black wheel eliminates detail. I agree the white wheels look grandma, but if I ever get rid of the mags on mine, that’s probably what I’ll put on.

THAT 54 IS AWESOME!!! I love the "2nd day" look personally, but I understand what you mean about the black wheels. Like I mentioned, a little hesitant on a 2-tone truck, so am torn between black and white. I like the blue too - but what I like about the white wheels over the blue wheels is that it's not what rolled out of the factory - so even though it's granny-like, it's at least something different.

Thanks for all the input - and the 54 pics help a lot. Don't suppose you still have that thing do you?
jocko

[jocko]

and since we're on wheels and caps.... anyone found a simple, effective way to pop the caps off the wheels? I scratch my wheels, every single time...
just curious. Used to have a fancy rubber elbowed-hammer that kinda worked, but of course I lost it.

[wild one]

Definitely white, it picks up on and ties in the white top and trim accent. By the way, have you considered a thin beauty ring to add a little extra visual "pop" to the wheels? Just a thought as it helps to separate the tire from the rim giving a more defined look to the wheel/tire package.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by wild one

Definitely white, it picks up on and ties in the white top and trim accent. By the way, have you considered a thin beauty ring to add a little extra visual "pop" to the wheels? Just a thought as it helps to separate the tire from the rim giving a more defined look to the wheel/tire package.

Not a bad idea - the trim rings. I've seen some with them and they look good. Have never seen them on white. Would somewhat defeat my plain jane approach, but I can add them later too. Thanks, good suggestion.

[dnorris009]

I voted for the original blue , but....
You have a beautiful truck & it'll look great no matter
which color Ya choose.

[mikie 1954]

I voted white, but if you went with the trim ring i think i would vote blue.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by wild one

Definitely white, it picks up on and ties in the white top and trim accent. By the way, have you considered a thin beauty ring to add a little extra visual "pop" to the wheels? Just a thought as it helps to separate the tire from the rim giving a more defined look to the wheel/tire package.

Not a bad idea - the trim rings. I've seen some with them and they look good. Have never seen them on white (I agree with you mikie, white might be better bare - i just can't picture the white ones with a ring, but blue I can). A ring would somewhat defeat my plain jane approach, but I can add them later too. Thanks for the suggestion wild one.

[duallyjams]

I think the black would look good if you lowered the truck a little and used a baby moon cap off of a nova.The white works for the stock height.

[CVA59]

White

[1LoC10]

Originally Posted by jocko

and since we're on wheels and caps.... anyone found a simple, effective way to pop the caps off the wheels? I scratch my wheels, every single time...
just curious. Used to have a fancy rubber elbowed-hammer that kinda worked, but of course I lost it.

take a spare flat head screw driver and wrap the tip in electric tape

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by jocko

Don't suppose you still have that thing do you?
jocko

Sadly I sold it to my former brother in law and he destroyed it within a few weeks.

As for hubcap removal, I've had good results using one of the mini pry bars like this example:

Amazon.com: Vaughan-Bushnell 222 Mini Bar: Home...
I wrap the heel portion with duct tape for padding and lever it directly against the wheel center. Back when I had hubcaps I carried this in the glove box along with a small piece of leather to place against the painted wheel surface for additional protection. When home in the garage, I found a 2 foot screwdriver worked pretty well by doubling over a rubber knee pad against the rim edge to pry against.

If you have the choice between early wheels with the 3 hubcap bumps, or the later wheels with 4 bumps - the earlier wheels are easier on the hubcaps and require less effort to remove. The later 4 bump wheels stretch the caps tighter making them harder to remove, to the extent they can even split the edge of some hubcaps.

I also like the beauty ring idea on the blue or black wheels, not so much on the white for the reasons you already mentioned.

[Southcity]

Originally Posted by jocko

and since we're on wheels and caps.... anyone found a simple, effective way to pop the caps off the wheels? I scratch my wheels, every single time...
just curious. Used to have a fancy rubber elbowed-hammer that kinda worked, but of course I lost it.

I vote for the white steelies, seems to go well with that white cab on your truck. To change things up a bit, how about getting away from the 70's cap and going with a 60's dogdish truck cap?

I have a great tool to remove dogdish caps from a steelie......most major paint stores (Kelly Moore, Sherwin Williams, Lowes etc.) sell a metal paint key lid removal tool, works perfect for safely and easily removing dogdish caps and it's cheap too, so you can buy two, one to keep in the rig in case you have to change a flat and one for the garage......and it has a bottle opener on the other end....below is a link (not a great picture) to give you an idea. I think the ones that Kelly Moore sell have a nice rubberized handle too.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_307103-995-3...ductId=3032230

[likaroc13]

searched my pics to see if i could come up with anything to help the decision, but not much to add....i like the white, but i agree that blue could look good as well

[nomrlz]

hands down white

[jocko]

Hey guys, thanks for all the input - so I think you LIKE WHITE!!!
A few votes for the other colors - blue is a clear second place. Agree with the comment about lowering the truck might make black more appropriate - good point.

I was on the fence - and I usually think other folks' opinions won't change mine, but I have to admit, I'm changing my tune and you all helped out a lot.

White it is, for now!

And thanks for the comments on cap removal tool - excellent suggestions. Figured I could rat around the garage and find something - but so far I hadn't other than bending a few old screwdrivers trying. Duct tape. How could I have forgotten about that!!.... Thanks gents, all the suggestions and input much appreciated.

Will post some pics when get around to painting and mounting.
jocko

[CenValyCali]

Are you going with those hubcaps or something else? My vote would be something else.

[laid_out_70]

haha, i voted black, then scrolled down and saw how they look and now i vote white

[jocko]

for some strange reason, i kinda like these rather common center caps.... I know what you mean, they aren't exactly "hot rod" and sure aren't original - but I don't necessarily want stock, yet want something "chevy". Gonna keep my eyes peeled this weekend at carlisle for some different caps - but unless something just jumps out at me, I'll probably stick with these for now. One thing that's nice about them is that they're paid for!

[CenValyCali]

Originally Posted by jocko

for some strange reason, i kinda like these rather common center caps.... I know what you mean, they aren't exactly "hot rod" and sure aren't original - but I don't necessarily want stock, yet want something "chevy". Gonna keep my eyes peeled this weekend at carlisle for some different caps - but unless something just jumps out at me, I'll probably stick with these for now. One thing that's nice about them is that they're paid for!

Very nice truck either way.

[aerotruk63]

Hard to tell, wink!