1960 Steel Wheels

[Joe M.]

I am preparing to "sand" blast my rims prior to painting. Were the rims originally dip painted black?

If so, what color of black?

Should I use a self-etching primer?

What is the best blast media to use for steel rims?

[Donald H.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

Joe,

I used glass in my cabinet to blast my wheels. My wheels were pretty rough as I only got one correct wheel with the car and spend a lot of time accumulating the welded dog bone wheels that I have now.

The glass does take time especially if there is paint and rust. I did use etch primer on the bare metal. My painter recommends always using etch primer on bare metal that is being painted. He's been a body/painter for 35 years.

Not sure what is correct, but I used SEM semi-gloss trim black rattle can paint. The SEM paint really flows good and is easy to use. It's what I am using for all the semi-gloss/semi-flat painting, e.g. under hood, wheel wells, etc.

Don

[Joe M.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

Thanks for the good info Donald. I have heard that baking soda is good as well and the residue can be washed away by rain or with a hose. Any reason baking soda would not work on the steel rims? Will the portable pot type blaster units accept multiple blast media types?

The John Deere Blitz Black is a low gloss and very durable and chemical resistant.

[Loren L.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

Unfortunately, the color of the wheels should be Gloss black.

[Thomas H.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

Joe,

Rims were dip painted black. Plus starting in 60 they were the same color as the body around the outer face of the rim rim with overspray towards the center.

Tom

[Donald H.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

Thanks for the good info Donald. I have heard that baking soda is good as well and the residue can be washed away by rain or with a hose. Any reason baking soda would not work on the steel rims? Will the portable pot type blaster units accept multiple blast media types?

The John Deere Blitz Black is a low gloss and very durable and chemical resistant.

I have a tank type blaster also, bought an inexpensive one from Harbor Freight. It works, but is a pain to use. I had a small 20 gal compressor that simply would not come close to handling the air volume needed with the tank type blaster. I ended up getting a 60 gal (don't remember the motor/compressor rating), but it is a 10.5 SCFM at 90 PSI unit. And even at that, it can't keep up with the demand of the tank blaster. I can blast for a while then have to wait for the compressor to build back up.

I've never used baking soda, but I believe you need a different setup for the tank type blaster if using baking soda. I know Eastwood sells an attachment to go on standard tank type blaster to be able to use baking soda, and they sell units that do both baking soda and other blasting media.

[Dan D.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

I have about the same thing as you do Donald - tank blaster from Tractor Supply. I also have a 60 gal. 10.2 SCFM @ 90 PSI compressor; and it doesn't keep up, but it is not bad. I just have to wait a little every few minutes for it to catch up.

Moisture can be a big problem. It will plug it up, and a real pain in the butt to unplug. Also uses a lot for media - not cheap and it makes a mess of the Queens driveway. Does not make her a happy Queen.

I had no original wheels for my 57. Bought 5 used ones from Corvette Central for an absorbent amount of money. But they were good wheels - no dents, dings, bent corners or anything else, just old paint and surface rust. Welded and dog bone, most likely off of a 56 passenger car.

I had my local machine shop hot tank them which removed all the old paint. I then blasted them and painted them completely with semi gloss POR-15 followed with gloss POR-15 top coat on the outside surface.

They look really good, and POR-15 is a very hard and durable paint. Tire mounting did not chip any paint at all. Have not put wheel covers on them yet. -Dan-

[Joe M.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

I planned to use my neighbor's air compressor. it is capable of 6.4 scfm @ 90 PSI. Is that sufficient scfm to operate the Tractor Supply blaster? The air compressor label also lists 8.6 scfm @ 40 PSI.

I don't understand how a lower PSI yields a higher scfm.

[Dan D.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

Your going to have more 'wait' cycles with 6.4 cfm is all.

The lower the pressure, the more the cfm. It doesn't have to compress it as much, so there is more air available.

Good luck with your project. Try the 6.4 and see how cumbersome it is. You will just need more time as it chugs away, but it should work. -Dan-

[Donald H.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

For the tank type blaster I have always used aluminum oxide, I believe 70 grit. As Dan said, it really makes a mess. I spread a large tarp on my driveway and it catches about 80% of the media which I sweep up and recycle through the blaster.

Unless you cover up real well, you will end up with the media in every exposed body orfice. I use one of the one piece painter coveralls from Home Depot. I also bought a decent hood from Eastwood, but I still have trouble keeping it straight on my head and the lens clear enought to see.

Good luck

Don

[Donald H.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

As Dan said, moisture is a bigger problem in blasting that you may think. I have a water separator on my compressor (small one) and a similar small one on the tank blaster, but they don't take out much water. I ended up getting a Coalescing Air Filter from TP Tools based on a recommendation in another thread and it works much better.

[John H.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

Joe,

Rims were dip painted black. Plus starting in 60 they were the same color as the body around the outer face of the rim rim with overspray towards the center.

Tom

Tom -

To clarify, the wheels were flow-coat primed semi-gloss black on all surfaces and baked, then the outer face was sprayed with 83-gloss wheel enamel and baked again.

This process was done at the main passenger/truck plant, as Corvette had no wheel or small-parts paint facilities; the wheels were delivered across the back yard to Corvette in sets, on racks.

[Dan D.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

Oh Donald - your observations are the same as mine. I also have 2 water separators, but I am going to take your advice and buy the one you have. I need a better tarp too. I use a painters suit, and I boil in it in the sun - and I live in upstate NY.

How do you re-use your media? Do you screen it? So much rust and junk in it just plugs it up. -Dan-

[Thomas H.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

Tom -

To clarify, the wheels were flow-coat primed semi-gloss black on all surfaces and baked, then the outer face was sprayed with 83-gloss wheel enamel and baked again.

This process was done at the main passenger/truck plant, as Corvette had no wheel or small-parts paint facilities; the wheels were delivered across the back yard to Corvette in sets, on racks.

John,

What is "flow-coat"?

Would that create the paint run off shown in the pictures I posted?

Tom
(always learning........)

[John H.]

Re: 1960 Steel Wheels

John,

What is "flow-coat"?

Would that create the paint run off shown in the pictures I posted?

Tom
(always learning........)

Tom -

"Flow-Coat" was done in an enclosed booth with about twenty paint nozzles (more like showerheads) that deluged the parts with primer from all directions as they passed through the booth on racks or in wire baskets suspended from an overhead conveyor; the runoff drained off the parts, through a grate in the floor into a sump, and was recirculated. It could leave exactly the same residue as shown in your photo.