Refinished Wheel Covers

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

I got a set of severely weathered/rusted wheel covers with the 520H I bought last spring and decided to give my local powder coater a shot with his "stainless/chrome" look powder just got them back this evening what do you guys think? vs the actual original chrome (last picture of a set I polished up back in the summer)? I believe I'm going to paint the embossments like the old style before they go back in use,Jeff.

[Digger 66 3,488]

26 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

what do you guys think?

 

 

 

 

 

For what it's worth , I like the original chrome best .

They're  your babies , but you asked .

Personally i don't care for powder-coating but that's a whole different ball game .

 

 

 

 

Edited January 19, 2017 by Digger 66

[AMC RULES 37,134]

I'm betting...   

they look much better in person.    

Paint up the centers, then let's see them on the tractor. 

["D"- Man 827]

Maybe it's just the pics, but; I think the originals look better.  I purchased a 6" W.H. wheel cover that was dented and scratched with about 3 coats of paint on the backside and spots on the front, after removing the paint, working out the dent and sanding out the scratches it turned out very presentable.

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

Thanks either way ,I'm still 50/50 on them myself the sample pieces they had looked "more" chrome bit at least they aren't rusty anymore, these were pitted badly and most of the chrome had peeled to bare metal/rust, I really had nothing to lose but my $, it should hold up better than spray bomb silver/chrome/aluminum paint, in person the color actually reminds me of my plastic anniversary caps that came my '97 but glossy, I still have the original chrome set I polished, another set that's 50/50 if they'll polish out, these and my anniversary set, when I get the embossing painted I'll mount them, photos and update,Jeff.

[953 nut 55,837]

   I like the idea of having a great looking alternative to chrome; the local powder coater was showing me a set of rims he had done with a burnished stainless steel look, they were great.

["D"- Man 827]

4 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

Thanks either way ,I'm still 50/50 on them myself the sample pieces they had looked "more" chrome bit at least they aren't rusty anymore, these were pitted badly and most of the chrome had peeled to bare metal/rust, I really had nothing to lose but my $, it should hold up better than spray bomb silver/chrome/aluminum paint, in person the color actually reminds me of my plastic anniversary caps that came my '97 but glossy, I still have the original chrome set I polished, another set that's 50/50 if they'll polish out, these and my anniversary set, when I get the embossing painted I'll mount them, photos and update,Jeff.

Sounds good, please let us know what you use for the embossing paint color, and how it turns out.

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

13 minutes ago, "D"- Man said:

Sounds good, please let us know what you use for the embossing paint color, and how it turns out.

Will do, I do know there is an actual spray chrome but no one does it locally and actual rechroming would be more than finding N.O.S. covers for sale, Jeff.

[can whlvr 993]

like you said they look a lot better then rusty pitted caps,if you don't mind sayin how much does this cost,i purchased a set in perfect condition for 100 bucks,just comparing for my own curiosity

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

4 minutes ago, can whlvr said:

like you said they look a lot better then rusty pitted caps,if you don't mind sayin how much does this cost,i purchased a set in perfect condition for 100 bucks,just comparing for my own curiosity

$80 for them to media blast and powder coat inside and out, rechroming with shipping both ways $175ish was my phone quote, I wasn't after show quality as much as clean worker usable without rusting/ruining anymore

[MalMac 1,331]

There is a saying in racing that is "How fast you want to go equals how much you want to spend."  Same goes for dressing up cars, trucks, tractors,etc..... How shiney you want to look.......... = $$$$$$$$$ powdered coating at least saved them. They turned out nice and once you paint the lettering and emblem they will look good and be a nice alternative. I have several sets that were rescued from a scrap dealer. Came in from a municipality that had 520's for there park dept. Some are almost Nos stuff and others are rust buckets. Theses might be good candidates for what you have done to yours.

[obone 142]

I like the shiny ones, but if all you are after is a worker with a little class and half the cost you did not go wrong. Just never park it next to another one of your beast with real chrome and know one will ever know the difference. Does the second to last photo have both types in it? Powder on top chrome on bottom.

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

@obone, yes one original unpolished chrome and one powder coated in that picture, Jeff.

[can whlvr 993]

they look fine to me,and the powder cost isn't that bad

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

Here they are with the embossing painted I used Forney brand "china" markers,Jeff.

[WHX?? 49,177]

Nice , more than good enough for a working horse!

[DennisThornton 4,769]

Love them. 

But I'd love chrome even more! 

 

After a second look (actually a long stare with some drooling...) Yep!  With the embossing details:

 

Love them! 

Edited February 2, 2017 by DennisThornton
Second look

[rjg854 11,494]

Perfect for a working horse!

[smoreau 658]

They look very nice!  But I must say, I am not a hubcap fan at all. I have had many from the original style to the new. My preference is the bar rim look. Maybe it the fear of damaging a nice looking hubcap. But I wouldn't mind doing the powdercoat thing to a rusty set of the old stile for my 875. 

[neil 2,410]

Very professional looking 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

Thanks guys till I get them installed,Jeff.

[MalMac 1,331]

I'd be proud to put those in mine, very nice job.

[obone 142]

Those look so cool.  I didn't know powder would reflect so good. Very shiny. Kind of reminds me of how someone drinks tea with how your holding that camera. Sorry about the jab I had to point that out.

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

1 hour ago, obone said:

Those look so cool.  I didn't know powder would reflect so good. Very shiny. Kind of reminds me of how someone drinks tea with how your holding that camera. Sorry about the jab I had to point that out.

It's all good, must be my English roots, lol, or this new fangled phone,and if it hadn't been for their samples on some street/race car parts I wouldn't have gone this route from rusty like this to above,Jeff.

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

Here they are installed, Jeff.