Replicating Dow7 gold color on aluminum wheels
 

I was recently scratching my head about how to blend my car's chrome lug nuts in with the wheels a little better. I decided to try re-coloring the wheel centers to look like magnesium wheels that had been treated with Dow7

I searched numerous topics here, and on the HAMB, and I found that most guys simply paint the wheel centers gold, and then let a few years of brake dust build up to dull the finish down.

At first, I was planning to go whole-hog and blast, etch, and dip my entire wheels in Alodine (Alodine is a dichromate coating which leaves aluminum a very similar gold color to what Dow7 does to Magnesium): but, I decided to try rattle-canning them first, just to make sure I liked the gold look, before I decided on something more permanent. The beauty of spray paint is that if it turns out like crap, a little paint stripper, and the sand blaster work like a magic eraser to return everything back to the way it was. But, as it turns out, I was very pleased with the final results.

After scouring the rattle-can aisle at my local hardware store, I decided on a 2 color approach. I used two off the shelf rattle cans- Krylon Dual Superbond Gold (8845) and Valspar Metallic brushed nickel (66005)

After scrubbing the wheels with degreaser (the yellow stuff from HarborFreight), I sprayed each one down with brake cleaner, and then masked off the polished lips and the valve stems.

The first spray was a full coat (front and rear) of the Gold color. After letting that set for about 15 minutes, I went back and did a dusting coat on the fronts of each wheel with the Nickel color, followed by a dusting coat of gold, followed by another 15 minute sit.

I repeated the dusting process (gold, followed by nickel) about 5 more times on each wheel front, until both cans were nearly empty. The final coat was a very light dusting of the nickel color.

On the backside of each wheel, I just left the pure gold color, and in the pic below you can see the difference between the two finishes- The gold color alone did not give that signature greyish coloration of aged Dow7 on magnesium. but I think that combining the two colors gave the wheels a really close approximation of magnesium wheels...

Once they get some brake dust and road grime built up on them, I think they will start to look even more old-school...

For the lug nuts, I let them go overnight in my vibrating tumbler with the coursest stones I had, and painted them to match, just so they would blend in a little bit better

The first pic below is one of the best I found of an actual magnesium wheel with Dow7 on it. The second pic shows my wheels, front and back, to show the difference between pure gold paint, versus the 2-color process.

the last pics are before and after.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k1...ZZZXXXDOW7.jpg

Attachment 29116

the difference between using just gold paint alone (right) versus the 2-step process I used (left)

Attachment 29117

Before- bare aluminum centers:

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/atta...927_122849.jpg

After- with the gold tinted centers. The difference is very subtle, and will pass right over the casual onlooker, which is exactly what I wanted.

Attachment 29119

Very nice, might have to give that one a try:cool:

Great job, moore_rb.
Looks better.

Looks great!

Robert: I think you nailed it!
Mine; too much gold, I'm going to try to tone them down a bit.
With the lighter/brighter centers you loose some of the "deep-dish"

Excellent job. I also repainted my centers but used a medium Bronze . I like the gold better.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...psul3bzgmt.jpg

I like it. Did you mount them? Pics?

They look great. Nice job.

moore_rb, you did a really nice job. Definitely one of the better Dow7 replications I have seen.

Nice Rob, you're always on the leading edge for trying new thing's. I mocked up my Sunbrust's this week, glad I went with the extra 3/4" offset in the rear's, with angled knockoff's, and flat knockoff's for the front. Look's right ;)

Remember the original gold was Dow7 on magnesium.
In my gallery there is a gold on my old wheels.
It's Rustoleum Gold Rush 7270
Spray light coats and pan back as the last coat you want texture.
Easy....

You could probably tone them down just by using the brushed nickel Valspar paint that I used. Just lightly dust some of it over your existing gold.

The brushed nickel paint adds that greyish tint, and it also dries flat (no gloss in it at all)

RB is THE Rattle Can KING!

Ummm...Pictures...???????? :3DSMILE:

PICTURES ! :cool:

I once painted an entire Jeep CJ5, using 10 cans of gloss black rustoleum... :p

Robert; do you remember where you got the Valspar ? I think I saw some at Lowes ? HD?

Yes, I got the brushed nickel Valspar paint from Lowes...

The Gold Krylon was from Ace Hardware

That looks fantastic!