Painting centers of dogdish hubcaps

[cos]

Hello Members  Searched for advice for repainting centers of 10 1/2 hubcaps will no success. Anyone have any advice or thoughts/ Thanks

[Jeff Norwell]

Get a local sign or pinstriper to handle that Job..... that's what I did.

[djfordmanjack]

or you can mask and spray paint the whole ring center section and wipe off the raised letters with a rag and paint thinner. I believe that's how it was done back then.

[abe_lugo]

It might have been some sort of squeegee, that pull the paint from the high letters, also note that that paint is not an enamel, it was a very soft probably water based paint,  I was cleaning some swap find caps with a light cleaner and wiped off the paint/rust accidentally, so I'll have to be doing the same on e some too.

[petew]

Some masking tape , a sharp razor blade or utility knife, some patience and a rattle can of ivory white paint.
Did mine that way and it went quite easily , oh a comfortable chair and some music will help !

After you do one you will get the rhythm .

[59meteor]

When I worked at a tire store many years ago, I remember using grease or vaseline as a masking cover, when we painted aluminum wheels between the spokes. Easy to remove with a paper towel or rag after the paint dried.

[cos]

Hello  Thanks for suggestions, I got one painted, tried  all ways mentioned above.  Only way that worked for me was to mask off cone and outer ring where painted area ends. Paint everything in center section, let it dry so paint is still little soft. Used a pencil type holder with a flat 1/4 inch wide razor knife to remove paint for raised ford letters. If paint is too soft, scraping will stick to other painted parts. It is a PIA but only way I found that works for me.  I believe original they were silk screen painted. Be interesting to know how other repros are done.

[BP57CUSTOM]

Not to hijack the discussion, but does anyone have any suggestions for putting the dogdish hubcaps back on the wheels. I really beat my hands up putting my hubcaps back on. Thanks

[mustang6984]

I worked in a tire shop plus who knows how many gas stations.
We always used a rubber mallet. On really nice sets we also would hold an old kitchen bath-towel folded a couple of times. Whack them and they pop on.
I have one in my tool box to this day.

[KYBlueOval]

What Hugh said..... X2

[terry_208]

I can put my caps on but the hard part is taking them off without damaging the finish on my wheels.

[abe_lugo]

I bought one of these, but the from original brand, usually a red handle
https://www.amazon.com/Steelman-75031-Hub-Cap-Remover/dp/B00GWFOSBY

you can add some foam or tape or a towel to protect stuff, also lightly hit to start the cap.

[mustang6984]

I bought one of these, but the from original brand, usually a red handle
https://www.amazon.com/Steelman-75031-Hub-Cap-Remover/dp/B00GWFOSBY

you can add some foam or tape or a towel to protect stuff, also lightly hit to start the cap.

Yep...we used that type in the tire shop, just a regular rubber hammer in the gas stations.
I like the one you showed best. Much safer way to take off the caps and full wheel covers with control so as to not mar them.
Good price too.

[BP57CUSTOM]

Thanks, I'll do that.

[rmk57]

  I wonder if they used some kind of a stencil to paint the centres? Whatever the process was it would have to be an efficient way to paint hundreds of thousands of hubcaps through the years.