Restoring wheel centre caps.

wiz043 · Postby **wiz043** » Sun Nov 20, 2011 11:19 am

I am in the middle of restoring my dark blue 1999 MX5. It has the original silver alloys and I am trying to find the right silver colour to re-paint the plastic silver centre caps that have faded. I have been told that I will need a primer but I had no idea that there are so many different silvers in spray cans. Does anyone have any idea of a paint code or how I can source the correct silver colour. Thanks.

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:26 pm

check the source- Mazda.

wiz043 · Postby **wiz043** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 7:29 am

Mr Morlock wrote:check the source- Mazda.

Thanks.....I did that and Mazda said there is no paint code for the wheels and just to paint them with silver paint, ha-ha!

Anyway, I finished up buying some paint in a spray can which was pretty close to the right colour and they didn't come up too bad. Slightly different silver but being centrecaps doesn't matter much I suppose.

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 5:23 pm

According to Matty's old post he used: "PowerPlus Subaru light silver metallic".

On the big forum (US) they say:
Duplicolor \"Subaru Quicksilver\" code 262 SU 01345
or
RustOleum \"Silver Metallic\" 7271

NMX516 · Postby **NMX516** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 9:02 pm

Yep, Subaru silver is the go :wink:

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 1:53 pm

there are many variations on silver but in small areas it is unlikely to be noticeable. My local auto paint place did quote a paint nbr for wheels but it might have been my other car. There must be a correct colour for the wheels and surprising Mazda do not know- but you tried.

taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 4:36 pm

wiz043 wrote:I am in the middle of restoring my dark blue 1999 MX5. It has the original silver alloys and I am trying to find the right silver colour to re-paint the plastic silver centre caps that have faded. I have been told that I will need a primer but I had no idea that there are so many different silvers in spray cans. Does anyone have any idea of a paint code or how I can source the correct silver colour. Thanks.

SuperCheap carry Powerplus paints and the cap colours are fairly accurate although from memory I used a Galmet colour which was a very good match and a durable paint that did not require a primer (I saw the car yesterday and the same paint is now over two years old).
Greg.
Edit.. Note re; primer.

wiz043 · Postby **wiz043** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 5:14 pm

taminga16 wrote:
wiz043 wrote:I am in the middle of restoring my dark blue 1999 MX5. It has the original silver alloys and I am trying to find the right silver colour to re-paint the plastic silver centre caps that have faded. I have been told that I will need a primer but I had no idea that there are so many different silvers in spray cans. Does anyone have any idea of a paint code or how I can source the correct silver colour. Thanks.

SuperCheap carry Powerplus paints and the cap colours are fairly accurate although from memory I used a Galmet colour which was a very good match and a durable paint that did not require a primer (I saw the car yesterday and the same paint is now over two years old).
Greg.
Edit.. Note re; primer.

Yeah.....thanks for all for your suggestions. I ended up going to Autobahn and getting some 'special' silver wheel paint after comparing the cap colour to my wheels and did not bother with a primer as they had obviously been painted when new in 1999.
Came up pretty close to the correct colour however my spray painting was a bit ordinary but they look much better than they were before. :lol:

taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 5:54 pm

If the finish bothers you then a fine sand and a few light coats as oppossed to one or two to cover will sort it out, 'Slowly grasshopper'.
Greg.

wiz043 · Postby **wiz043** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:08 pm

taminga16 wrote:If the finish bothers you then a fine sand and a few light coats as oppossed to one or two to cover will sort it out, 'Slowly grasshopper'.
Greg.

Haha....yeah, that's the go. The problem is with aerosol spray can painting you can never get a nice even flow as it sprays either too much or not enough no matter how much you shake the can. I was even thinking of using my silver Aurion touch up paint with a brush but it is probably a different consistancy. Maybe it's just me.

Postby **Okibi** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:48 pm

Give that Subaru colour a go, i've used it and the color match was perfect.

Old Dude · Postby **Old Dude** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 7:11 pm

93_Clubman wrote:According to Matty's old post he used: "PowerPlus Subaru light silver metallic".

On the big forum (US) they say:
Duplicolor \"Subaru Quicksilver\" code 262 SU 01345
or
RustOleum \"Silver Metallic\" 7271

Hi guys
I have been looking for the right colour to fix up the rims on my NB8B and found this thread through the magic of the search menu :lol:

, I have already tried Duplicolour High performance wheel coating in the silver, it reads "Perfect factory finish" "restores original wheel appearance" and so on, the problem is its a bit greyer then the original colour. My question is, is this Subaru colour a lacquer or an enamel? The wheel colour I have used is an epoxy enamel so unless the Subaru paint is an enamel its going to be a case of going back to metal before painting which I really don't want to do.

Any info would be most appreciated

Cheers
Dale