Argent Silver Rallye Wheel Paint Options

[MarPar]

Correct Mopar argent paint (light or dark) has a metallic fleck to it.

 

[MoparGuy68]

Here are photos of the bad wheel I will be replacing, its replacement and one marked $50 (that one is a 5.5 that I won’t be putting on the car). Both of the bare rims came from a junkyard. When looking at them from the side, I see no green or blue stripes, so maybe they have been repainted sometime in the past.. The paint on them looks very similar to the paint on the wheels currently on the car. It is hard to tell the difference between them.

 

[MoparGuy68]

Correct Mopar argent paint (light or dark) has a metallic fleck to it.

After having the old tires removed from three of the wheels that were on my car, I can see the factory green bands where the tire mounts. That tells me that these wheels probably still have their original paint. At least they have never been media blasted. I’m not seeing metallic particles in that paint. It doesn’t look like any metallic paint I am familiar with.

I discovered that my center caps are vintage Chrysler after removing them from the wheels today. The dark gray paint on them definitely is metallic.

The three wheels I got from the junkyard do NOT have colored bands on them. So I think they have been repainted at some time in the past.

 

[MoparGuy68]

Was at the Space Age Paint Store today. Discussed my wheel painting with some guys that worked there. Brought one of my wheels with me to show them too.

For a rattle can solution, they recommended VHT High Temperature Wheel Paint SP188 Ford Argent Silver. This Ford Argent has a mild metallic look, very small particles. For the inside of the wheel SP183 Satin Black. For clear coat, SP115 Flame Proof Satin Clear (no brake heat will burn this stuff off, it is rated for up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit).

For the spray gun route they don’t handle PPG paint. The did show me some wheel silver swatches for paint they can mix up for me. Most had a fairly high metallic look to them. One was more moderate that I show in my photos. I’m also posting a photo of a Rallye wheel that the poster claimed was painted using the VHT Ford Argent. Found the photo on another site.

Oh and the General Lee 71 Charger funny car body was still hanging on the wall.

 

[Skytrooper]

I have always used Krylon dull aluminum and clear coated them with great results.

I did this also ! The dull aluminum seems too bright until you clear coat them. Excellent results !

 

[MoparGuy68]

After painting my wheels and comparing to one of the wheels that was on the car, I’m not really happy with the results. The silver on the wheel I painted looks more like a cool, bluish gray, instead of “silver”. It also is very flat and dull looking. The old wheel that was on the car has more of a sheen and pop to it. It also does not have a cool, bluish hue. Ironically when spraying the silver paint, I was worried that it would come out too glossy looking. It looked much glossier when it was drying, than it does now.

I used an Omni brand Acrylic Urethane that was mixed from the PPG 8568 “Argent Silver” color formula. I was told by the paint shop, repeatedly, that this was the color code to use for Mopar Rallye wheels..

The paint spec sheets mentions that this paint can be “polished” after 16 hours drying time and clear coated after 4 to 6 hours. At this point 5 days have passed since they were painted.

All four wheels now have tires mounted on them. I was going to put them on the car and get a front end alignment, but the more I look at them side by side, I prefer the silver color, sheen and finish on the old rusty wheel.. I’m talking about the old wheel’s center. Sure the outer hoop is rusty and brownish looking, but I really liked how the center looked, other than the scrapes and few areas of surface rust.

The old wheel is on the left with an old BFG tire on it. The newly painted wheel is on the right with a Milestar Streetsteel mounted on it.

I took these photos late afternoon today. As the sun set, and the lighting dimmed and turn to dusk, the newly painted wheel looked duller and more blue in color. To the point of looking blue gray instead of silver.

Now I don’t know what to do with these wheels.. I’m thinking I should have just mounted new tires on the wheels as they were and not attempt to “restore” them..

Any suggestions of how to improve the appearance of the Streetsteel wheel’s silver paint? So it actually looks like a Mopar Rallye wheel.. The BFG wheel, on the left, looks like a Mopar Rallye Wheel to me..

 

[MoparGuy68]

The silver I sprayed on my wheels has been really bothering me. I decided a couple days ago I want to re-spray the silver with another formula. Just NOT happy with the way they look. Too dark, too gray, too flat, too weird looking.

I used PPG 8568, which in my opinion, does NOT look like a vintage Rallye Wheel Argent Silver. The technical name for 8568 is “Non-Smudge Aluminum”. It is NO substitute for Mopar Argent Silver, as far as I am concerned.

So, just what the hell is Mopar Argent Silver”? Well, I had to do a bunch of research to find out..

Back in the day, and I am concentrating on 1971, Chrysler’s “Argent Silver” was the Ditzler color code DX-8555. This is an obsolete code and the formula for this specific code no longer exists according to the PPG company. I spoke with Cathy at PPG Automotive’s Color Library. All she could offer me is a “rapid match formula” to the long obsolete DX-8555. And not to me directly, but only to a PPG dealer. These formulas are apparently guarded trade secrets.. This whole thing has been like being a detective..

My local PPG dealer, who gave me the 8568 that I’m unhappy with, called her to get this top secret formula. I’ll discuss the formula and post pictures in my next reply. Warning, it’s going to get technical..

 

[MoparGuy68]

The “rapid match formula”, is referred to as 33772 by my PPG Dealer. I have no name to associate with it. The names they give these codes don’t mean **** anyway, it’s what components are in the formula that counts.

The main problem with the 8568, that I was given, is that it contains “Coarse Aluminum”. It actually contained a 50-50 mix of Coarse Aluminum and Medium Bright Aluminum. There is also a Fine Aluminum, but i’ve been told it is very gray looking. Coarse Aluminum is darker than Medium Bright Aluminum.

33772 only has the Medium Bright Aluminum. We discussed another color that people have suggested as a substitute for the old DX-8555, which is 8960 Silver Poly, which has Coarse Aluminum in it.. 8568 and 8960 are GM color formulas by the way.

My dealer has mixed me up two test formulas. The 33772, and a customized version of 8960. The custom 8960 mix has Medium Bright Aluminum substituted for the Course Aluminum. These are all single stage mixes that include a clear and a matting agent (to prevent the paint from looking too glossy). These new mixes have half the amount of matting agent contained in the mix that is already on my wheels. This should rectify the dull look that my wheels currently have and give them more of a sheen, but not look excessively glossy.

From looking at the paint dabs on the lid of the containers, I can’t really tell a difference between the two formulas he mixed up today. The 8960 has a small amount of white and a tiny amount of violet in it (both part of the standard 8960 formula). Because of the white I expect that one to look the lighter of the two in tonality. I can see that both of them are lighter in tone than the 8568 that is on my wheels. I will be test spraying these on a junkyard Rallye Wheel to determine which of the two mixes I like better. The container with the plastic under the lid is what is currently on my wheels, which looks too dark, flat and I don’t like it.

The bottom line with this PPG stuff is you need to use one of their Aluminums. If this Roger Gibson restorer guy is making his mixes using PPG paint he has to be using one of these aluminums. I suspect it’s the Medium Bright Aluminum.

 

[MoparGuy68]

Here are some photos of the car with the 8568 painted wheels and the new Milestar Streetsteel tires. Another thing about this 8568 is it photographs inconsistently. It looks noticeably different in different lighting conditions. But in general it’s too dark looking, and with the amount of matting agent that was in it, too dull looking.

I can’t stand the way the wheel paint looks in the rear three-quarter view photo. The front three-quarter view looks better. This difference isn’t just in the photographs, in person you can see a difference as well. At times the 8568 looks like a cool bluish gray. Like it belongs in the movie Terminator 2. The old paint that was on my wheels always looked silver no matter what the lighting conditions. It never looked gray and it never looked bluish. I never even questioned if it was authentic, it just looked right..

 

[MarPar]

You could have saved all of your time and aggravation if you would have just purchased the paint from Chas. Correct, OEM formula.

But what do I know. lol

 

[DartGTDan]

For a rattle can solution, they recommended VHT High Temperature Wheel Paint SP188 Ford Argent Silver. This Ford Argent has a mild metallic look, very small particles.

I too used the VHT SP188 Ford Argent Silver

 

[MoparGuy68]

I too used the VHT SP188 Ford Argent Silver

View attachment 1095902 View attachment 1095903 View attachment 1095907

I was going to use the VHT SP188, if I had not chosen to go the spray gun route. I used a spray gun to paint wheels years ago, and it was not nearly as much of a hassle as this attempt.

I know the spray gun “should” be the better technique if you have the proper equipment and paint you are happy with (I had neither).

Today, I shot my test junkyard wheel with gray primer and the same 8568 Silver mix that is currently on the car. Now that the test wheel is in the same state as those on the car, I will spray half the wheel with each of the two alternative mixes. Leaving a two inch masked band, across the middle, covering the 8568, so I can compare ALL 3 mixes on the same wheel.

If I’m happy with one of the two alternate mixes, i’ll spray that mix on the front face of each of my 4 wheels.

If I find The alternative mixes to be no better visually than what’s on there now, I’ll just leave them as they are, or maybe try the VHT SP188. Will find out tomorrow..

I see you’ve used the VHT on a 15” wheel. That’s what I wanted, 15”. Part of the reason I’m having to do this paint bullshit, at all, is because I had to settle for using vintage 14”.

 

[MoparGuy68]

You could have saved all of your time and aggravation if you would have just purchased the paint from Chas. Correct, OEM formula.

But what do I know. lol

Your Chas is selling rattle can paint. I wanted a better quality paint than rattle can ****. And I didn’t want to shake a can till my arm fell off. After all I’ve been through, and looking back though, I probably should’ve just gone with rattle cans.. I’m trying to resolve this to my satisfaction with the spray gun.

According to the color expert at PPG (the company), there is NO correct formula in existence for DX-8555. You’d have to go back in a time machine to the early 70s to obtain it. And be able to replicate the exact components of the formula today. All these OEM Mopar Argent paints that people are selling and touting as the original formula are just approximations and guesses. Maybe some of them are better than what my PPG dealer has come up with, that’s probably true..

The only cars out there with the correct DX-8555 paint on their Rallye Wheels are survivors with original wheel paint. And that paint is now 50 years old so it no longer looks like it did 50 years ago.

At this point I’m just looking for something that I am personally happy with. Not looking to reproduce the original color from 50 years ago, exactly, because that’s impossible.

 

[MarPar]

Your Chas is selling rattle can paint. I wanted a better quality paint than rattle can ****.

 

[kiwigtx]

Your Chas is selling rattle can paint. I wanted a better quality paint than rattle can ****. And I didn’t want to shake a can till my arm fell off. After all I’ve been through, and looking back though, I probably should’ve just gone with rattle cans.. I’m trying to resolve this to my satisfaction with the spray gun.

According to the color expert at PPG (the company), there is NO correct formula in existence for DX-8555. You’d have to go back in a time machine to the early 70s to obtain it. And be able to replicate the exact components of the formula today. All these OEM Mopar Argent paints that people are selling and touting as the original formula are just approximations and guesses. Maybe some of them are better than what my PPG dealer has come up with, that’s probably true..

The only cars out there with the correct DX-8555 paint on their Rallye Wheels are survivors with original wheel paint. And that paint is now 50 years old so it no longer looks like it did 50 years ago.

At this point I’m just looking for something that I am personally happy with. Not looking to reproduce the original color from 50 years ago, exactly, because that’s impossible.

Do any of your local paint shops have a Paint Spectrometer?

That's how we formulated the FC7 for my GTX 22 years ago. It was way better than the Sherwin Williams "Correct OEM' type paint...which ended up looking more like something from a vivid carnival mural. I kept that pint of paint for S&G later in life....I might see about spraying some out one day.

 

[super-bee_ski]

Do any of your local paint shops have a Paint Spectrometer?

That's how we formulated the FC7 for my GTX 22 years ago. It was way better than the Sherwin Williams "Correct OEM' type paint...which ended up looking more like something from a vivid carnival mural. I kept that pint of paint for S&G later in life....I might see about spraying some out one day.

Good point Kiwi,
For my 1969 SC/Rambler, PPG told me that the White color was not available
So, I consulted with Matrix.
I spoke with the "Color Expert" from Matrix and "SHE" said : No problem, we can make any paint color match with the Hewlett-Packard 5710-A dual-column gas chromatograph...
My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Ha Ha
Yeah, it can be replicated
Matrix color was "Linen White"
Perfect match!

 

[super-bee_ski]

My 70 Bee wheels:

 

[super-bee_ski]

Here are some photos of the car with the 8568 painted wheels and the new Milestar Streetsteel tires. Another thing about this 8568 is it photographs inconsistently. It looks noticeably different in different lighting conditions. But in general it’s too dark looking, and with the amount of matting agent that was in it, too dull looking.

I can’t stand the way the wheel paint looks in the rear three-quarter view photo. The front three-quarter view looks better. This difference isn’t just in the photographs, in person you can see a difference as well. At times the 8568 looks like a cool bluish gray. Like it belongs in the movie Terminator 2. The old paint that was on my wheels always looked silver no matter what the lighting conditions. It never looked gray and it never looked bluish. I never even questioned if it was authentic, it just looked right..

View attachment 1095464 View attachment 1095465 View attachment 1095466 View attachment 1095467 View attachment 1095468 View attachment 1095469 View attachment 1095470 View attachment 1095471 View attachment 1095472

Love that car!

 

[MoparGuy68]

After asking my local Mopar restoration guy what he uses to paint Rallye wheels, I called Roger Gibson. Had a long talk with Roger. I’m thankful he took the time to talk to me in such great detail.

I tested the two alternate mixes from my PPG dealer this weekend, and concluded they were no good either. After talking with Roger, I now know why they also didn’t look right. I’ve ordered some of his Rallye Wheel paint from Frank, who will be shipping it out tomorrow.

Roger also taught me his painting technique for spraying Rallye wheels, which I will be using. The combination of using his paint with his technique, if this doesn’t do the trick, I don’t know what will.. If I’m lucky, after the repaint, my wheels might be worthy of mounting on a car that resides in the Wellborn Muscle Car Museum.

 

[MoparGuy68]

Good point Kiwi,
For my 1969 SC/Rambler, PPG told me that the White color was not available
So, I consulted with Matrix.
I spoke with the "Color Expert" from Matrix and "SHE" said : No problem, we can make any paint color match with the Hewlett-Packard 5710-A dual-column gas chromatograph...
My Cousin Vinny (1992)


View attachment 1096209

Ha Ha
Yeah, it can be replicated
Matrix color was "Linen White"
Perfect match!

I used to be in the large format printing business. Some of the printers I used were big Hewlett-Packard DesignJet inkjet printers. I was actually a “Color Specialist” for over six years.. Part of my job was to reproduce colors as accurately as possible when making these big prints.

I used spectrophotometers to create monitor, scanner and printer color profiles. Even with all that stuff it still required a lot of manual color tweaking to get the desired output.