1948 Packard 8 Deluxe Painted Red Center Hexagon?

Posted by 1948Packard_Matt On 2016/12/23 12:11:40

Hello, I am restoring the hubcaps on my 1948 Packard Deluxe 8 that has 16 x 5.5 rims and the 12'13" hubcaps. I see no evidence of the center hexagon ever being painted the typical IH red. There was still plenty of the factory black where it says Packard, but no red. I have searched and searched trying to find any evidence that this is correct and that I should just leave the hubcaps unpainted in the center to be correct. Does anyone out there have any proof that these should remain unpainted? Thank you so much for any help and Happy Holidays. First time Packard owner, Matt

p.s. - trying to include a little before and after. All four of the hubcaps got the royal treatment, wash with soap ion the sink, scrub with scotchbrite pad and then hand dry. Next step was to hit them all with 0000 steel wool pads. Then it was off to the polish, I used both Wenol and Polishing Compound to nearly the same results. I then taped each and every one and cut out with an X-acto type knife, taped the outside with newspaper all the rest of the way around the hubcaps and then painted. Last, but not least, take off the tape and paper after it was fully dried and do a little cleanup with the knife and fingernail to get excess paint off of areas where the paint ran into high spots the were to be chrome. What a process! The final results I don't think look too bad, but I definitely don't want to do it again any time soon. Yes, this was my first attempt at anything like this. Much cheaper than buying new hubcaps or even trying to find the correct and good used ones and the satisfaction is all mine!

Yes, I pounded out some of the dents with the bottom side of a jelly jar.......

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