Painting Wheel Wells of my 100-6

[madhouse]

I'm doing about an 80% restoration of my 1958 100-6 (with a 1960 3000 engine). Have the engine, transmission, etc - everything pulled from engine compartment, interior, all chrome,........ I know that the original paint plan was to paint the wheel wells the same color as body and chassis. For me this is Old English White (was painted red sometime before I got it, but now its all blasted off). I'm really thinking of painting wheel wells with black protectant just to help protect. I want to go original as possible, but this just seems practical. what do you think?

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

I'm doing about an 80% restoration of my 1958 100-6 (with a 1960 3000 engine). Have the engine, transmission, etc - everything pulled from engine compartment, interior, all chrome,........ I know that the original paint plan was to paint the wheel wells the same color as body and chassis. For me this is Old English White (was painted red sometime before I got it, but now its all blasted off). I'm really thinking of painting wheel wells with black protectant just to help protect. I want to go original as possible, but this just seems practical. what do you think?

I would paint the wheel wells the same color as the body because they'd look strange(IMHO). Chances are you'll likely have more paint on the wheel wells than they originally came with new so I wouldn't worry too much about rust in that area.

 

[BigGreen]

3M Paintdefender is an option

 

[healeyblue]

You could also do a paintable stone guard. You apply the stone guard (wurth makes a good one) and then paint the body color over that.

 

[RestoreThemAll]

Two part urethane paint is really tough. Put that on top of two part epoxy primer, also very tough. You probably wouldn't need more than that and could stay with the body color.

 

[madhouse]

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I saw some at the Colorado enclave this weekend and a few had the black sealant in the wheel wells and it didn't look too bad - with a full size wheel. I'm still toying with it, but now I have some options thanks to your inputs.

Rob

 

[Randy Forbes]

Two part urethane paint is really tough. Put that on top of two part epoxy primer, also very tough. You probably wouldn't need more than that and could stay with the body color.

True, and that's what I did, but the noise from stones being thrown about the wheel wells__even on GOOD roads__was getting unbearable; it was louder than the Monza exhaust!

I am a fan of Lord Fusor products, particularly their 805 Wheelhouse Coating, though this is the first time I ever actually used in in a wheelhouse! I put the same 2-part acrylic-enamel/polyurethane paint over the top of it as before, only now it's textured...

https://spcarsplus.com/gallery3/index.php/Healey-at-home/Wheelwells

Piece of cake!

 

[madhouse]

Thanks Randy. Maybe that's the best answer yet.

 

[RAC68]

Your first decision is to decide what color you would like the body. As one with an original Old English White BJ8, I decided this was not the color I wanted for my engine compartment or wheel wells as, in my opinion, it provided a less then flattering contrast to the engine and got quite dirty quite fast. Since I had totally disassembled and stripped the car and wanted to keep my Healey reasonably accurate, I accepted the changed color of my total inner structure as the cost for my preference. As a result, everything under the outer OEW skin (floors, door internals and inside, engine compartment, wheel wells, etc.) was painted Ford Engine Compartment Black…a decision I have never regretted.



Healey engine green is an odd color to begin with. When placed next to OEW, it is not (in my opinion) presented well.



The last picture of the car provides a small indication of how the black tire blends into the black background and appears to fill the well. If OEW were used in the well, the area not covered by the tire would be accented to accent the tires smaller size when compared to the opening.

Ray (64BJ8P1)