"D" wheel refurbishing

The matchbook texture you describe, Dan, is the result of lacquer paint.

Chris, my only point was to describe the original paint texture as being slightly sandy, ie., matchbook scratcher, to the feel. As to how this was accomplished, Wick Humble developed a formula of Gray Lacquer paint with a suede agent added as described in his Datsun Z-Car restoration book.

If you have obtained the original paint code and formula, I would love to have a copy of it.

I have a NOS set of these hub caps still in the paper bags, except for one, that I use to confirm paint texture and color accuracy.