topy TOPY Wheel, Tail-light Finisher, and "D" Wheel Cover Colour

[Careless]

HUBCAP / WHEEL COVER COMPARISONS:

 

Edited June 21, 2016 by Careless

[Careless]

TOPY WHEELS and TAIL LIGHT PANELS Comparison:

 

 

 

I'll have to complete this thread later, I gotta get to sandblastin'!

Edited June 21, 2016 by Careless

[Careless]

TAIL LIGHT PANEL and HUBCAP / WHEEL COVER Comparison:

 

 

[Careless]

These pictures were all uploaded in an odd order, even though I selected "Original Filename order".

But either way, the slightly darker panels are from #00182. The really light panels are from the refinished set. And the ones that resemble the darker ones are from #01606, which is the car you guys have seen me post about. The spare wheel with the white band (now yellow from age) is from #07214, the wheel that is very clean is the "NOS Spare" that's never been used. Whether that is truly the case or not, I will never know. But I can confirm that the spare on #07214 has never had the wheel refinished, and the NOS Spare colour is very close, so that alone is a good indicator for me.

I deem it impossible for tail light panels to wear to the point where they are DARKER than they originally would have been considering the Hub Caps / Wheel Covers get lighter as they age (and that's the colour that everyone says the tail light panels are supposed to be, apparently). So with that in mind, I personally conclude that the TOPY Wheel colour is the original Tail Light Panel colour, and that's what I've documented, with even more samples than you see posted here, and I'm stickin' wid it.

Will post more as soon as I get time so you guys can get a better idea!

Hope this helps anyone on the fence about the colour of these items!

Edited June 21, 2016 by Careless

[psdenno]

On June 8, 2016 at 8:38 AM, Careless said:

I think the best thing for me to do prior to making any decisions is to take a photo of what I have. Perhaps it's the tail light panels on the earlier cars had a different paint supplier for a short time.

I mean, the probability of it being so wildly different from the wheel covers seems strange- but then again... stranger things have datsuned.

Authenticity/originality gets really wonky at Porsche car shows.  I've seen examples of over-restored mega hundred thousand dollar cars being dinged points for an incorrect fan belt or body hardware.  One heated argument was over the correctness of bolts used on an early Porsche 356.  Judges said they were "not Porsche" and points were deducted.  I've had the opportunity to talk to some of the Porsche factory old timers who said when they were building the early cars and ran out of "official Porsche" assembly screws, nuts and bolts, they would send a shop apprentice to the local hardware store near the factory to get what they needed.  What's authentic is always up for debate.

Dennis

 

 

[Careless]

3 minutes ago, psdenno said:

Authenticity/originality gets really wonky at Porsche car shows.  I've seen examples of over-restored mega hundred thousand dollar cars being dinged points for an incorrect fan belt or body hardware.  One heated argument was over the correctness of bolts used on an early Porsche 356.  Judges said they were "not Porsche" and points were deducted.  I've had the opportunity to talk to some of the Porsche factory old timers who said when they were building the early cars and ran out of "official Porsche" assembly screws, nuts and bolts, they would send a shop apprentice to the local hardware store near the factory to get what they needed.  What's authentic is always up for debate.

Dennis

 

 

I'm almost certain this is the case with Datsuns as well, because I've tried to decide whether the TR - 7 marked bolts were also original, but it just seemed odd. I had them plated anyways. Turns out the reason I had so many from 01606 is because 00182 has them holding the intake/exhaust manifolds to the head. It seems as though they were also using misc bolts at the time. Is it possible that someone may have removed the manifold from 00182 and put on TR 7 bolts that were procured from the same place that 01606's owner/mechanic got his bolts from? Well I wouldn't say it's impossible, but considering how many cars all over the planet have never had serious engine work done, I would say it's not impossible, but not probable either. At least in my opinion.

For that reason, I am choosing to go with what I have on 01606, and when I get around to 00182, I will do a bit more research and document that particular car with a fresh pair of glasses on.

If it's visible, it's a detail I sometimes chose not to overlook. But as far as an entire panel goes... I'd rather have the proper color. It covers a good 5% of the overall exterior of the car, which is quite a lot in the grand scheme of things. 

 

 

Edited June 21, 2016 by Careless

[CanTechZ]

 For comparision to your results here are a couple of pics of one of my unrestored original hubcaps and my unrestored original spare tire/rim both dated coded early 1970.  Also in the pics is a license plate light that I recently repainted in duplicolor Dark Shadow Gray + DC matte clearcoat.  My wheel is definitely a semi-gloss black like the suspension componets etc.

HTH

Mike

[Careless]

Thanks for the contribution, Mike.

I guess what I'll do is get all the suspension bits and pieces and wheels done all at the same time. Should reduce cost significantly, but it looks like I have quite a bit of bead blasting ahead of me. 

Though I question the "NOS"ness of the spare I have there. The 07214 spare is a bit "darker" and closer to a low gloss black than it is to a satin black like the NOS spare.

The last time I had something bead blasted or acid dipped- I wasn't particularly happy with the results- so I'm going to do most of the work myself this time.

So i'm going to presume that the license plate light housing is a lighter shade than the tail light panels on the cars I have. Or at least that's how it's going to look on these cars. Not sure if that's odd, or whatever. But it is what it is.

Edited June 21, 2016 by Careless

[CanTechZ]

No problem, keep up the good work. I always look forward to your updates.

[Careless]

:-) thanks.

 

On the topic of wheels, Is it even possible to find repro's of the original RD150 tires? The one on these NOS spare looks brand new, with the paint markings and whatnot too (no fancy sticker)... though I forgot to check the date (or perhaps there wasn't a date code? I can't remember, will have to check photos).

 

Maybe I should just search for a similarily bland 175 HR 14 tire... time to do some readin'

 

[Careless]

Anyone have reservations on Michelin XAS classic style tires? They seem to look a lot like the Bridgestone RD-150... 

 

EDIT: Nevermind. They require a tube.

 

Hmmmm... still lookin'

 

I think the VREDESTEIN 175HR14 SPRINT CLASSIC is the closest tubeless tire design. Off to the tire shop to see if they can git'em!

Edited August 12, 2016 by Careless

[AZ-240z]

Careless, I have a used RD-150 tire in pretty nice shape if you are interested.

I have the VREDESTEIN 175 HR 14 tires on my car and my spare is a NOS

Bridgestone Super speed-20 radial 175 SR 14 with the original valve caps, chalk

marking, and paint stripes.  The date codes on all of my 4.5" wheels are identical

and correct for my 1/71 car, although I don't think judges checked the dates.

 

I mention all of this only because, if some of your concern is judged point deductions

in competition, my car was awarded best exterior at the 2012 ZCON with zero

point deductions, as well as the Gold Medallion, and the NOS spare was never looked at.  

My main objective was to return my car to perfect originality after 45 years, but I won't

deny that it was nice to have my efforts validated at concours shows and the ZCON convention.

 

the VREDESTEIN tires are the only tires I have found with the correct tire size as compared 

to the original, and marked on the sidewalls.

 

also, concerning hubcap and tail light finisher color, I have a set of NOS D-caps and a NOS

front grill.  I can see no color or texture variations between these items.

 

Hope this helps, and, if interested in the HD-150, a good deal will be available.  I would 

be happy to provide any addition information thet may be helpful.

 

Dan