What did you do to your X1/9 today ?

Elanplus2 said:
I haven't done this TO my car yet, but I'm considering changing the look of the wheels that came with the car. They have some rash, and the surfaces are just in need in general. Our cars (especially the 70's one) are - in my opinion - a bit ostentatious by design... more conservative Stratos? So... I like the idea of going with some period colour(s). My son is pretty adept with computer graphics and worked up these samples for me. Off the top, the black ones bore me. Thoughts and suggestions? Ciao!
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1986 X1_9 2.jpg


Gold looks good to me. This is my car.
 
Alain - The Red Scorpion said:
As I posted the Fulvia wheel (below), I saw the ones on the blue fastfiat81 above. This is what I'm looking for. Could you please indicate Brand, Supplier and Dimensions?
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These are period correct Campagnolo 4 Spoke wheels and no longer available new. 13x5.5 wheels. I think they are the best looking wheel for a X. I do have an extra set in my attic. A set of 4 is quite expensive anymore.
 
Back in the day, Campagnolo wheels were considered about the best you could get and they were significantly more expensive than most the other brands. They made wheels for motor vehicles, aircraft, and bicycles. I checked on what they are currently selling and was surprised to find out that they are only doing road bike wheels and components. They don't even do mountain bike wheels any more. Too bad, my mountain bike has Campagnolo wheels and they are the best bike wheels I ever purchased.
 
RoyS said:
Gold wheels on a gold car is a similar concept as black wheels on a black car - the wheels fade into the background and are not a feature. Black wheels all the details of the wheels disappear completely.

Dr. Jeff's examples are Black with Gold (good contrast and adds colour) and red with gold (just enough contrast to work). Contrast is good. Gives the eye something to look at.

In my opinion with gold paint on the car I'd say bright silver wheels would look the best.

Roy
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Excellent point Roy, the color of the car will make a big difference in how a wheel color will look on it. ;)
 
DanielForest said:
This is so personnal. Old timers, like most of the X19's owners, tend to be conservative. I'm one. I don't like colored wheels with the ring in the same colour. I like a silver ring. But the monochrome gold ones are starting to gain my favor. Still, I wouldn't get an all black wheel. It is a recent trend that isn't matching the x19. But everybody is allowed to have it's own taste. So I would pick up the gold wheels with a silver ring.
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I've noticed there is a little bit of a trend, at least with wheels from that era; factory gold wheels tended to be all gold, while aftermarket gold wheels tended to be gold with a machined or polished (silver) lip.
 
DanielForest said:
This is so personnal. Old timers, like most of the X19's owners, tend to be conservative. I'm one. I don't like colored wheels with the ring in the same colour. I like a silver ring. But the monochrome gold ones are starting to gain my favor. Still, I wouldn't get an all black wheel. It is a recent trend that isn't matching the x19. But everybody is allowed to have it's own taste. So I would pick up the gold wheels with a silver ring.
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All black rims look terrible to me. VW offered them on the ’Rabbit’ edition GTI in 2019 as have many other companies, it really spoils a car for me (I have had Golf’s for the last 35 years, looking for one now). It kills the detail of the wheel, to me wheels are the jewelry of modern cars older cars had other trim which fell in that category, modern cars don’t in my view.

I always liked the old Rally wheel arrangement GM offered in the 60s, black rims, chrome rings, with a chromed center.
 
kmead said:
All black rims look terrible to me. VW offered them on the ’Rabbit’ edition GTI in 2019 as have many other companies, it really spoils a car for me (I have had Golf’s for the last 35 years, looking for one now). It kills the detail of the wheel, to me wheels are the jewelry of modern cars older cars had other trim which fell in that category, modern cars don’t in my view.

I always liked the old Rally wheel arrangement GM offered in the 60s, black rims, chrome rings, with a chromed center.
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I think I need to honorably disagree with you Karl, I am a fan of black wheels assuming the car is a bright pure huge with black accents. I do agree with you on the GM Rally wheels, had a set on a Black 88 Fiero in the day and it looked great. This is the thing about taste one man's trash is another man's treasure.

These puppies are going on the X once I can find some decent tires this spring :p

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....and as a kicker here is may daily driver.
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KBabcock said:
I think I need to honorably disagree with you Karl, I am a fan of black wheels assuming the car is a bright pure huge with black accents. I do agree with you on the GM Rally wheels, had a set on a Black 88 Fiero in the day and it looked great. This is the thing about taste one man's trash is another man's treasure.

These puppies are going on the X once I can find some decent tires this spring :p

View attachment 69396

....and as a kicker here is may daily driver.
View attachment 69397
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As my grand-mother used to say: One does not discuss tastes and colors. Still, I agree with those who do not favor black wheels or black cars. A pro photographer told me that black objects are the most difficult to photograph because black does not allow showing the lines of the object, unless you use special lighting. On the the photo above, you can barely see the design of the black wheels.
 
Alain - The Red Scorpion said:
As my grand-mother used to say: One does not discuss tastes and colors. Still, I agree with those who do not favor black wheels or black cars. A pro photographer told me that black objects are the most difficult to photograph because black does not allow showing the lines of the object, unless you use special lighting. On the the photo above, you can barely see the design of the black wheels.
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It is definitely a polarizing taste that me and some of my car buddies often debate at car shows, one says they make the wheels disappear into the car which I can see happening as you pointed out with the details disappearing at times in photos. But live the details are always viewable. Some times that stainless steel rim is enough to break it up. That is why I never take offense to others views on styling taste, I find it fun to see why others like things I do not and visa versa....with the possible exception to people who like brown cars ;)

Of course being a smart man I plan to keep the silver cross wheels on the car now, someday when I sell her I realize the new owner may not share my taste in wheel colors.
 
Alain - The Red Scorpion said:
As my grand-mother used to say: One does not discuss tastes and colors. Still, I agree with those who do not favor black wheels or black cars. A pro photographer told me that black objects are the most difficult to photograph because black does not allow showing the lines of the object, unless you use special lighting. On the the photo above, you can barely see the design of the black wheels.
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My biggest issue with black cars is keeping them clean. I bought a new 1981 Audi Coupe (the body was the basis for the original Quattro rally car) and it looked amazing when it was clean. Unfortunately, it was impossible to keep clean for more than about 10 minutes. I would go wash the car, dry it with a chamois, and it would look terrific. A few minutes later, a very thin film of dust would begin to appear on the surface and it would look like it had not been washed in quite a while regardless if it was outside or in the garage.
 
Have always loved gold wheels on a pure red Ferrari or X, but when re-doing my Cromodoras in a few weeks planning for silver since I don't think the orange-red of mine will go well that well with gold.
Anyone have a pic that might change my mind??
Image9166712611252552341.jpg

My i3 is the first car I've had with black wheels. Specced them because silver just wouldn't have looked right with the "galvanic gold" and black body.
Screenshot 2022-03-05 12.17.07 PM.png
 
Nurburgringer said:
Have always loved gold wheels on a pure red Ferrari or X, but when re-doing my Cromodoras in a few weeks planning for silver since I don't think the orange-red of mine will go well that well with gold.
Anyone have a pic that might change my mind??
View attachment 69436
My i3 is the first car I've had with black wheels. Specced them because silver just wouldn't have looked right with the "galvanic gold" and black body.
View attachment 69435
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Love that Gold and black combo but back to the matter at hand. I'm so-so with Gold wheel on a Red car, I really like the wheels you have now and I have seen some users put accent colors that can have a nice effect. Painting the inside of the spokes with black could be a good look on your wheels. If you want to test it get some black vinyl and cut out the patches to see how they look, don't like them just peel them off.
 
KBabcock said:
Love that Gold and black combo but back to the matter at hand. I'm so-so with Gold wheel on a Red car, I really like the wheels you have now and I have seen some users put accent colors that can have a nice effect. Painting the inside of the spokes with black could be a good look on your wheels. If you want to test it get some black vinyl and cut out the patches to see how they look, don't like them just peel them off.
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I've seen pics of my wheels with no black, black inside the "spokes", and also like mine with black between.
Will likely keep the same since the taping will be a little easier.

X Croma Lug.jpg
 
Nurburgringer said:
Have always loved gold wheels on a pure red Ferrari or X, but when re-doing my Cromodoras in a few weeks planning for silver since I don't think the orange-red of mine will go well that well with gold.
Anyone have a pic that might change my mind??
View attachment 69436
My i3 is the first car I've had with black wheels. Specced them because silver just wouldn't have looked right with the "galvanic gold" and black body.
View attachment 69435
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Which Cromodora? Size please
 
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