Background
My MYP is due for delivery on Saturday September 10th. The first thing I'm doing to it is removing the 21" Uberturbines and replacing them with 19" TSportline TSVs in Satin Gray. This is for a couple of reasons: comfier better ride quality, improved efficiency, and better selection of winter/snow rated tires. I'll be selling the Uberturbines, the Michelin All Seasons, and TPMS modules shortly thereafter. But there was a problem... I strongly dislike the look of the TSportline center caps.
This is the story of how I airbrushed a new set of center caps to color match the Satin Gray wheels.
Wheel Selection
The TSVs look great to my eye, especially in Satin Gray which is apparently a very close match for the MYP's Uberturbines:
TSportline do two flavors of the 19" Satin Gray TSV: Model Y and Model 3.
Center Caps
The problem was TSportline center caps in the TSV wheels. They're not pleasing to my eye! They have a gaudy bright silver emblem... no thanks. At first I asked TSportline if they had color-matched Tesla center caps; no dice. They only sell OEM black ones. Then I asked about blank emblem-free caps; also no dice.
So in the end I opted to buy two sets of black caps (one blank, one Tesla), a couple of bottles of TSportline's Satin Grey automotive touch-up paint, and create color-matched center caps using my airbrush.
Ingredients
Process
I gave the new caps a few coats of white lacquer primer:
Then I thinned the TSportline touch-up paint with some of the Mr Color lacquer thinner and gave them a good few coats:
At this point the color match was really quite good, but the texture and clear coat differed quite a lot. So next I applied a few thin coats of Testors Dullcote to the center caps (this step was, I think, unnecessary) and then used a whole can of Rustoleum Clear Matte Enamel on both the center caps and the larger outer caps. The idea was to make sure the final finish is the same on all plastic parts for consistency:
This is what they ended up looking like (the colors look different because of lighting, but they're all identical):
Here's a comparison:
Conclusion
I'm really happy with how the caps turned out. I'm most likely going to use the blank caps and sell the Tesla emblem ones as part of my effort to de-badge my MYP. Once the car arrives in a few days I'll update this thread with photos of progress.
My MYP is due for delivery on Saturday September 10th. The first thing I'm doing to it is removing the 21" Uberturbines and replacing them with 19" TSportline TSVs in Satin Gray. This is for a couple of reasons: comfier better ride quality, improved efficiency, and better selection of winter/snow rated tires. I'll be selling the Uberturbines, the Michelin All Seasons, and TPMS modules shortly thereafter. But there was a problem... I strongly dislike the look of the TSportline center caps.
This is the story of how I airbrushed a new set of center caps to color match the Satin Gray wheels.
Wheel Selection
The TSVs look great to my eye, especially in Satin Gray which is apparently a very close match for the MYP's Uberturbines:
TSportline do two flavors of the 19" Satin Gray TSV: Model Y and Model 3.
- Model Y: 9.5" wide, 31.50 lbs weight, 1763 lbs rated
- Model 3: 8.5" wide, 29.55 lbs weight, 1980 lbs rated
- Narrower (which means 255/45 R19 tires have a good amount of sidewall to protect against curb rash)
- Lighter
- Higher load rated
Center Caps
The problem was TSportline center caps in the TSV wheels. They're not pleasing to my eye! They have a gaudy bright silver emblem... no thanks. At first I asked TSportline if they had color-matched Tesla center caps; no dice. They only sell OEM black ones. Then I asked about blank emblem-free caps; also no dice.
So in the end I opted to buy two sets of black caps (one blank, one Tesla), a couple of bottles of TSportline's Satin Grey automotive touch-up paint, and create color-matched center caps using my airbrush.
Ingredients
- TSV Wheels: https://tsportline.com/collections/19-tesla-wheels-model-3/products/tsv-tesla-model-3-19-inch-wheel-set-of-4?variant=41385724739778#
- CrossClimate2 255/45 R19 tires: Discount Tire | Tires and Wheels for Sale | Online & In-Person
- Blank caps: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B097XMGJYK/
- Tesla caps: Tesla Factory Wheel Center Cap Set in Satin Black
- TSportline touch-up paint: T Sportline Tesla Wheel Touch Up Paint
- Testors Dullcote matte clear coat: https://www.amazon.com/Testor-Corp-1160X-Lacquer-Dullcote/dp/B0006O55Z0/
- Mr Color lacquer thinner: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N8TTQNX/
- Alclad II Lacquers primer and filler: Amazon.com
- Rust-Oleum matte clear enamel: Rust-Oleum Stops Rust 12 oz. Protective Enamel Matte Clear Spray Paint 285093 - The Home Depot
Process
I gave the new caps a few coats of white lacquer primer:
Then I thinned the TSportline touch-up paint with some of the Mr Color lacquer thinner and gave them a good few coats:
At this point the color match was really quite good, but the texture and clear coat differed quite a lot. So next I applied a few thin coats of Testors Dullcote to the center caps (this step was, I think, unnecessary) and then used a whole can of Rustoleum Clear Matte Enamel on both the center caps and the larger outer caps. The idea was to make sure the final finish is the same on all plastic parts for consistency:
This is what they ended up looking like (the colors look different because of lighting, but they're all identical):
Here's a comparison:
Conclusion
I'm really happy with how the caps turned out. I'm most likely going to use the blank caps and sell the Tesla emblem ones as part of my effort to de-badge my MYP. Once the car arrives in a few days I'll update this thread with photos of progress.