Hot Rods Painted front axle

I'm considering painting my front axle, either white or maybe silver. Wondering if anyone has any pics of painted front axles...

 

Tradition says chrome with the center painted red.

 

Haha
I know chrome is the answer, but it's not in the budget this time around

 

Didn't Joey @J.Ukrop paint his white?

 

I think silver would look like you want it chrome but can’t or won’t spend the money. If there are other items painted white or silver, ok. So, what colors are the car?

 

Car is black with a white firewall

 

Not the best photo. Probably more that Joey has posted.

 

One more

 

Front axle takes a beating from dirt rocks rabbits

 

Black, with coves accented in red?

 

I painted mine with grey hammer tone paint. It gives it the look of cast iron.

 

When I think of a front axle painted white, I think of a rearend painted white, I'll leave it at that, now, thinking something more like the "cast look gray" would look much less obtrusive and not show dirt and road rash as much.

 

In the process of a new 4"dropped axle in my 32 Sport Coupe & will no doubt go back to black as before but actually tested some aluminum foil tape to highlight the recessed area, seems to adhere well but probably not going to happen just a thought for those so inclined.

 

I'm in the same boat. Can't afford Chrome and would rather not deal with the constant maintenance and chipping concern.
So my opinion which is worth nothing, is either the whole car color scheme is incorporated in the axle/suspension. These are Marty Strode's T buckets, which work well with race car styling.


Or you can go with Black or a Silver that is not trying to look chrome, but more like bare metal or other highlights on the car. This is tricky if the car has a bunch of chrome on other parts.
Again, Marty's cars, this time during the build. Appears to be bare or primer.

Trying to fake chrome plating is going to look fake. I have seen the multi layer paints that do mimic Chrome, but it requires getting the surface perfect (more than half the battle of real chrome) and will suffer chips and wear much easier than chrome. Maybe for parts that aren't right out there and inches from the road surface.

 

Chrome powdercoat. The latest products on the market look really good

 

I like the hammered gray idea

 

I vote gloss black with the center gloss red. Easier to keep it clean, and the two tone paint will stand out too. I'd also drill some holes in the web to make it even neater.

 

I wanted the post war low buck style on my '32 with minimal chrome. The paint has held up very well for many years and thousands of miles. Drive line, wheels and interior match the red.

Fresh in '08


Recently in '25.

 

Black with maybe red (or white) pinstripping around the edge of the recess, if you want it to stand out.

 

I never had $ for chrome axle,but as a teen,I could find the time to smooth it out n drill it!,I used a 48 axle n bones n brakes in my 28A ! Before drilling,grind an sand smooth,drill and then I painted it,high gloss Metallic Silver with spray can,after a week n test on another parts,over sprayed with a gloss clear. It last way longer then I thought it would,so have only had to redo it a few times,betwwen 1960 an now.

 

View attachment 6619537 I just went with a color to accent the body color...

View attachment 6619537

 

I painted mine black with the complimenting-color insert.

 

I painted mine stainless, along with the shocks and backing plates.

 

Not get off topic but someone on HAMB posted this with copper pipe inserts which I thought was a really cool idea to offset any color front axle.

 

Paint it black with white insert to match your firewall, speed holes for extra bonus points.

I powdercoated my axle and springs on the J

 

I personally think painting them black, or the frame color, is most traditional. How many hot rodders could really afford chrome back in the day?

 

Photo from the internet,

 

I painted mine with Metalflake Silver.

 

On my previous Coupe, I painted the axle White.