I've got orange paint left over from the paint job, and I'm getting the wheels sandblasted tomorrow. Would it look really stupid to paint the wheels to match the car?

You asked, so you're already leaning that way, right? So do it. If you were really worried about "public opinion", you probably wouldn't be driving a 30 year old foreign car- especially an ORANGE one, eh? Get some trim rings, use some Tarn-X on your hubcaps, and enjoy.

On the other hand, if you feel pressured to conform, black or silver would look snazzy too.

Of course, its a bit of an opinion subject, so that's all I offer.

The fact of the matter is that...yes. Absolutely do it. making any other decision would definitely be the wrong choice. All the old Jags have body coloured wheels if they are solid steel wheels, and many of the ones with wires had 'em body coloured as well... Looks great.

-Matt

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-Matt '70 145s, '65 1800s, '66 122s wagon, others inc. '53 XK120 FHC

I agree, the orange with some chrome trim stuff on it would look awesome. The only thing would be prepping it like some of the others stated just to make last longer...
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Kyle - attending Ore. State, while my lil 68 142 (74 b20, broken m40) sleeps... (check out my cardomain site,kneedsacar

Oh yeah I got this idea from the "stupid" guys out in Volvo Land (Portland OR)that call this the "European Monocromatic Look". The paint won't peel off
if it's equal to Volvo's paint.

I use PPG DP-40 epoxy primer on bare steel, and then topcoat with an acrylic urethane single stage paint, or a base/clear, using a Mercedes code silver. Looks great on Virgos, Coronas, and steel wheels. They outlast the factory paint job by decades.
To my mind though, wheels painted body colour are kind of reminiscent of domestic cars and trucks of the 40's and 50's when that was quite popular. I had a 1949 Mercury panel truck, and it looked appropriate with body colour wheels. On a Volvo I am not so sure.

Yes it will. And will probably peel off of heat from the breaks. Clear coat like was suggested by someone sounds nice, if it will stay on. If you look at cars in a car park, the places where clear coat peels are on the bonnet, roof, and trunk... Perhaps coat it with epoxy.

The best paint job I've ever seen was ordinary car paint with finely ground glass mixed into it. The glass has to be a powder. It eats through spray gun jets like nothing, but the final look is excelent. The guy that did it looked like his hands went through razor wire, so it helps if you can find good gloves! How about clear coat or clear epoxy with glass mixed into it? Epoxy will have a slightly yellowish look, and might go well with your orange body.

That sounds frightening. Razor wire and Hands.... Forgive my ignorance but what would the glass powder do to the paint that would make it look so much better?
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It gives it a kind of sparkel. You get paint that sparkels, but fine glass gives a fine sparkel. The commercial one is more like glitter added to the paint. Obviously you will not get fine glass in commercial paint, because it is hard to find nozzles to spray it (and the safety hazard)! Maybe someone with the tools can try it with a little bit of paint on a piece of sheet metal, and post a photo?

What style wheels/caps? I've always wanted to do mine in orange with the aluminum center hubcap and then the stainless trim rings. I think that would look super rad. I say do it and post some pics =)
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I would clear coat them ,it makes them look live magnesium.

I did this on my blue 245, and added the chrome volvo center caps, I think orange would be awesome!