Correct paint

'39 B which is correct? Silver or no on rims. Thanks!

The book "Original Allis-Chalmers, 1933-1957" by Guy Fay covers that in some detail-sadly I don't have a copy-my dad dose but I'm on the opposite end of the country from him.

I've also found these two B&W photos in my search for tractors on flat cars, as my other hobby is model trains. The Soo line photo is from 1948 and of WC's-looks too me the rear rims are a light/sliver color, and the fronts all Orange.
The other, was noted to be 1950, making it WD's. Again rear rims look to be light/sliver in color. Harder to tell, the fronts may also be all orange.


Now, It looks to me the B you show with sliver front rims has the riveted together 1-peice rim, like the WC/WD/WD45. Being one piece, I could see it to be all orange-they wouldn't take time in the factory to carefully paint in two colors, on once piece, or at least that's my logic. The other, looks to have the two piece rim-that would be easier to have orange centers, and sliver rims.
Last variable is, its been often discussed, that rims weren't painted, but still sliver in color, so that now the easiest way to capture the look now is sliver paint. And then, some say it change from year to year.

The WD was all orange other than the rear rims which were galvanized. Terry Deans book just says wheel orange. I don't know if that means rims or not.
AaronSEIA

It depends on the year, but also what you like. My B has silver rear rims and orange front rims. If you shoot me an email, I can look up in my book where the break in years was later tonight.

My B is all orange and to my knowledge it is the original paint.

I bought a B years ago that when I cleaned the rims to paint they didn't any signs of galvanize. I painted them orange and was told I should have painted silver. Painted silver is not galvanize so who is wrong. I painted in the past what ever color I wanted to do at the time.
This is a CA I did years ago also. Sold it to a guy that really wanted it bad. Bad enough I didn't lose money for a change.

rear rims would be galvanized . come to think of it I think john deere was the only one to have yellow rims. plus the magneto's don't get painted either.

Were they actually galvanized or painted silver?

The factory never painted the rear rims silver just galvanized.