Technical Custom guys- sexiest hubcaps ever?

Thanks!

 

Plymouth cap with Model A center cap I think they turned out ok.


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Very clever! They look great!

 

Hello,

In high school, my brother went through a ton of different hubcaps, including the Moon Disc look that he had on his 1951 Olds sedan. But, after he sold that Olds Sedan to a friend, his new car, a 1958 black Impala came with big, full size, stock Chevy hubcaps and whitewall tires. He instantly took those huge hubcaps off for a better, racy, dragstrip look.

So what does a teenager do for some spiffy wheels to compliment the cool 1958 look? His 14 inch wheels were one size too small to exchange hubcaps, spinners, flippers from his friends that all had 15” rims. So, he was on his own. We found a set of snap in Moon Discs and that made the Impala look funny. So, he was in a tough spot. The others that had extra cash laying around bought chromed reverse rims for their cars and hot rods. But, he was holding out for something different.

The Impala stayed with black rims and white walls until the black spray can, the silver spray can and the white spray can came out to play one day. By this time, the whitewalls were turned inside out and now it was a blackwall cruiser/drag racer.

Jnaki

We had other things going on in 1959-60, so the need for wheel covers took a back seat to an important, ground up first time build for the Gas Coupe and Sedan Class competition. Now, the 58 Impala was the tow vehicle for our 1940 Willys Coupe build. No one cared what the hubcap situation was, as they all saw the Willys Coupe behind the blackwall Impala at the drags. Picture the blackwalled Impala towing a black on blackwall Willys coupe to the drags. (So it was many years later, before the local rage of “black on black on black” trendy wheel paint situation shows up.)

Finally after our drag racing scenario was winding down, the 58 Impala became my daily driver. So, now it was up to me to get something classy to put on the black on black look. Small Chevy hubcaps were inexpensive and common at swap meets and garage sales. But, that look left something else as a need to make it look like a custom, hot rod, cruiser/racer. With the addition of Chevy trim, beauty rings under the small center Chevy hubcaps, the look was totally different. It looked like a custom chrome wheel at a standstill and when moving.

The only photos of the 58 Impala in 1962.

1959 Chevy small center hubcap

“The small hub caps for the 1959 model year retained the cross flags in the center just like the previous year. Six radial fins extend out to the outer periphery. The space between the six fins was a blacked out area to further enhance the hub cap. All the cars in 1959 came with small hub caps as standard equipment.”

The trim rings or “beauty rings” were separate orders from the parts bin.

 

Roothawg, if BobK was here he'd chew your ass for calling them hubcaps. They're wheel covers,I found out the hard way while helping him clean his car at the Roundup! So me being a smartass I kept calling them hubcaps! Miss you Bobby.

 

I have one of these caps, sorry to say only one. I am sure its some kind of JC Witney or other aftermarket hubcap. Looks good on the way anyway.

 

I believe that.....I can hear him now.

 

I just picked up a set of Kaiser caps that I dig. premiere are cool lyons are awesome as well.

 

54 Imperial with a bullet ... and 4 homemade stencils outlined with a fine tip red paint pen from hobby lobby

 

Windsor caps on my old 61 c10

 

51 Chrysler New Yorker

 

These are really nice. It probably took you quite a while to make four of them, but IMO the results are worth the time it took you.

 

Very popular in the '60's on everything. There were a lot of 60 Fords that were "releived" of their factory small caps. Every teenager need a set for his white surf wheels.

 

Thanks 50Fraud, It was a process, but I had fun. Make the first pattern, transfer that to the matte bronze adhesive vinyl 8 times. (I only did two, back ones are under the skirts). Then apply frisquit paper to the color side, peel the backing and "eyeball" the piece into place. Burnish and then paint pen. (normal car guys would get out the One Shot and their best brush)

 

The closest bullet size for the 54 Imperial wheel cover doesn't quite fit down into the recessed center area so had to take the back of the bullets to the belt sander. Probably the biggest reason I only made the two for the front.

 

Likeing them LOTS...................................

 

I think I got these off the HAMB ages ago. Not sure what magazine they were in.

 

I've got a set of these I'd sell for $100. What part of the country are you in ?

 

You can call or text me at 480 628 3763. I'm in Arizona

 

I think Mick's (@straykatkustoms) latest front hubcap creation on the driver's side of his Merc belongs in this thread. Saw it in person a few days ago in Salina. Very cool!
Pic courtesy of @54delray. Thanks for posting it Bill! E

 

Looks great.!! What year Plymouth is these..and is it 16" ?

 

Thanks Ed for posting the picture and kool that ya liked it. I had an extra Jack Hughes cap and I thought about seeing what I could make out of it. This one is a 55 Oldsmobile wheel cover with the claws from a '64 Buick Electra with 57 Lincoln center and a bullet. Going to end up painting inside the claws a Kandy gold to make the claws pop. Wheel covers are a lot of fun.

 

For an inexpensive combination,I used chrome reversed wheels and Cal Custom "Black Jack" caps.

 

51-52 and 15” thanks!


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Crummy video of mine "In motion"

 

I like the 55-56 Chevrolet HUB CAPS, but NOT the WHEELCOVERS. The hub caps look good on chrome reverse wheels; a little bit similar to the "Domino Moon Caps" of the 60's, just with the Chevrolet Bowtie around the painted inset. Finding good, stock ones is difficult; they are reproduced however. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I've always been fond of the 4-bar Dodge lancer hubcaps.

 

They look great

 

thats cool man, make them custom yourself