Customs Are these Tri Bar hubcaps repoped caps? Updated. Waffleback Starfire

Hi, I take it these hubcaps are repoped Tri bar hubcaps? Are they supposed to be a faux Oldsmobile Fiesta Spinner copy? I picked up them up in the garage at an estate sale where the late owner had a 49 Merc convertible and a 63 Vette.

 

Some one must have taken really good care of them and waxed the hell out of them, every used one I find is rusted, pitted and beat to death.

 

I'd say that Aftermarket fiesta style flippers is probably the most accurate term for them. Hollywood Accessories and a few other made them and you could usually get them at local parts houses that stocked some chrome trinkets or From JC Whitney. They also sold clone Fury cones that a lot of guys ran in the late 50's early 60's and especially the guys with 15 inch wheels as real Fury cones were 14 inch.

 

It's funny as I can't find these in any search. I do come across those hokey ass tri bars with the checkerboard that look really cheap. These are nicely made, heavy and in really nice physical shape. There is not a thing wrong with them. No dings or scratches or curb rash. The checkerboards on these are all the same square shape and not longer where they meet the rim. The chrome is aged and they actually have a neat old look to them. They didn't look this good when I got them this morning. I did spend a lot of time with the Brillo Pads and they cleaned up well. I guess being they may be from JC Whitney, they are worthy to use? They had to be sitting in that garage for a lot of years.

 

Worthy to use?
Use the damn things if you like them

 

Yeh, you know you're right. I do like them and plan to put them on my Hard Top in the morning. I'm curious how they're going to look. The off white paint in the squares might be a good look with the off white paint on the roof. I've been looking at the 57 Caddys for too long and I've been wanting to find something different. I'm hoping these will give me a thrill. Heck, JC Whitney was a big thing when we were just kids and I shouldn't worry about them being worthy or not!

 

Well, I now have the identity of these hubcaps. A good friend who is a major Kustom guy and has a large library of early catalogs in his collection, found these very caps. They are in a 2001 Night Prowlers catalog and are known as the "Waffleback Starfire" hubcaps. I'm guessing they were available before 2001? Anyway, compared to the Olds Fiestas he has on his garage wall, these are a pretty well made hubcap. They are chromed steel caps that were taken care of and are perfect in their physical condition. The chrome does have its share of ware. Still nothing to take away from their nice look.

 

I hope that wasn't a bad idea, cheap chrome scratches easily!

 

They came out pretty nice. They had some age to them to begin with. Some would say they have some "patina". The 52 is no show car and it too has aged well. These caps may just be a good compliment to the old Bel Air.

 

I think those knock offs were made shortly after they came out on the cars.

 

I don't know if these were actually offered on any cars. I sort of doubt that. I think they must have been a knock off of the Olds Fiesta Tri Bars?

 

That is what I was trying to say,I seen them back in the 70s and they looked old then.