Art & Inspiration Wheel covers, Full hubcaps, Let's see them

1959 Edsel before and after:

 

Talked about Cragers, reversing the rims, running spiders, but............. wheel covers were the choice.


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Olds with a lil bullet..... just a mock tire pictured here. Full WW rollin' now.

 

My T project...

 

[ Here is an older set I made up

 

Hey SM,

Here is the closest photo I could find showing a black 58 Impala with the popular (then) Olds Fiesta style hubcap. When my brother got his new 58 impala, he did not like the stock hubcaps, so the call was made to get his friends over to our house with their cars. There were all styles of hubcaps from full ones to Moons, to mini chrome caps, etc. It was a day to try on the other guy's hubcaps on your own car. Yes, there were 14" and 15" and tape had to be used to hold them up if they did not just pop on and off.

We had my brother's old Moon Discs from his now sold, 51 Olds sedan, Dodge 4 prong Lancer hubcaps and chrome mini Moons. Everyone had a field day of trying the other guy's hubcaps for a different look. (All of his friends came over because of being fed my mom's great teriyaki steaks, chicken and many different kinds of sushi.) He settled on whitewalls with black rims and no hubcaps for almost a year as we were at Lions Dragstrip weekly. I had to pop on and off, the stock, full size hubcaps. He decided to just leave them off and at home.
1958-59

In late 1959, he decided to run small Chevy hubcaps with black rims and whitewalls. That look stayed until 1960. We were too busy in 1960 to worry about what the Impala looked like after settling on those small hubcaps and whitewalls. After an unfortunate event in 1960, the Impala exchanged hands.

Jnaki

Jump up 3 years and the 58 Impala has been my daily driver since late 1960. It also went through stages, black rims no hubcaps, blackwalls, small Chevy hubcaps, Moon Discs, silver rims, etc. Even full size Corvette hubcaps were borrowed and put on for the look. So, the final look for the next several years, 61-64 was the small Chevy center hubcaps, beauty rings, for that full size look of the Corvette hubcap.
1961-63 Small center hubcaps and beauty rings
Then in the summer of 1964, there was a wild inclusion of 5, Buick Skylark wire wheels on blackwalls. ($150 for 5, plus re-drilling axles and hubs for a Buick bolt pattern) It was the hit of the cruising area. Customs and hot rods owners all loved the look with the Skylark wire rims. But, that lasted several months until they were stolen one dark night in Belmont Shore.
Thanks, Moose...
The last look from 1964-65, until sold to a friend.(all black, Buick 15" rims) No more hubcaps, big, little, or a combination of several. The mean, black on black look...

 

My '56 with '54 Chrysler wheel covers.

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My 46 with a set of 16" Smoothie Moons. Sorry about the glare in my garage.

 

Hello,
So, if any of you guys find a black 58 Impala with Chevy bolt pattern wheels that will not fit, that is my Buick bolt pattern on the hubs and axles. But, the Impala should also have a certified C&O Stick Hydro and a solid bar trailer hitch on the back.

If the motor runs funny and you are waiting for the hydraulic lifters to work, you need to look inside, there might be a Racer Brown Cam and solid lifters. Finally, if the column stick lever is for a 3 speed (no gear selector plate), but the car has an automatic, search closer, it might be the C&O lurking underneath.

The last two items, the solid bar trailer hitch and 28-30 inch tube mufflers may have been changed over the years. While you are under there, check to see if there are some down facing exhaust cut outs. That is where the scavenger pipes were once installed.

Jnaki
It would be nice to find that 58 Impala, but after selling it 53 years ago, that is probably a lost cause. I did give my friend that bought the car back then, the beauty rings and small center hubcaps, just in case he went back to 14" rims.
The last look, 53 years ago.

 

53 Cad

 

Just picked up my Plymouth caps from the polisher...debating on a 4.5” bullet for the center since they look pretty good as is.


Here is the inspiration.


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going without the center cap bullet. I like it simple


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I like without the bullet better, but they both look good...

 

Full wheel covers make that 32 ^^^.. I like a lot...

 

16" Lyons.

 

Sweet looking !!!

 

Good looking with the white walls

 

My 55 F100 with 15 in Flipper Bars.

 

I saw a couple of cars at GNRS with those caps ^^^ and have to say those Lyons caps are the best.


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Is that a '53 Chevy cap with a bullet added? Looks awesomea

 

This Bo Huff 50 Merc. now resides in South Dakota. Check out this outrageous wheel cover.

 

Yes you are absolutely right!

 

There are also red jewels but can't see them. This is a friend's car. We think the wheel covers are 56 Olds.

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Polished 56 Olds caps

 

Very creative. Took me a minute to figure it out. I have run at least 5 different covers on my '53 over the past 15 years and never even thought of using '53 Chevy caps!
By the way, love your car.