Lead on hubcap clips

[Young Ed]

Just found this on the 39-47 dodge truck group. Could be quite useful.

Quote" I recently found a solution to the hubcap retainer clip problem. First, there are no repro Dodge clips to my knowledge. Next, if you try making them, you have to use spring steel or the clips loosen up pretty quickly. Original clips are the best way to go, but the last time a set of 24 clips was on eBay, the set went for over $ 160.00. However, there is a readily available substitute.

With a little extra hardware, the retainer clips for a 38-53 Chevrolet work great. Mine came from www.chevsofthe40s.com and cost $1.50 each. Part #3704844 The only problem with the Chevy clips is that they aren't tall enough. I found that a stack of washers 3/16" tall between the wheel and the clip elevates the clip to the right height. I bolted my clips to the wheel with a #10 screw (if I remember correctly). The screw (or bolt) head goes on the back side of the wheel, making sure that the top of the screw head does not stick out too far. On the outside I used a nylok nut. There's no little tab on the Chevy clips to keep them from rotating so they need to be tight. No modifications are required to be made to either the clips or the wheel.

My hub caps snapped on securely with this arrangement. As a confidence builder, mount the clips and a hubcap on a loose wheel. Then use an inspection mirror from the back to verify that all the clips engage the lip of the hupcap correctly."

Edited April 26, 2010 by Young Ed
added part #

[Niel Hoback]

Pure genius. Thank you very much.

[Plymouthy Adams]

we don't need no stinking clips....I was not sure if the 54 still had clips or not..the answer is NOT...here are the caps I got and cleaned up installled on the beast...and the new tail fins..slowly getting all the small stuff done..next major is tires..

[Young Ed]

Tim think the cheapy 54s had clips still?

[Plymouthy Adams]

nah..had to cut cost somewhere I guess...Mother Mopar was looking clearly into the future and knew that 160.00 for 24 clip was flat outrageous..so....drop them entirely...sorry you got the wrong model car....(of course I have a few of the clip style also)

[Don Coatney]

I dont need no stinkin clips nor hubcaps. I like the exposed nuts look.

[aero3113]

"I dont need no stinkin clips nor hubcaps. I like the exposed nuts look."

Be careful Don,that can put you in the slammer!

[BobT-47P15]

I'm pretty sure the 54 Plymouth still used clips for small hubcaps.

This one in Kansas City appeared to have the correct original dog

dish type caps. I think wheels changed in 1955.

I replaced a few missing clips on a Plymouth wheel by taking clips off

another old mopar rim. I bolted them on with the head to the back

side of the wheel so they wouldn't hit on the brake drum. Didn't need

any spacers in this case.

I kind of thought you might be able to use Chevy or Ford clips in some

manner - so the above from Ed is good information.

[Plymouthy Adams]

anyone out thre in TV land have a picture of a 54 with the small hubcaps..I have searched internet images high and low and have not seen the first set..nor are they on the accessory list for the 54 model year...if there, probably more common on the low line Plaza model..but again..no pictures of Plaza's with small caps..

[Reg Evans]

Here's one on eBay now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1954-Plymouth-Plaza-3-Speed-305ci_W0QQitemZ250617274776QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item3a59f42198#v4-36

[moose]

anyone out thre in TV land have a picture of a 54 with the small hubcaps..

Here's my 54 Belvedere. These are not the stock caps that came with the car, but it did have the clips.

Just checked my 55, no clips.

Edited April 23, 2010 by moose___
added info

[BobT-47P15]

Some 53-54 Dodges even had small caps..........

[Brad Lustig]

we don't need no stinking clips....I was not sure if the 54 still had clips or not..the answer is NOT...here are the caps I got and cleaned up installled on the beast...and the new tail fins..slowly getting all the small stuff done..next major is tires..

What the heck are YOU doing with WWW tires?

[Plymouthy Adams]

came with the car..will not be there much longer I don't think..send me some donations and I will get them eyesores off the car quicker...lol

[Brad Lustig]

Send me a self-addressed stamped envelope and I'll send you a 44cent donation. Shoot, I may even go as high as 88cents!

[Brad Lustig]

Try this out instead, BigA

[Plymouthy Adams]

now that is a cheap way to get a set of blackwall tires...

[Plymouthy Adams]

Reg...now that I can see the picture you posted..it is still hard to see just what caps these are...cannot get to where I can even blow them up without pixel distortion...the caps as described are to have three concentric rings..does not say if embossed emblem etc etc...and sad part is they are mentioned in one paragraph but not listed on the available accessories list...I will try to go to the master catalog later...

[Plymouthy Adams]

these are marked as 51/52 but I am not thinking so as Ihave some of them..they have a recessed painted multi ring area..these are more to description of the 53 and 54 as the book shows being the same hub cap..the decriptionof three rings..what you think???

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1951-1952-Plymouth-Dog-Dish-Hubcap-Pair-Ratrod-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5ad70ec330QQitemZ390155125552QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[Young Ed]

Those might be it Tim. I've never seen a cap like that before. The 51-52 caps have maybe 10 rings all very close to each other.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Ed..tried to call you just a bit ago..you got new number?...PM me please...

[pflaming]

They may not be OE, but. . .

[BobT-47P15]

Pic frm ebay of another 54 Plym with small hubcaps.............

[Plymouthy Adams]

I studied the blurb sheet a bit more for leads on wheel combinations and it still is not clear one way or the other..only says 5 combinations were available..the small caps are referred to as best I read as Standard Hub Caps...with full stainless disc optional, painted wires optional, chrome wires optional and the spoked hubcap in stainless optional..now the use of the spoke hubcaps means in now way can you have the clips as the baskets must mount flush with the inner wheels..so just when and where are the combinations established..I would venture by the optional list of goodies that it must be at time of order or build of that particualr car. Those wheels that got full disc or wire spoke did not get clips, those with standard hub caps got clips and well the wires speak for themselves..funny thing is that all wheels/tires were show as optional except that the sport coupe (blevedere line) had no data for painted wires and said the chrome wires wheels were not available for that model..cars with standard hub cap had the wheels painted as that of the lower body color with accent stripes and full disc were semi gloss black...now none of this is in stone, just what I have as a reference from the POC..

[pflaming]

Check this out. This car is 5 miles from me. If you want me do a check for you, sent me a pm. Paul

http://fresno.craigslist.org/cto/3401083128.html