Hub Caps - Which one fits what year?

[bkahler]

Years ago I collected some hub caps that I assumed would be correct for my truck (51 B3B).  They've been tucked away in a box until recently when I figured it's time to take a gander at what I had.  What I've come to realize is I have two different styles of hub caps.  The first one, which I have the most of, seems to be a two piece design.  

 

 

 

The other one seems to be a one piece design and you can see the imprint of the emblem on the backside.  

 

 

 

So which one of these would be correct for a 51, or does it matter?  From the face there are fairly slight differences but if you look close you can see them. 

 

The ones with the double wall are definitely heavier but unfortunately they would be pretty much impossible to fix because you can't really remove any dings or imperfections due to the outer skin being hidden.  

 

Anyway, which one fits what year?

 

Thanks!

 

Brad 

[JBNeal]

at one time, Roberts sold replacement hub cap skins, but it looks like they and DCM only sell new hub cap assemblies, and are quite proud of them.

 

I'm gonna guess that the 1-pc design was the early '48s, and the two piece design was for '48-'52, as they all have the same part number; '53-'56 were a tad different as I have one that is a 2-pc design that was a skin crimped over a heavy formed ring that attached to the wheel clips, but several others that are a skin crimped over a heavy cap blank like the '48-'52s.

 

The problem I have with several of the 2-pc hub caps is that the blank is rusty and blistering under the skin, which has made the skin loose on the blank.  At one time, I was gonna clean up the blanks and apply new skins, but it appears that skin option is no longer available.

 

Maybe that 1-pc cap could get spiffed up and be hung on a wall with a light behind it  

[bkahler]

On 1/9/2022 at 10:35 PM, JBNeal said:

at one time, Roberts sold replacement hub cap skins, but it looks like they and DCM only sell new hub cap assemblies, and are quite proud of them.

 

I just saw that.  $320 for four from DCM, Roberts is more.  Kinda pricey but could be better than the alternative especially if the alternatives are all rusty.

 

 

On 1/9/2022 at 10:35 PM, JBNeal said:

I'm gonna guess that the 1-pc design was the early '48s, and the two piece design was for '48-'52, as they all have the same part number; '53-'56 were a tad different as I have one that is a 2-pc design that was a skin crimped over a heavy formed ring that attached to the wheel clips, but several others that are a skin crimped over a heavy cap blank like the '48-'52s.

 

I like the bulls eye style of the 48-52 caps.  The one piece design cap that I have is definitely lighter than the two piece design.  

 

 

On 1/9/2022 at 10:35 PM, JBNeal said:

The problem I have with several of the 2-pc hub caps is that the blank is rusty and blistering under the skin, which has made the skin loose on the blank.  At one time, I was gonna clean up the blanks and apply new skins, but it appears that skin option is no longer available.

 

Maybe that 1-pc cap could get spiffed up and be hung on a wall with a light behind it  

 

I think several of mine also have the rust issue, one for sure has a nice rust through stretch as if it sat on wheel in the same position for years collecting water inside.

 

I know people that have made clocks out of hubcaps but I don't think I could bring myself to drilling a hole in it ?

 

Edited January 12, 2022 by bkahler

[bkahler]

Question.  Are the skins or outer covers chrome or stainless?

[Jeff Balazs]

I was able to polish my single piece caps to get them decent looking. Made a jamb chuck and mounted them up on my wood lathe. Made a big difference. One of them did not shine up too good but 3 out of 4 isn't too bad. One day I will find a better one.

Jeff

[bkahler]

18 minutes ago, Jeff Balazs said:

I was able to polish my single piece caps to get them decent looking. Made a jamb chuck and mounted them up on my wood lathe. Made a big difference. One of them did not shine up too good but 3 out of 4 isn't too bad. One day I will find a better one.

Jeff

 

Did your single piece hubcaps come with your truck?  In my searches I've been finding a LOT more two piece that one piece caps.  Are yours chrome or stainless?

 

I'm going to have to look closer at the one I'm calling a single piece to see if it actually is one piece or two.  Whatever it is it's a lot lighter than the others.

Edited January 11, 2022 by bkahler

[JBNeal]

the '53-'56 caps look like stainless, the '48-'52 caps look chromed...I have several '48-'52 caps that are very dull and kinda rusty...that lightweight cap looks of very similar construction as that '53-'56 cap I linked, and that one weighs a fraction as the common 2-pc.

[John-T-53]

'53 skins are stainless. 

 

I found mine one by one by searching "dodge hubcap" on ebay. I think I got a few others from Reg Evans. After a while I had a nice assortment to pick the best ones from. The remnants became fence art. One thing I noticed was that about half the caps I came across were not useable due to severe rust-out on the snap rings. 

Edited January 11, 2022 by John-T-53

[bkahler]

I took a closer look at the two different style of hubcaps that I have.  The one in the top picture definitely has a stainless outer cover that is crimped around a steel band.  The one in the bottom picture is definitely chromed steel crimped around a steel band.  Both seemed to be made basically the same but the chromed one is definitely a much thinner skin that the stainless.  

 

What strikes me as odd is the bullseye stamping on the stainless cover does not show through on the back side.  However just the opposite is the case for the chromed hubcap.  The stamping is readily apparent on the backside.  The stainless hubcap is close to twice as heavy compared to the chrome hubcap.  They both have the same bullseye design although if you look really close you can see some very minor differences, but you have to look real close.

 

So the question I have is were the chromed and stainless hubcaps used interchangeably through the years or did one come before the other?

 

On 1/11/2022 at 3:18 PM, JBNeal said:

the '53-'56 caps look like stainless, the '48-'52 caps look chromed...I have several '48-'52 caps that are very dull and kinda rusty...that lightweight cap looks of very similar construction as that '53-'56 cap I linked, and that one weighs a fraction as the common 2-pc.

 

What I'm seeing with my hubcaps seems to contradict what you're seeing.  The 53 hubcap you linked to is definitely different in style and design from the 48-52 hubcaps.  

 

 

On 1/11/2022 at 4:27 PM, John-T-53 said:

'53 skins are stainless. 

 

I found mine one by one by searching "dodge hubcap" on ebay. I think I got a few others from Reg Evans. After a while I had a nice assortment to pick the best ones from. The remnants became fence art. One thing I noticed was that about half the caps I came across were not useable due to severe rust-out on the snap rings. 

 

How many years did it take you to find enough hubcaps?!

 

That's generally how I look for things on ebay as well.  Generally done while sitting and watching something on the TV that I'm bored with.

 

 

 

Edited October 19, 2023 by bkahler

[John-T-53]

22 hours ago, bkahler said:

How many years did it take you to find enough hubcaps?!

 

That's generally how I look for things on ebay as well.  Generally done while sitting and watching something on the TV that I'm bored with.

 

 

Several years, although I wasn't rushing. Still to this day if I come across a nice one, I'll snatch it up.

 

[bkahler]

27 minutes ago, John-T-53 said:

 

Several years, although I wasn't rushing. Still to this day if I come across a nice one, I'll snatch it up.

 

 

Yeah, I have a similar problem.  I'll buy "spare" parts for something I have even though I have spares already.....I think it's some sort of disease