If you are a car enthusiast, chances are you like your vehicle. Whether you want to keep a new vehicle in tip-top shape or you want to restore an older model, you always have to worry about the little things. The payoff comes in fine detail restoration and maintenance because it’s the fine details that people appreciate, right down to the wheel covers on a car.
One of the areas that tend to challenge someone who restores a vehicle is in the wheel covers due to the difference in the design of the wheels along with the sizes and the various makes and models throughout the market. Even old cars used some kind of wheel covers once the car manufacturers changed the wooden wheels. Despite the production of alloy wheels in the late 60s, wheel covers are still used due to the common use of simple steel wheels for mass production.
Here are some of the most common challenges in finding the correct wheel covers or hubcaps during restoration and maintenance of older vehicles:
Location of the correct hubcaps
This is the most basic challenge for a vehicle owner. When you want to restore a car to its original shine, you tend to want to find the original hubcaps or wheel covers that the vehicle sported when it came off the line. While some will go into sorting acres of junkyards, you can also get brand-new replica models to match just about any make and model, even if you’re looking for the hubcaps on a Shelby GT 500.
Finding the style that fits
Most hubcaps tend to be made of polished stainless steel, although some are straight steel and are chrome-plated. These quality hubcaps tend to be stamped in the proper shape to suit the specific styling of the vehicle. When custom made for a certain automaker, the shield or logo is screwed or riveted or somehow fastened in the center. For some car enthusiasts, getting the perfect hubcap with the correct logo is the biggest challenge in restoring a car.
Overcoming the fight
If you are looking for quality hubcaps for a car, be it a restoration or a current make, always check with hubcap or hubcap dealers and distributors. They may not have the exact model you’re looking for, but they tend to stay connected in vehicle circuits, and many are car enthusiasts in their own right. At the very least, they may have contacts to connect you with the right person to find the wheel covers you are looking for.
Online sources are another great place to look. While most dealerships, whether retail or online, can help you find what you’re looking for, sometimes you can go to auction sites or other places to find the really old vintage wheel covers that will fit your vehicle. . Many of the parts that used to change hands in closed car circuits, such as an underground market for car nerds, are now openly traded online and it’s easier than ever to find the wheel covers you need.