Guest virgilmule Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 In going through my father's barn, I found what I at first thought was a Model A hubcap: about 3" across, a row of teeth on the underside to keep it in place, raised script lettering in the center. THEN, I looked a little closer: I can SWEAR the hubcap says "Fool!"Can anyone make heads or tails of this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 You are absolutely correct. There are variations on these, one I've seen before says "Foof."They were aftermarket Model A replacement caps and to avoid problems selling unauthorized accessories, or getting into trouble using the Ford name without permission and proper license, they produced a similar looking cap with the name spelled differently.Interesting accessory.Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 Yours is what I believe to be commonly called a J.C.Whitney "BOOL" hubcap. Probably made in the late 60's/early 70's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest De Soto Frank Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 I have a couple of these "Fool" / "Bool" caps for '30-'31 Ford...As noted above, an aftermarket cap that skirted trademark / licensing fees... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cben09 Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 A friend of mine had one of these back in high school days,,1954,,,Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Henderson Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 If any one is dying for these for a '30-'31 fun car, I have a set of 5, never used. Junk quality flash chrome. Probably from Pep Boys or Western Auto in the old days. If your A isn't denegrated enough already, these will do the trick! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 A friend of mine had one of these back in high school days,,1954,,,BenReally? As early as 1954?? I LOVE learning from you guys!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Gariepy Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 That just made my day... that is too funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Henderson Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Good question Keiser, what year(s) were they from? Patent infringement suits or fear of them no doubt were what resulted in these being produced with "Bool" or "Fool" (take your pick) rather than "Ford". In the '70's my office was close to the U S Patent Office, and access then was wide open. At lunch time I sometimes strolled there and went back into remote areas searching out automotive patents, among other things. I recall finding a stash of old Pep Boys catalogs. After perusing them, the reason for their being there became more understandable. In '30's catalogs, there were pages with mark-ups on the pictures of such acessories as hood ornaments for example, that could easily be seen to be copies of the real OEM things, and presumably were the subjects of infringement suits. I've looked in catalogs from Pep Boys, Western Auto, Warshawsky, Sears, and Montgomery Ward spanning '36 through '59, but could not find these caps. So that mystery remains! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Good question Keiser, what year(s) were they from? Patent infringement suits or fear of them no doubt were what resulted in these being produced with "Bool" or "Fool" (take your pick) rather than "Ford". In the '70's my office was close to the U S Patent Office, and access then was wide open. At lunch time I sometimes strolled there and went back into remote areas searching out automotive patents, among other things. I recall finding a stash of old Pep Boys catalogs. After perusing them, the reason for their being there became more understandable. In '30's catalogs, there were pages with mark-ups on the pictures of such acessories as hood ornaments for example, that could easily be seen to be copies of the real OEM things, and presumably were the subjects of infringement suits. I've looked in catalogs from Pep Boys, Western Auto, Warshawsky, Sears, and Montgomery Ward spanning '36 through '59, but could not find these caps. So that mystery remains! DaveI am certain that J.C.Whitney made or at least sold them in the late 60's or early 70's. That is when I first got a catalog and saw them in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Here is a discussion of these in the Technical Q&A Section of the Model A Ford Club of America site:Question: In the centre of my 1929 hubcaps is a word which on first glance looks like the word 'Ford'. On closer inspection the word now looks like 'Boal' or 'Bool'. Any ideas? Please put me out of my misery. With thanks. -- David Jacobs Answer: Don't take this too hard. These have fooled many people in thinking it says Ford. On close inspection it actually says "Fool." These are a reproduction item (cheap) made about 20 years ago (or longer) as a cheap hub cap for the Model A . The clever script lettering at first glance looks like FORD, intending to fool people. I believe they came from Taiwan or Japan. I believe I still have a few bent up ones in my scrap box. Of no value. -- Les Andrews, Technical Director Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Henderson Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Yes, I should have looked there too, I have an old trunk full of J. C. Whitney catalogs, but couldn't remember how far back they went. Warshawsky was their parent or overarching company, so I looked in theirs instead of digging out JCW's. Some afternoon when I am not doing anything. . . . . A picture of the caps from a catalog and its date would be cool. I'm betting they were about a half a buck each. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Wolf Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 A couple of years ago some posted a picture of and Buuck hubcap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JpMotorsports Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I just purchased a set of these that fit a 28-29 Model A they are really neat looking. I have never seen a set before. Do they have any value? Im thinking about hanging them in my garage with the rest of weird Model A parts I have been collecting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpage Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I've had and seen several of these caps and I'm pretty sure they came from J.C. Whitney back in the day. They carry no appreciable value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35cz8 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 There were some aftermarket caps made for the 1936 Dodge too, I used to have a couple that came with a car I bought. They still show up on E-Bay, sometimes listed as NOS, and I am sure many people have bought them without really looking close at them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vermontboy Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 I ordered a set from JC Whitney in either 1963 or 1964. If I remember correctly they did not exactly state that they didn't say "Ford".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlCapone Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 I bought a set unused at Hershey last year for $20 dollars. The guy after me paid $40. Go figure, eh ! Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 I believe they were produced much earlier than the 1960's. We started restoration on a '29 Ford AA Cretors Popcorn Wagon in 1980 that came to us with one of those caps and it appeared to have been on the vehicle at least since the 1950's. This vehicle, in deplorable condition, had been stored away in the early 1960's and hadn't been driven for many years before that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Mack_CT Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 I remember regular discussion on these when I had my A a few years ago. Bear in mind that MARC was founded around 1953, growing very fast in a couple of years, so a demand for Model A parts by hobbyists dates back at least that far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest prs519 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I bought a set unused at Hershey last year for $20 dollars. The guy after me paid $40. Go figure, eh ! WayneThat's cuz you are so good lookin, Wayne; they gave you a discount! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest prs519 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 To my surprise, I saw a Bool the other day clearly meant for 1940-48 Fords (for 16 inch rimes). Until then, I did not imagine that such a thing was made. I know Western Auto suppliers of replacement caps would highly duplicate the looks of proprietary hubcaps of many years and brands, but always there was some evident change to protect against copyright infringement suits. Does anyone know of such an actual lawsuit occurring? It might have started with the Ford script, which subsequently in revenge changed it to look like "Fool". Ho! Silly and self defeating for a big corporation to carp about that, hence they lost free advertising! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Free advertising? How many crouch down, to look at a hubcap, and say, "Hey, it's a Ford. I think I'll go buy one." I guess all of those fake Levis, Gucci bags and designer sunglasses that "our friends", the Chinese send over here, by the container ship load, are free advertising too. Copyrights and patents are in place for a reason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I am a proud owner of a 1947 Buick that has hubcaps that say "*uic*" Tje B and the K are interchangeable and neither a B nor a K but close enough so that most people don't notice the obvious mis spelling. I have a set of real replacements but just can't bear to take these off as I find them funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlCapone Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 That's cuz you are so good lookin, Wayne; they gave you a discount![/QUOTnotyou are likely right, I had not thought of that ! Sometimes we overlook the obvious. Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Here's a picture of a '36 Dodge hub cap from Google. Here's a fake one: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 (edited) I don't know what happened to the picture of the fake Dodge hub cap, but in it's place I offer this set of Pooooo (Pontiac, no doubt) caps available on Craigslist: http://racine.craigslist.org/pts/5019018598.html Edited May 14, 2015 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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