Yes, Keith, that's the one that I've seen on '73 Centurions and, yes, Electra 225's. Does your source show the application of this wheelcover? Was it LeSabre/Centurion only?

Brian, I'm getting the data from the expert, post as soon as I get the info

OK, this is a wierd one - the 75 Buick Master Parts Book shows the first Pictured wire in my attachement as what I posted(this is the wire with the larger center), BUT, it also shows the 2nd wire with the non-colored trishield as also being correct for 73 - I have seen both but never really paid any attention to it. With a special car like this Customized ASC Electra who knows, although the ones shown are not 73's.

Thanks for the research, Keith!

Ok, you guys have me confused here. According to the sources I checked (see for example www.hubcaps.com/electra.html) the wires now on my car were correct for a 73 Electra. I spoke with the dealer who ordered the car new and he says these wires with the colored trishield are correct. (He removed them from the car after it was delivered because they kept getting stolen on the lot.) I have seen these on several other 73 Electras. The second version you guys pictured (the plain silver tri-shield center) definitely was used on 74-76 Electras (I actually have them on a couple of mine) but I could not find any reference to them being available on 73s. Could it have been a mid-year change? How can we know which ones are correct for sure?? Thanks!

Rob, look close at the picture on the Hubcap website, also the first one that I attached - the Centers are much larger and flat against the wires versus small and sticking out like the ones you have on your car - The colored tri-shield is fine as it does appear that both types were availble in 73, the ones on your car are just not the right centers. They used the type on your 73 on prior years LeSabre & Centurion. But again, being your car was a special custom the dealer could have put the style that are on it upon delivery as they still would ahve been very plentiful in the parts department.

here is a set of the correct ones that went off on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1970-73-B...624321147QQrdZ1

and the others that would ahve been correct are the type without the colored trishield.

And correct means for 73, not necessarily your special car.

[EDIT NOTE: Keith and I were posting at the same time, and I agree with everything he has said.]

Electramanrob, let me try to eliminate some of the confusion, since we're talking about three different styles of Buick wheelcovers.

1) The style shown on your car above.

Both Keith and I believe that this style was not used beyond 1972, but is a correct option for the 1971 and 1972 LeSabre and Centurion.

If you look at this illustration borrowed from Smartin's Centurion website, you'll see this wheelcover on the upper right-hand corner.



There is no indication that this style was offered on Electra 225 cars, and, in fact, I have never seen this style on a 225.

2) The second style is shown in Keith's first attachment above, and also appears on the lower right-hand corner of the chart from Smartin's website. You'll note that it is shown strictly as an Electra 225 wheelcover. Here is a photo of this style on a 1972 Electra 225:



As you can see, this style still carried a tri-shield logo, but used a larger, center hub. As I had commented above, I have seen this style only on '70 - '72 225's, but never on a '73. Keith's sources indicate, however, that this style was offered on the '73 Electra 225's, so I trust that this is the case. I was able to locate an Internet photo of a '73 225 wearing this style:



3) The third style is the plain silver tri-shield center. This is the style that I recall seeing new on 1973 Electra 225's. Keith's source evidently indicates that this style is also correct for the '73 Electra 225, and this poor photo appears to show a '73 so-equipped:



Was this a mid-year change? I'm not sure we have any way of knowing. I have some further Buick source information at home, and will see what I can learn this week.

This reminds me that I have seen many 73 Electras with the standard 74-76 Electra wheelcovers. Did they replace the flat ones during the 1973 model year?

Electramanrob, I consulted my Buick Master Chassis Parts book dated November, 1973, which would, of course, have excellent coverage for the 1973 model Buicks.

If you refer to my post above where I referred to three, distinct style of wheelcovers, here is my understanding. It is unfortunate that the illustrations for the 1973 wheelcovers is quite poor in my book, and few of the parts numbers in the illustrations seem to tie directly to the parts number listing.

1) The style currently on your '73 Buick was evidently correct for the 1971 - 1973 period, but B-Body (LeSabre/Centurion/Estate Wagon) only. As noted above, I have never actually observed this style on a '73.

2) The style with the wide (approx. 6-inch) center hub was indeed offered for the 1973 Electra 225 (C-Body only). The same part number was used for the 1971 - 1973 model year range. Finding a set of these wheelcovers would probably be your safest bet to ensure that you have a C-Body wheelcover correct for 1973.

3) A third style -- the one with the silver centers -- is correct for all 1973 B and C-Body cars. This is the style which I have most frequently observed. Interestingly, though, this part number applies only to 1973, and the part number changed for 1974. I have no idea what the difference is between the '73 and '74 styles.

Philippe, there is no indication from the parts book that the 1974 - 1976 Electra 225 wheelcovers are correct for 1973.

Anyone have ANY information on any other Buicks ever customized new by ASC?? (Both original TVs are now working great on this one!) Anyone even seen one at any show or anywhere else? Aware of ANY in the BCA? I have seen several Cadillacs so equipped/customized but never an Electra. Any leads greatly appreciated!!

I just added a picture showing the picture on the working, original color TV (I will post a picture of the working black and white TV on the dash soon) and the open sunroof.