wheel trim rings

[1935Packard]

It seems like the great majority of mid-30s Packards have chrome wheel trim rings on them. Were these common in the 30s? Or are they nice-looking add-ons that were offered but weren't so common at the time?

Also, if I ended up buying a set, is Hirsch the best source for them? Thanks...

[Restorer32]

Don't know how common they were but they are pictured in the '32 Packard Factory Accessory Catalog.

[Owen_Dyneto]

They were offered from at least 1933 thru 1956 but how common they were is a tough question to answer. My only perspective on that would come from the original factory photographs of various models in the 30s, and in those pictures they are rarely seen. A good site to view many of the Packard factory photos is the Michigan State photo archive.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Both '37 1502s, I have, had them.

They may have been standard on Senior models and an option on Junior models.

[Restorer32]

The '32 Accessory Catalog does not distinguish between options for Juniors and options for Seniors. Options are pictured randomly for both. Even had an option for dual REAR spares. Anyone ever seen this on a car?

[West Peterson]

Didn't Ed Blend's 1934 coupe-roadster have dual rear spares? Or were you referring strictly to anyone seeing a 1932 with dual rear spares?

[1935Packard]

Looking at the Michigan State archives of the 1935 Senior cars, it seems like most of the cars don't have them (especially closed models) but some of the rarer models (open cars, town cars, etc.) do. It also looks like some cars have wheel trim rings that are not chrome, but it's hard to tell from the photos.

I think i like the look better without them, but then my wheels are in pretty lousy cosmetic shape so I think the rings could dress them up a bit without a lot of cosmetic work. I'll have to think about that one.

[West Peterson]

I've been confused on this thread, and maybe it's because you may be talking about wire wheel covers??? In which case, 1936 would have been the last year for them, as that was the last year for wire wheels.

I've never seen trim rings that were painted, but I've seen those wire wheel covers painted and chromed.

[1935Packard]

I was talking about the chrome wheel trim rings like these. My '35 did come with wheel covers, but I took them off because I much prefer the look of the wire wheels. That's part of the reason I'm interested in the wheel rings; the wire wheels are kind of cruddy after being undernearth the wheel covers for so long. (I actually kept the wheel covers on the sidemounts for now, as I think they look great there, but I might take those off, too.)

[West Peterson]

Okay. Sorry for the confusion. I've never seen those painted.

[1935Packard]

To be clear, I wasn't sure if what i saw was a painted wheel ring; it just looked possible. See, for example, this photo of a 1201 phaeton. Looks like there's a wheel ring there, but it's painted the body color. Alternativelty, maybe that's just the usual wheel and I'm looking at the picture incorrectly.

[West Peterson]

That might also be because it's a pretty grey day, and the brightwork is not reflecting very well. I think an argument could be made that those are chrome. Neat photo.

[1935Packard]

Might be right. Here's another one, of the same car. Looks like a sunny day, or at least there's a real shadow.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

I Lightened up the first pic and it Doesn't look like chrome rings to me.

[Owen_Dyneto]

There is something else of a curiousity in that picture. Take a look at the wheels and you'll see what appears to be plated metal valve stems; it's pretty generally accepted that 1934 was the last year for these.

[West Peterson]

Well, after looking at the second picture, they sure DO look painted.

[Owen_Dyneto]

Dual rear spares where indeed fairly uncommon, and much more so as years passed and tire quality improved. Enclosed is a picture from the latest issue of the Metropolitan Skyline, a publication of the Metropolitan Region of CCCA, Frank Wemple's 4=43 roadster with dual spares.

PS - sorry about the picture, perhaps the file was too large.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Here's a pic of a '24 Pheaton, with Dual rear spares:

(with fabric covers on both)

[Twitch]

I have approached my vehicle with the concept that as a 1950 automobile i want it to appear as if it were a gently used car for sometime in the 50s. Not showroom new, but the way it actually looks, like a few year old daily drive on the road.

I sought out accessories that an owner in the 50s might have installed. It little stuff like repro Standard Oil Red Crown valve caps, an era-correct dash compass, a traffic light viewer, license toppers, the Thermador swamp cooler, 1950 plates, desert water bag, etc. I have a nice cane in rich wood I put against the seat. I wear a fedora at auto events. Others I've see lay them on the seats.

The thing is what YOU want your car to look like and be not so much what was common. These cars are no longer common. Who is to say your car can't represent one with beauty rings?

[1935Packard]

Twitch writes: "The thing is what YOU want your car to look like and be not so much what was common. These cars are no longer common. Who is to say your car can't represent one with beauty rings?"

No one is to say that; I tend to think an owner can do whatever they want with their property. But my own preferences are to factor in both appearance and historical accuracy. That is, whether I want them depends in part on how common they were. I feel this way about Trippe lights, too, for exampe; I have mixed views on how they look on a car, but my understanding is that they were actually pretty rare back in the 1930s. Given that, I tend to think I won't get them.

[Twitch]

I simply mean that if SOME 1935 Packards did have trim rings who is to say YOUR car can't or didn't at one time.

If trim rings weren't invented or used until 1937 than of course a 35 should have them to keep accurate.

I'd reckon it near impossible to find out what percentage of 35s had trim rings factory mounted to fall into the "common" category. We'll never know how many owners later purchased them after taking delivery of their car either. Certainly Packard buyers were more apt to pay $200 extra for options than a Ford buyer was.

One thing about old vehicles is that we are at a disadvantage as to having a viable cross section of any one era of vehicles to look at. Our proxy view 70 years later may not be accurate. I think a lot of owners feel responsible to the public in relatinon to showing their cars that they have many extra factory add-ons to cover the range.

But it is rationaly correct to say "what was typical?" Even the skew of the Tri 5s models we'll see at any event or venue is wrong. The vast majority are 2-Dr. HTs or sedans. The legions of 4 Dr. sedans and HTs are missing but in 1958 the 55,56,57 4-door cars is what we commonly saw.

And the fact that trim rings are alomost always full of dings and poor chrome and expensive as is, plus require a good deal more investment to restore them, maybe it's best you save the $$.