Wire Wheel Covers

[Guest 1956Packard]

My 31 coupe has wire wheels with the 8" wheel cover. I believe it is a chromed metal skin over a thicker metal base plate. Has anyone successfully removed the skin to restore - ie remove dents? If so, how?

Alternatively I have seen some repros of other years. Anyone familiar with a repro for 31's??

Thx

Geoff

BTW

Peter: despite others' comments elsewhere, your efforts here are appreciated.

[Rusty_OToole]

This was a common way of making hubcaps in the 30s and 40s. There is a chrome plated brass skin crimped over a steel cap. You used to be able to buy the skins for $7 for Chrysler products.

You might be able to carefully unbend the crimp, working around the edge little by little. Pretty hard to do without damaging the appearance though.

[tbirdman]

Bill Hirsch has good reproductions....but he starts at 32 and up. Maybe he would consider making earlier ones.

[West Peterson]

Trying to "un crimp" those covers gets more and more difficult with time, as age hardens metal. Even if you got them off without the edges cracking, they're almost certain to crack as you crimp them back on.

Ditto on the Peter comment.

[Owen_Dyneto]

West is correct (as always) about the trait of brass to "work-harden" and become brittle; it's a characteristic of brass alloys and is the same reason we often see splits on chrome-plated headlight buckets, rims, and the like. But the alloy can be returned to its original pliable state by a simple annealing process. This is a condition that reloaders of brass rifle and pistol cartridges deal with regularly and if you browse a bit you should be able to find the specifics on how to do it. I've done it years back but don't trust my memory to give details now forgotten, but its a very simple heat/cool cycle.