Wheel Cover Plastic Inserts

[58Edsel]

I'm looking for the plastic inserts for a set of 63-64 wire wheel covers. Does anyone repo these or have a set of new ones to sell? I'm looking for the Tri Shield centers. Thanks for any help!

Carl E.

[RivNut]

No repos. You'll just have to watch for a set of good ones. The worst part is that the Riviera center for '63 is a one year one model only item. If yours are not cracked, they can be refinished. I done it on a couple of centers and they look pretty good.

PM me if you want some details.

Ed

[tim63riv]

Ed,

I wonder if Mitch Romanowski has any interest in reproducing the 63 only wire cap and/or the turbine wheel center cap? I think the 63 Riv center cap for the wire caps is the same as the other big Buicks, just the color of the background and Tri-Shield are different. I know the center emblem of the turbine wheels in 63 is the same as the base hub cap, but it would be great to have that reproduced, too! If only there was a ROA board member who could help make this happen . . .

Tim

[58Edsel]

Thanks Ed! Sad thing is I have 5 covers and 4 are missing the plastic centers. After some looking I guess the Riveys had an R in them and the other Buicks had the Tri Shields, sound right? I guess I'll have to find something close from another year to fill the holes!

Carl E.

[tim63riv]

Carl,

63 Riviera's used the Tri-Shield, 64's used the -R- emblem, so it really depends on which one you would like for your car and if you are hung up on originality

Tim.

[Guest jonly]

I have a couple R's from a 64 that I won't be using. PM me if you decide to go that route.

[RivNut]

63's used the tri-shield similar to the other wire covers for the 63 year except that all three shields in the 63 center were silver rather than the red/wht/blu on the non-Riviera covers; both used the black background. Very hard to find, but most sellers don't realize they're "one of a kind" and you can sometimes find them for a reasonable price. If the chrome in the tri-shield is in good shape on a red/wht/blu center, I'm betting that you can change the color of the shields. I restored some '63 covers on which the paint had come off. They're painted from the inside so it's easy to repaint them. If the outsides are scratched, you can wet sand them with 400 grit wet-or-dri paper to remove the scratches, then go over them again with 1500 grit wet-or-dri paper. The final step is to take some polishing compound to them to remove the haze left by the 1500 grit paper.

Check the pictures on this link to see the difference in the three covers - 63 LeSabre/Wildcat/Electra, 63 Riviera, 64-65 Riviera.

http://www.chip.com/buick/techtips/wirewheels.html

Ed

Edited March 29, 2011 by RivNut (see edit history)

[1965rivgs]

The Riviera wire wheel covers are readily available on Ebay. You should have no problem picking up a decent set of the spinners. These wire covers are one of the few items which Ebay has actually reduced in price. For years it was common to see these wire covers change hands for $200 a set. Now it seems vendors are giving them away for a much lower price due to supply and demand.

No demand for repros...the originals are plentiful.

Tom Mooney

[58Edsel]

I got these off a 63 Electra I'm parting out and have a guy that want's to buy them but he wants to find the centers for them first so I'm trying to help locate a set. I think the only center in the one is silver but should double check? Either way I need 4! They are going back on an Electra.

Carl E.