lrlforfun Posted February 6, 2022 Share Posted February 6, 2022 I'm interested in learning a few tricks when cleaning, polishing and re-assembling the 15" Buick wire cap 63-69. Thanks, Mitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted February 6, 2022 Share Posted February 6, 2022 Mitch, there is an outstanding tutorial on the very subject you are interested in learning. The article I’m referring is in The Riview ROA club magazine. Let me fish out the article. I’ll scan the article and email to a regular emai address. I thought the article was outstanding. The gent that authored the article is Randall Crandal. Turbinator 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 They’re really pretty simple. The spokes are not individual spokes. They’re hair pins. Two sizes. Take the screws out of the back and remove the spinner. Take a good look at how the hairpins are laid in the notches. Disassemble. Clean the chrome with 0000 (4 ought) steel wool. Repaint the black if needed. Reassemble. The first ones that I did, I did just by jumping in. I tried the same on a 79-85 cover and wound up throwing it away. The first generation covers are really easy. Ed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riviera63 Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 12 hours ago, lrlforfun said: I'm interested in learning a few tricks when cleaning, polishing and re-assembling the 15" Buick wire cap 63-69. Thanks, Mitch Here are some pictures and explanation that will hopefully help. 1.) Remove the 4 (or 3) hex head screws from the back. This will enable you to remove the spinner and center medallion. This will expose the 1st layer of spokes. 2.) Remove the 1st layer of spokes by pulling the center end up and then pull out. You may have to wiggle them a bit to get them to release from the holes on the outer end. 3.) Remove the 8 (or 6) hex head screws from the back. This will enable you to remove the center hub. This will expose the 2nd layer of spokes. 4.) Remove the 2nd layer of spokes. All you will have left is the wheel disc. I am sure that there are many ways that others have used to clean and get these wheel covers looking good. This is always a winter project for me. Here is what I do: After disassembly I wash all of the components in hot water to remove all the road grime. I use SOS pads on all of the stainless disc surfaces, the spinner the center hub. and the spokes. Use a soft brush or rag on the painted portion. You can rub the paint off if not careful. I rinse with hot water and then dry the components. If the painted portion needs to be redone use any good flat black spray paint. If the backside has rust I will wire brush as much of the rust as I can off, coat with Rust-O-Leum Rust Reformer and then recoat with a satin black paint. Once everything is dry I apply metal polish to the stainless and chrome followed by a coat of good wax. The spokes are brushed stainless so I just clean those and don't apply polish or wax. I use a good plastic cleaner and polish on the center medallions. When I reassemble I put a couple of drops of light household oil on the hex head screws. It makes it easier to get them in and then off at a later date. If you have any individual parts of your wheel covers that need replacing I am sure that any of the many ROA vendors can get you the pieces you need. Be careful if you buy components from someone that is not a Riviera person. Some of the other GM lines also used this wheel cover set up and the components may not fit/work even though they look the same. Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telriv Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 For a quickie job you could put them in the dishwasher IF your not looking for perfection. Just don't tell the Mrs. Tom T. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZRIV Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 18 hours ago, Turbinator said: Mitch, there is an outstanding tutorial on the very subject you are interested in learning. The article I’m referring is in The Riview ROA club magazine. Let me fish out the article. I’ll scan the article and email to a regular emai address. I thought the article was outstanding. The gent that authored the article is Randall Crandal. Turbinator Yes a most excellent article by Randall Crain.....although, Randall Crandal rhymes! LOL 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Apologies to Mr Crane for making a misteak regarding his last name. Will not let it happen again. Thank you Turbinator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 (edited) A very fine demonstration by Mr Mawbey. Painting the black is always a good move. A good substitution might be powder coating ( assuming you know how) the black area powder coat black. But keeping those wheel covers up the way Bill does there is not much chance of any debris gathering real estate on his wheel covers. Great job Edited February 7, 2022 by Turbinator (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Note the orientation of the center emblem to the valve stem location, that way you get it back together exactly like it was built. Don't know if the Buick is the same as other GM vehicles that used a version of the same cap... but the end of the spokes were round some years and hex on other years (if you need to replace spokes) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kegart Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 What is the proper position? I have mine at 6 o'clock. When I got the car they were not all the same. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riviera63 Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 1 hour ago, kegart said: What is the proper position? I have mine at 6 o'clock. When I got the car they were not all the same. Kevin Kevin, Putting on the center medallion with the valve stem hole at the 6 o'clock position is correct. Bill 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted February 9, 2022 Share Posted February 9, 2022 On 2/7/2022 at 7:53 AM, Riviera63 said: Some of the other GM lines also used this wheel cover set up and the components may not fit/work even though they look the same. Chevrolet, Pontiac and Oldsmobile used 14" wheelcovers. The center hub is probably the same as Buick's 15" wire cap; doubtful spokes will interchange though the long ones might. Some Mopar and AMC wire caps also share this design. IIRC Chevrolet wires use the hex spoke ends 1964-67. Would be interesting to know what outside supplier made these wire caps for the carmakers. Change the backplate and center/spinner and only the sharp eye would know they're the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted February 9, 2022 Share Posted February 9, 2022 Some time ago there was a discussion about some differences in the 15” wire spoke wheel covers. When laid on a flat surface side by side, some covers are taller than others. Wonder if they take different length spokes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abandg Posted February 9, 2022 Share Posted February 9, 2022 Ed, they do take different size spokes. Gene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riviera63 Posted February 9, 2022 Share Posted February 9, 2022 7 hours ago, RivNut said: Some time ago there was a discussion about some differences in the 15” wire spoke wheel covers. When laid on a flat surface side by side, some covers are taller than others. Wonder if they take different length spokes? Here are a couple of shots of what Ed is talking about. Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riviera63 Posted February 9, 2022 Share Posted February 9, 2022 Here are a pictures of the backsides a couple of wheel covers that I had refurbished for someone. This shows the backside after being wire brushed, coated with rust reformer and then a coat of satin black. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted February 9, 2022 Share Posted February 9, 2022 5 hours ago, abandg said: Ed, they do take different size spokes. Gene. Gene, a very fine recon of the municipal light post. The pole and the globe truly appear to be original. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Here are pictures of the center chrome hub.... note the height difference. Not sure what cars (covers) used the different height... just for your info if you are buying parts to build a good wire cover. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrlforfun Posted February 12, 2022 Author Share Posted February 12, 2022 So....I get how to dis-assemble and re-assemble and....how to clean' em. How do I make them really sparkle?? The stainless doesn't seem to respond that well to polishes like Wenol or Flitz. Mitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 Are they really stainless or chrome plated? I’m not sure. I had good luck cleaning a set once just by rubbing them up with 0000 steel wool and no chemicals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riviera63 Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 8 hours ago, lrlforfun said: So....I get how to dis-assemble and re-assemble and....how to clean' em. How do I make them really sparkle?? The stainless doesn't seem to respond that well to polishes like Wenol or Flitz. Mitch One thing I have tried that seemed to help is apply the metal polish with some fairly coarse steel wool. Otherwise, the discs are stainless steel so they can be polished using buffing/polishing compounds. I would imagine the outer edge could be done on a buffing wheel but, you would need a Dremel or similar tool to do the inner areas. Since the disc is stainless you can also sand out scratches before the buffing/polishing. The spinner and center disc are chrome plated pot metal. If those pieces are a problem either replace with a better piece or rechrome. There should be plenty of good pieces out there with the various ROA vendors. I have had one of my spinners rechromed and it is beautiful. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 The bent spoke and the big part that attaches to the wheel are the only stainless part....everything else is chrome plated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodneybeauchamp Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 On 2/12/2022 at 2:11 PM, lrlforfun said: So....I get how to dis-assemble and re-assemble and....how to clean' em. How do I make them really sparkle?? The stainless doesn't seem to respond that well to polishes like Wenol or Flitz. Mitch FWIIW I used a buffing wheel on the spokes as well as some elbow grease with a chrome polish. My preference rather than abrasive steel wool. They came up a treat but do deteriorate over time. Also found the bolts holding the centre hub and the caps need to have the correct size spanner or socket as they are easily rounded. Also you need to make sure when you park that all the Buick Tri-shields are positioned correctly and not upside down. 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 Rodney 😊😊😊😊😊😊 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 1 hour ago, rodneybeauchamp said: Also you need to make sure when you park that all the Buick Tri-shields are positioned correctly and not upside down. Heh. I've never had a problem correctly orienting GM wire cap spinners/centers, but 1964 Oldsmobiles could have a nice wheelcover with a heavy 3-bar spinner and a plastic center. Here's what it should look like. Notice orientation of the Rocket center. I have several of them (thankfully nicer than this ebay sale) that no matter how I reassemble them, the plastic center Rocket ends up aligned with one of the spinner bars. Only thing I can figure is they were service replacements and not as much care was taken to make sure they were right. The keyways on the plastic center are in a different location than the originals. Maybe I ought to get that one and clean it up! Then I'd have enough for three 64 Oldsmobiles! Did Buick do any nonsense like that in the service parts market? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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