Turbine Posted March 27, 2022 Share Posted March 27, 2022 Does anybody know of a person or a company that restores cast turbine wheel covers. Mine show pray marks where people tried to remove them. One of the have a broken stud and a stripped boss. The other one has a stripped boss as well. Other than that they are in decent condition. thanks. Turbine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kegart Posted March 27, 2022 Share Posted March 27, 2022 Bob Burnopp , aka Turbinator. Bob has a ad in the ROA magazine. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted March 27, 2022 Share Posted March 27, 2022 2 hours ago, kegart said: Bob Burnopp , aka Turbinator. Bob has a ad in the ROA magazine. Kevin Address him here on the site in this way: @Turbinator and he’ll be advised through his email that you’re trying to reach him. When you put the @ and start typing the user name, you’ll get choices. When you see the user name you’re wanting (and in Bob’s case a picture of a turbine wheel cove) click on it and it will go into the style I showed above. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 (edited) 6 hours ago, Turbine said: One of the have a broken stud and a stripped boss. The other one has a stripped boss as well. Other than that they are in decent condition. thanks. Turbine Turbine, I restore, rebuild with TIG welding, recondition, refurbish the cast aluminum turbines. Repairs are reasonable. If the time and effort get out of hand to weld then reconfigure the weld metal to copy the original contour it may be economical to get another turbine in completed condition. All my wheel covers come with new old reproduction stock emblems. My emblems look like they are original. A completed turbine wheel cover with center cap, spinner, and emblem start at $250.00 and can reach $400.00 each. The $400 wheel cover has newly USA chromed SPINNERS that are flawless. Of course the $250.00 wheel cover will have been repaired and the spinner will have minor pitting. Another way to do this you send pics and I can quote a trade in on your turbines toward a completely refreshed set. Almost forgot, all the turbine webs and vanes are powder coated. Edited March 28, 2022 by Turbinator (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 2 hours ago, RivNut said: Address him here on the site in this way: @Turbinator and he’ll be advised through his email that you’re trying to reach him. When you put the @ and start typing the user name, you’ll get choices. When you see the user name you’re wanting (and in Bob’s case a picture of a turbine wheel cove) click on it and it will go into the style I showed above. Ed, thank you for your assistance in steering a prospective customer my way. Turbinator 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 I have bought one of Ed's 63 repro center emblems and can vouch for it's quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 3 hours ago, TexRiv_63 said: I have bought one of Ed's 63 repro center emblems and can vouch for it's quality. Should read Bob's repo center emblems. As have I. Excellent quality. Ed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kegart Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 Bob also has the smaller emblems for the wire hubcaps. I think he is the only one that has the silver tri shield for '63 Rivieras. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbine Posted March 29, 2022 Author Share Posted March 29, 2022 Thanks for the info. Greatly appreciated. I’ll contact him for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr914 Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 On 3/27/2022 at 8:27 PM, Turbinator said: Turbine, I restore, rebuild with TIG welding, recondition, refurbish the cast aluminum turbines. Repairs are reasonable. If the time and effort get out of hand to weld then reconfigure the weld metal to copy the original contour it may be economical to get another turbine in completed condition. All my wheel covers come with new old reproduction stock emblems. My emblems look like they are original. A completed turbine wheel cover with center cap, spinner, and emblem start at $250.00 and can reach $400.00 each. The $400 wheel cover has newly USA chromed SPINNERS that are flawless. Of course the $250.00 wheel cover will have been repaired and the spinner will have minor pitting. Another way to do this you send pics and I can quote a trade in on your turbines toward a completely refreshed set. Almost forgot, all the turbine webs and vanes are powder coated. beautiful work. I will never forget the time my Dad took ours to the tire shop to install new tires, and the tire monkeys used a lug wrench pry bar to try to remove the "wheel covers" and broke them!!!!!!!!!!! Thankfully back then one could purchase new ones. My Dad was on a limited budget when we bought our Riv in may of 64 so could not afford the more expensive wire wheel covers, so got the turbines. NOW they have become the rarest because of the tire monkeys and I have become a turbine wheel "BOLT ON" hoarder having six sets (not that mine will EVER be broken again) but memories (good or bad) add to ones life 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeJS Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 7 hours ago, dr914 said: I will never forget the time my Dad took ours to the tire shop to install new tires, and the tire monkeys used a lug wrench pry bar to try to remove the "wheel covers" and broke them!!!!!!!!!!! Kinda like these… I subsequently found a replacement and refurbished it myself for the one that was broken completely. I then cleaned the broken one up and put it on my spare. The one with a chunk out is pending repair. Both were broken when someone tried to steal the hubcaps back in the early ‘90’s. From the pics I’ve seen of Turbinator’s work, and the amount of time and effort it takes to restore these turbines, and notwithstanding powder coated, I would say well worth his asking price. (Unfortunately I probably couldn’t afford the shipping…) Maybe a little biased, but they are the coolest covers on the first gen Riv… Later, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 dr914, Six sets of turbines is amazing. Fortunately, I’ve got inventory to cover demand. I’ve found many car collectors have deep pockets but short arms. I put a lot of work and invested in tools and equipment to bring the turbines to market looking like yours on your Riviera. i enjoy seeing people displaying the turbine covers. Turbinator 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 Mike, Concur. The turbines are my favorite wheel covers. The turbines bolt on feature lets you know the turbines are not coming off AND the give the appearance of being a wheel. Doing your restoration is satisfying. I take my restoration as far as I can go then get help to bring the project to a finish. It will come together on your schedule . Enjoy Turbinator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Curran Posted April 1, 2022 Share Posted April 1, 2022 You can't beat the turbines. Just classy looking! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbine Posted April 1, 2022 Author Share Posted April 1, 2022 Turbinator. Over. Turbine here. Over. email. erik.hoisington@charter.net looking forward to talking to you. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr914 Posted April 2, 2022 Share Posted April 2, 2022 On 3/31/2022 at 7:34 PM, MikeJS said: Kinda like these… I subsequently found a replacement and refurbished it myself for the one that was broken completely. I then cleaned the broken one up and put it on my spare. The one with a chunk out is pending repair. Both were broken when someone tried to steal the hubcaps back in the early ‘90’s. From the pics I’ve seen of Turbinator’s work, and the amount of time and effort it takes to restore these turbines, and notwithstanding powder coated, I would say well worth his asking price. (Unfortunately I probably couldn’t afford the shipping…) Maybe a little biased, but they are the coolest covers on the first gen Riv… Later, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr914 Posted April 2, 2022 Share Posted April 2, 2022 those are very sad to see pictures!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted April 3, 2022 Share Posted April 3, 2022 18 hours ago, dr914 said: those are very sad to see pictures!! They can be resurrected with a good TIG welder and patience forming the weld metal to comply with contour. I found washing the turbine often during the polishing phase helps clear the path for the shine. The hard part about the process is shining the turbine seems to have its own personality. Powder coating the webs and vanes gives the turbine protection against oxidation for a l o n g time. I’ll save you powder coat stories. In my opinion the turbine wheel cover looks just perfect on the 63 and 64 Riviera. I am partial to the center cap assembly I put on my TruSpoke stainless wire wheels. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGerman Posted April 9, 2022 Share Posted April 9, 2022 Off topic, but I would like to See the American racing turbine wheels ( unfortunately discontinued) on a 1st gen Riviera. I guess they were too expensive ( custom build) and did not sell very good. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 On 4/9/2022 at 11:29 AM, OldGerman said: Off topic, but I would like to See the American racing turbine wheels ( unfortunately discontinued) on a 1st gen Riviera. I guess they were too expensive ( custom build) and did not sell very good. Quite the design. Shame they did not sell very well. Turbinator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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