hub cap identification

[timecapsule]

When I bought my 1930 Hudson, it came with a number of boxes with unrelated stuff in them.  One thing is this hub cap.  It sort of threads on to my wheel, but it's slightly larger.  The diameter of the outside of the threads on my Hudson wheel is 66.24 mm. So just over 2 1/2"  and the tpi is 16

Does anyone recognize this hub cap?

[dodge28]

I think the thread is a 2 and a half. The logo looks like a Chrysler

[timecapsule]

27 minutes ago, dodge28 said:

I think the thread is a 2 and a half. The logo looks like a Chrysler

That was perhaps my first guess, but I don't know if Chrysler came out with the pattern that far back. I'm going to suggest it's for a wooden spoke wheel as opposed to wire wheel, because of it's small size.  I find it curious that there is no branding on it.  I doubt that there were generic aftermarket companies making hub caps back then.

[Mark Wetherbee]

I think it’s an aftermarket for a light six Studebaker from the early 20’s

[timecapsule]

4 minutes ago, Mark Wetherbee said:

I think it’s an aftermarket for a light six Studebaker from the early 20’s

So you think that there were aftermarket companies making hub caps back then?

[Mark Wetherbee]

25 minutes ago, timecapsule said:

So you think that there were aftermarket companies making hub caps back then?

Absolutely! Usually they have a non-factory logo so as to avoid any copyright issues but there’s several common ones for Ford, Buick, Studebaker, Chrysler, Chevrolet, etc. not to mention Bool and Fool scripts on the A Ford ones… 

 

I will try to find a few in a reference book tomorrow to post for you, I’m pretty sure that one you show is there too.

[timecapsule]

1 minute ago, Mark Wetherbee said:

Absolutely! Usually they have a non-factory logo so as to avoid any copyright issues but there’s several common ones for Ford, Buick, Studebaker, Chrysler, Chevrolet, etc. not to mention Bool and Fool scripts on the A Ford ones… 

 

I will try to find a few in a reference book tomorrow to post for you, I’m pretty sure that one you show is there too.

You're quite right about them looking like a 20's Studebaker hub cap

[JV Puleo]

16TPI was the SAE standard for all extra fine threads over 1-1/4 (or 1-1/2) inches. Because of that, all that was needed was the hub width so it was quite practical to make aftermarket hub caps.

Edited March 6, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history)

[13Caddy2]

My 1922 Studebaker came with 4 of those--

[keiser31]

2 hours ago, Mark Wetherbee said:

I think it’s an aftermarket for a light six Studebaker from the early 20’s

I agree.

[dodge28]

I think there were aftermarket stuff back then. Model T were modified for almost anything that moved.

[wayne sheldon]

Great responses! I agree most likely a generic replacement for a common Studebaker hubcap.

When I got my 1925 Studebaker standard six (criminy that was almost fifty years ago!?), it needed some hubcaps. The first thing I found was two beautiful New-Old-Stock generic hubcaps for it! The face pattern was different than this hubcap. The ones I had had in place of the boxy "S" was two rectangular boxes that mimicked the boxy "S" on the real Studebaker hubcaps. Otherwise, they appeared to be an exact match. Certainly, Studebaker would have had no reason to use fake logos on a genuine hubcap manufactured by or for themselves. So it must have been a generic replacement. I showed them to a few Studebaker experts, and they told me they had seen ones like them before and that they were after-market replacements.

I never did use them on my car. Before the car was ready for them, I found enough genuine and easily repairable original Studebaker hubcaps. I sometimes wish I had kept those two after-market hubcaps. I let them go with the car when I needed to sell it a few years later. But they were sure nice looking!

 

The OP's with that different face pattern is likely an after-market cap from a different company? There were a couple other cars using somewhat similar size and shape hubcaps. Perhaps these were hoped to be workable for some other car as well?

[timecapsule]

4 minutes ago, wayne sheldon said:

Great responses! I agree most likely a generic replacement for a common Studebaker hubcap.

When I got my 1925 Studebaker standard six (criminy that was almost fifty years ago!?), it needed some hubcaps. The first thing I found was two beautiful New-Old-Stock generic hubcaps for it! The face pattern was different than this hubcap. The ones I had had in place of the boxy "S" was two rectangular boxes that mimicked the boxy "S" on the real Studebaker hubcaps. Otherwise, they appeared to be an exact match. Certainly, Studebaker would have had no reason to use fake logos on a genuine hubcap manufactured by or for themselves. So it must have been a generic replacement. I showed them to a few Studebaker experts, and they told me they had seen ones like them before and that they were after-market replacements.

I never did use them on my car. Before the car was ready for them, I found enough genuine and easily repairable original Studebaker hubcaps. I sometimes wish I had kept those two after-market hubcaps. I let them go with the car when I needed to sell it a few years later. But they were sure nice looking!

 

The OP's with that different face pattern is likely an after-market cap from a different company? There were a couple other cars using somewhat similar size and shape hubcaps. Perhaps these were hoped to be workable for some other car as well?

Thanks for all that info.  You might be right about fitting various cars.  Like I said it sort of screws on to my '30 Hudson wheel.  But if I jiggle it enough I can get it to come off without turning it.  But it is a close fit.  

[TexRiv_63]

Reproduction hubcaps have always been around, in both generic and factory style. They were especially prevalent in the 20s and 30s when aluminum was the metal of choice for OEM caps. That material was not very durable and subject to corrosion and easy damage since most wood wheel grease caps stuck out pretty far from the tire sidewall. I also think many factory style repro caps were made later for more common brands when prewar restoration or refurbishment was more common.

[timecapsule]

4 minutes ago, TexRiv_63 said:

Reproduction hubcaps have always been around, in both generic and factory style. They were especially prevalent in the 20s and 30s when aluminum was the metal of choice for OEM caps. That material was not very durable and subject to corrosion and easy damage since most wood wheel grease caps stuck out pretty far from the tire sidewall. I also think many factory style repro caps were made later for more common brands when prewar restoration or refurbishment was more common.

Yes, this one has certainly had its fair share of wear and tear.

[Mark Wetherbee]

That exact one is not in the book I was thinking of but here’s a picture of the Chevrolet group of which two are aftermarket, and the Ford section showing one aftermarket with a fake logo and two others with grease fittings installed to simplify the lubrication of the front bearings.

 

These are from the book”Antique Automotive Collectibles” by Jack Martells

Edited March 6, 2023 by Mark Wetherbee
Adding copyright info (see edit history)

[timecapsule]

6 hours ago, Mark Wetherbee said:

That exact one is not in the book I was thinking of but here’s a picture of the Chevrolet group of which two are aftermarket, and the Ford section showing one aftermarket with a fake logo and two others with grease fittings installed to simplify the lubrication of the front bearings.

 

These are from the book”Antique Automotive Collectibles” by Jack Martells

Great stuff.  Looks like a fascinating book.  I'll keep my eyes open for it at the local used book stores and at up coming swap meets

[keiser31]

3 hours ago, timecapsule said:

Great stuff.  Looks like a fascinating book.  I'll keep my eyes open for it at the local used book stores and at up coming swap meets

It's a really good book, but has some wrong "identifying" information in spots. I use the book a lot for references.

[8E45E]

On 3/5/2023 at 8:43 PM, dodge28 said:

Model T were modified for almost anything that moved.

The first "Tuner" car in the world.

 

Craig

[Hubcap-collector]

This is an original Studebaker hubcap for Big Six models in 1919-1921. There was an aftermarket version of this cap had a more condensed 6 triangle design painted red with a black and sometimes red painted frame around it. The original caps have the black triangles that go to the edge of the removal hex with no frame and also have a black pin stripe on the very edge of the cap.  

[Paul Dobbin]

Remember when Ford replacement hubcaps said Fool?

[keiser31]

Just now, Paul Dobbin said:

Remember when Ford replacement hubcaps said Fool?

Some said, "BOOL".

 

[timecapsule]

8 hours ago, Paul Dobbin said:

Remember when Ford replacement hubcaps said Fool?

No, actually I don't remember that.  Fill me in on the story?

[keiser31]

1 hour ago, timecapsule said:

No, actually I don't remember that.  Fill me in on the story?

Aftermarket 1928-29 Ford Model A cap. Made that way to not infringe on the copyright.

Edited March 27, 2023 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[timecapsule]

12 hours ago, keiser31 said:

Aftermarket 1928-29 Ford Model A cap. Made that way to not infringe on the copyright.

Is there any documented history on these aftermarket companies?

[keiser31]

2 minutes ago, timecapsule said:

Is there any documented history on these aftermarket companies?

I believe J.C.Whitney was one company that made them.