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A closer look at wheelcovers

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  • A closer look at wheelcovers

    I've restored a few sets of wheel covers lately. Usually I try to stay away from them as they're all a pain, but I do enjoy the challenges that they present. Most of the covers I redo for customers are ones that aren't being reproduced, so a lot of times there's no other options for a restorer, than to have the original covers restored. One of the 'cool factors' of getting up close and personal with a Studebaker part, is that sometimes it can show you things that you'd never otherwise notice.

    I liked the smooth '56 wheelcovers on my '57 wagon so much that I restored and sold the spoked '57 covers. A Forum member bought them for his '56 Golden Hawk. (Ironic huh?) All four of them had this scratched into the back side. All four are identical and I've never seen this before. The wagon is an early car with body number 16. I can only surmise that since it's such an early car, that these are very early '57 spoked wheelcovers.

    The hammer marks aren't factory.



    Another interesting note is that a lot of the full wheel covers have the manufacturer's name stamped into one of the mounting tabs. All of the ones I've seen were made by Lyon. I wonder if they made all of the other stainless trim for Studes?

    A '58 Packard wheel cover.



    1950 was the first year that Studebaker used a full one piece wheel cover. The 50-52 full wheel covers have 8 evenly spaced mounting tabs, whereas the 53-66 ones have 12 tabs, in 4 groups of 3, instead of all of them being evenly spaced.

    Here's a '50 Commander wheel cover. Every other tab has something stamped into it.









    I have a non-production, experimental '50 Commander wheel cover that has the same stampings on the tabs as the production version.

    I've looked at several dog dish caps (from a '32 Rockne cap to a '62 Champ 3/4 ton cap, and several in between), and none of them that I have here have any sign of who produced it.

    I also recently restored a set of '55 Speedster wire basket covers and hubcaps, and neither the basket or the center cap had any sign of who made them.

    Hopefully someone will find this pile of useless information as entertaining as I.

  • #2
    Interesting trivia Matt, the most interesting to me is that "S-57-4010" on the spoked AC-2799 "Golden Hawk" Cover.
    It could be a lot of things like the tool number or contract number, just odd it's '57 and not '56.
    "S" = Studebaker, 57 = 1957 and the "number".

    I know it was supposed to be available on all '56 to '58 Studes. and a Dealer would put them on anything, but I call them GH because that is where they are most commonly seen. Also they seemed to first appear on '57's for some reason I never saw any on any new '56's, though nowdays some may have them.
    StudeRich
    Second Generation Stude Driver,
    Proud '54 Starliner Owner
    SDC Member Since 1967

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    • #3
      Matthew - I also find this sort of thing interesting.

      I hope that the guy has a late 1956 Golden Hawk. It has been my understanding that the "Speedster style" covers are a correct option for early 1956 Golden Hawks and the "fake spoked" style were a correct option for late 1956 Golden Hawks.

      A while ago, there was a feature article in Turning Wheels about the Lyon Company. This was separate from the various wheelcover articles.

      I hope that you were not inconvenienced by the recent storms in northern Georgia.
      Gary L.
      Wappinger, NY

      SDC member since 1968
      Studebaker enthusiast much longer

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      • #4
        I've never noticed Lyon stamped into the sides of a wheel cover. I have a pile of them upstairs, I'll check them out.
        Chris Dresbach

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        • #5
          Originally posted by StudeRich View Post
          Interesting trivia Matt, the most interesting to me is that "S-57-4010" on the spoked AC-2799 "Golden Hawk" Cover.
          It could be a lot of things like the tool number or contract number, just odd it's '57 and not '56.
          "S" = Studebaker, 57 = 1957 and the "number".

          I know it was supposed to be available on all '56 to '58 Studes. and a Dealer would put them on anything, but I call them GH because that is where they are most commonly seen. Also they seemed to first appear on '57's for some reason I never saw any on any new '56's, though nowdays some may have them.
          Actually the AC2799 was introduced in February 1956 about midway through the 1956 model run (note the date on the lower right of the flier below). They were available on any Studebaker car. They were also available (and in the original accessory catalogs) for all Studebakers thru the 1961 model year. I had them reproduced about 7-8 years ago and still have a few sets left ($500 set of four). In some respects the reproductions are better than the originals. I find it interesting that some people will go through a lot of time, trouble and expense to have originals repaired than buying the reproductions for a lot less money.

          Richard Quinn
          Editor emeritus: Antique Studebaker Review

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          • #6
            When there's only minimal damage to repair, the cost of restoration is most times less than the cost of reproduction.

            Not to take away from your reproductions, Mr. Q. There have certainly been situations where a wheel cover was damaged to an extent that I insisted that the owner swing for new ones.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Studebaker Wheel View Post
              Actually the AC2799 was introduced in February 1956 about midway through the 1956 model run (note the date on the lower right of the flier below).
              Actually Studebaker Engineering Dept. released AC# 2799 Spoke Type Wheel Covers even further back ...on 12-6-55.

              Originally posted by Studebaker Wheel View Post
              I had them reproduced about 7-8 years ago and still have a few sets left ($500 set of four). In some respects the reproductions are better than the originals. I find it interesting that some people will go through a lot of time, trouble and expense to have originals repaired than buying the reproductions for a lot less money.
              I really like Studebaker International's repros of AC -2799 ...and they are only $125. each.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Welcome View Post
                Actually Studebaker Engineering Dept. released AC# 2799 Spoke Type Wheel Covers even further back ...on 12-6-55.



                I really like Studebaker International's repros of AC -2799 ...and they are only $125. each.
                Thanks Studebaker International buys them from me! I also sell mine by the pair for $250.
                Richard Quinn
                Editor emeritus: Antique Studebaker Review

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Studebaker Wheel View Post
                  Studebaker International buys them from me!<<<
                  Of course I knew that!

                  Question for you: Did you have two ...or more ...re-production runs made of the AC-2799? I was not overly impressed with the first ones I saw years back, but the ones I've seen recently at S/I are excellent!!!
                  Last edited by Welcome; 12-28-2011, 04:41 PM.

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                  • #10
                    The third grade comes rushing back to me!
                    Isn't $125 each the same as $500 a set? Isn't 2 for $250 the same as $500 dollars a set? Where is the profit? Capitalism is so complicated!

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Welcome View Post
                      Of course I knew that!

                      Question for you: Did you have two ...or more ...re-production runs made of the AC-2799? I was not overly impressed with the first ones I saw years back, but the ones I've seen recently at S/I are excellent!!!
                      No all were made at the same time. For awhile I was using an original as my sample when I set up at the May meet in South Bend. You may have looked at that one and thought it was one of the reproductions.
                      Richard Quinn
                      Editor emeritus: Antique Studebaker Review

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Gee, can I get 8 for $1000 ? That would get the cost down to $125 each. I just need to buy 2 cars for them and I can save a ton. LOL Happy New Year ! Unless you're Chinese. In that case I apologize for being politically incorrect.
                        Jim
                        Often in error, never in doubt
                        http://rabidsnailracing.blogspot.com/

                        ____1966 Avanti II RQA 0088_______________1963 Avanti R2 63R3152____________http://rabidsnailracing.blogspot.com/

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                        • #13
                          Whacker, don't be simple. Obviously, they do it with volume!

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                          • #14
                            Well as impressive as that neat flyer is that they sent to Dealer New Car and Parts Depts. obviously it was ignored, because they never appeared in any quantity at all until the release of the New '57's in Sept. 1956.
                            StudeRich
                            Second Generation Stude Driver,
                            Proud '54 Starliner Owner
                            SDC Member Since 1967

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              [/QUOTE]

                              This rases a question for me. That says any car from 1953 to 1956. Personally, I've never seen a '53 (or '54) with '56 wheel covers. Now, that's a print directly from Studebaker. If a 1953 shows up at a show with 1956 wheel covers, would that be concidred incorrect and that car would loose points? I don't know, I don't have a '53 of that kind of quality to nit pick it that far, but just wondering.
                              Chris Dresbach

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