63 Wheel Covers - Early and Late

[Thomas S.]

I have a late 63 with early 63 wheel covers (frosted). A few questions

I suppose it's a possibility that early 63 covers may have been put on the car by a previous owner but I think that is unlikely. The early 63 covers are in excellent to very good shape so I am a little suspicious about whether they are real or repro's.

How would one tell if the early 63 wheel covers were original? Are there any stamp marks, or other clues. I realize that these wheels contain many individual component parts which could have been replaced.

From other threads it appears that the early 63 frosting was simply paint applied over the polished SS and that the paint could be removed and the underlying SS polished - In effect yielding a correct late 63 wheel cover. Is this correct?

Tom

[John D.]

Re: 63 Wheel Covers - Early and Late

Tom, The frosted wheel covers are thicker on the rim-going around the perimater than the later wheel covers. Frosted wheel covers with or without paint stand out in the crowd.
Too bad they didn't make them thick for the entire year. John

[Thomas S.]

Re: 63 Wheel Covers - Early and Late

when you say frosted with or without the paint, I'm not sure what you meant. If the covers do not have the paint then they would not be frosted. Did you mean 63 covers with or without the paint (frosted)

Either way, how would one differentiate between the real deal and a repro?

[John D.]

Re: 63 Wheel Covers - Early and Late

Tom, Was typing to fast as should be asleep. Saying that if you took the paint off/from a frosted cap one could still tell that the cap had a thicker rim than the polished ones.
I don't know a thing about a repro '63 wheel cover. Good night. John

[Keith W.]

Re: 63 Wheel Covers - Early and Late

63-64 NCRS JM says page 70 early 63 wheel covers up to approx vin 2500 have the frosted raised center portion - I didn't realize the frosting was paint I thought wrongly that the process was similar to that spray you put on Windows to make it look non see through. Keith

[Frank D.]

Re: 63 Wheel Covers - Early and Late

Who makes repros - never seen 'em anywhere ?
I know they make the cap spinners and somebody sells the spokes but never seen the platters reproduced...

[Thomas S.]

Re: 63 Wheel Covers - Early and Late

If no one makes repro's then that would actually mean the wheels I currently have are authentic even though they are incorrect for my later 63. That also means I wouldn't want to polish off the frosting since they are probably rare given they were only used on roughly 2500 cars.

[Loren L.]

Re: 63 Wheel Covers - Early and Late

I'm unconvinced that frosted =s thicker - more likely it was more than one supplier. I have a set of hubcaps made up of 2 unpainted and 2 frosted with the paint removed and there is no discernible difference in "thickness".

[Thomas S.]

Re: 63 Wheel Covers - Early and Late

I've also been told the same. That it is highly unlikely that a tooling change would have been made. From a reputable restorer, The covers are SS with a chrome plate then painted. The recommendation was to remove the paint to see the condition of the underlying plating and then polish If the results are not good then a re-chrome would be the next step.

[Edward J.]

Re: 63 Wheel Covers - Early and Late

I'm unconvinced that frosted =s thicker - more likely it was more than one supplier. I have a set of hubcaps made up of 2 unpainted and 2 frosted with the paint removed and there is no discernible difference in "thickness".

Loren, I am with you, I have set of each and I really do not see any difference or maybe I am bind.

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63 Wheel Covers - Early and Late

Over the 53 years with my late 63 original caps, i wished they did have thicker outer rims. The many times on and off tends to dent the rims even using a wood block or rubber hammer as I did. They still look good, but if you look close you can see the impressions.

Stu Fox