VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 1936 Standard Artillery Wheel Hubcap woes...

Just received a set of four CR-155 caps from The Filling Station. Beauty stainless, Official GM resto parts, sparkle like the stars...and don't fit. If there's anything I detest, its paying twice for shipping on something I can't use....'
I have two sets of artillery wheels and they are all the same. There is a 1/4" band of steel spot welded on the wheel around the inside edge of the hubcap lip. If this welded flange wasn't there, the cap might seat into the rim as it should, but there would still be no mechanical way for the cap to grip the wheel. The back ring of the cap is smooth and has a slight inward taper towards the center. I can't see how that design would fit on ANY wheel. I do have one beat up cap between my two cars. The inner mounting lip goes straight inside this welded flange and held in place by a spring clip on opposite sides of the cap.
Is this a Canadian thing, or what?? I have been watching on-line auctions, flipping thru parts books, etc, but have never seen anything that even looks close for my wheels?? HELP PLEASE!!! I can send a short video to your email if you care to see what I'm up against....
Thanks as always...
KenO

As Australian cars were sourced from Canada the situation is probably the same. Two types of wheels were used. The first were the same as used on US cars. These used the same skin as the 1934-5 Standard but were held on by clips that were riveted to the wheel. The second type used a hubcap that looked a bit like a 1935 Oldsmobile cap. These were held on by spring loaded clips that are riveted on to the cap in the same manner as the 1934-5 caps. CR 155 caps are for 1935-6 Masters.

I think the Filling Station took over Jim Carter Classic Truck Parts but their old phone was 816.833.1913 The part number for Jim Carter's hub cap was TR128, "Hub Cap 35-36 SS with bow tie emblem" This fit the 17" Artillery Wheel. Now that was way back in 2008. Good luck.

The caps had Jim Carter lables on them as well as a TR-128 part number, along with the F/Stn CR-155 number. Check out my video www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AUFdO8sGM0 and see what I'm up against.
Thanks KenO

Your one original cap is the type I referred to. They have never been reproduced. You may have better luck obtaining the other style of wheel (USA type) as the caps for those are more common.

Well there you have it. Thanks 345chevy. Now I'm gonna hafta think about this. Maybe I'll just keep the caps and fab up some custom mounting..... I'm sure I'm not the only Royal Subject looking at this same issue.

The caps you purchased are for a Master series car or 1/2 ton pickup. There was a version for wire spoke wheel and one for artillery wheel. Both for a larger hole (6 bolt wheel) than yours. '36 Standards produced for the U.S. market had artillery wheels with regular clips riveted to the wheel to retain the hub caps. Your wheels appear to have been made to accept the same cap as the wire spoke wheel for '34 and '35 Standard series cars. I could not get a good look at the face of your original cap but it does not appear to be the same as the '34/'35, U.S. Standard series cap. The glimpse I caught of the back of your cap confirms that it is made like a wire wheel cap.
The U.S. version of the Standard cap is reproduced by Jim Carter (even though he is a truck guy) and is available from him, on eBay often, and from The Filling Station, and possibly some other sources. They might not have the correct look for your Canadian car but they should fit and look good. I don't believe a cap looking like yours was ever used on a U.S. model Chevy.
If the catalog listing was unclear and did not differentiate between Master and Standard series cars, I would ask the vendor to pay the return shipping. They may not have known, as I would not have known, that Canadian cars used a different cap. I have owned my '35 Standard since 1973 and have been a student of mid 30s Chevys for all this time. I do not recall ever seeing your wheel or hearing any reference to the Canadian wheel being different from our U.S. models. U.S. made Pontiacs used a 6 hole artillery wheel with the ring instead of clips. Good luck with your projects.

Mike

The inside ring of a 1934-5 Standard hubcap is 63/4" in diameter (the part that holds the clips). I am pretty sure that Canadian cap is larger so I doubt the repro hubcaps will fit but be interested to find otherwise.

Thanks for all the insights. I'll post more info on the original CDN cap this evening.

Ken,
I looked at my Filling Station catalog and the listing, for the cap you bought, identifies it as correct for Master Deluxe models.
If the back ring of your original cap is 6-3/4 inches as mentioned by 345chevy above, I think the U.S. version wire wheel cap ('34/'35) will work for you. The artillery wheel cap for '36 Standard (U.S.) used the same outer skin as the '34/'35 cap, but was designed to be held in place by the regular looking clips as used on almost all car wheels into the 50s.

Mike

Hello 35Mike and 345chevy,
I have the original cap in my hand, and the back ring measures just under 7-1/8", the opening in the wheel, a hair over 7-1/8". At this point, I don't care what the outer skin design is, as long as I can get it to stay on my wheel. I do have a coupe of extra rims. I'm thinking about cutting off the inner flange ring on the rim and if the new cap itself will seat properly inside, then I'll install "SA-136" retaining clips??

I just checked the size of my '35 Standard cap. 345 is correct. The back ring measures 6 3/4 inches. The front will cover 7 3/4 inches.
Your clip idea will work if you can find the right cap. No clip type cap is being reproduced for '36 Standard.

Mike

If I can get out to my storage unit this weekend, I'll grab an extra rim and see what I can come up with. If I can figure something out, I'll post it on video...
Thanks Mike,

KenO

Hello 35Mike. I sent you a pm........

The frustration continues......click the link, see the short video. www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVVQTu6ubDE
Crap.

You may have to change the wheel rims to American in order to get hub caps that fit. I Know the frustration you have. Are you able to go to Argentina on the net to look for that hub cap? I have had some success in finding parts in Argentina. Also, there are parts available in Italy. I have found a parts supplier for a German friend of mine there. Keep looking it's like an Easter Egg Hunt. Good luck.

My thoughts are that as Ken lives in Canada then that is the place to look for originals. I am pretty certain that the skins on these caps are stainless steel and as they dont protrude a lot they generally are not subject to too much damage so should not be too hard to repair and polish. I used to see them quite often at swap meets years ago here in Australia.

Yes, they seem to be everywhere....before you own an old Chevy. Half the fun is in the pursuit, I'll give you that!

Ken,
As I told you in an earlier post, the caps you bought are for a Master series car and 1/2 ton pickup. They are clearly identified as such in the Filling Station catalog where you bought them. They are made for a larger opening on a 6 bolt wheel. The cap that will be the correct size for the opening in your wheel is a Standard series cap.
You can ad clips but there is still no '36 Standard cap available on the reproduction market.
The '34/'35 Standard series cap is made like your original but for a smaller opening. If you can fashion an adapter ring with the proper size opening, you can tack weld them in place and use the '34/'35 Standard cap which can be found regularly on eBay for about $63.00 each.
It is unlikely that the skin on your original cap is stainless steel. It is probably chrome plated brass.

Mike

Tacking in a larger ring might be a good idea. Mike. But first, I'm gonna start a Canada-wide want-ad blitz in an attempt to find a few. There will be a couple of swap meets in the spring I will be travelling to as well, so you never know. You idea might win out tho....Thanks man.
KenO

Ken,
You are on the right path. If you can find the correct cap, that is your best bet .

Mike

Hello Mike, I've been trying to get a hold of you directly and thru PM!!! Check your junk folder!!