VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 1929 Steel Wheels Hub Caps

I am getting the CHE-044 just debating on t unpolished or polished... scanning my copy of "A Pictorial History of Chevrolet 1929-1939"

I notice in the photos shown the unpolished have rough casting look at the hex flats? Not fussy about that look. The polished look more like the original is this respect. I would probably go for the polished myself due to this.

I am 99.5% confident that the original hub caps were polished. With other shiny parts gleaming in the sun, matte finished hub caps would look like $#!^ so to speak.

I agree. Going with the polished hub caps is a no brainer.

I saw a local Craigs list ad for a rear axle and it had those hubcaps on it. Not in the greatest shape. For some reason this thread is being sent to my private Email and I have checked all preference settings and it should not be happening. I do agree with the above that the polished would look best and probably easiest to maintain.

Does Gary Wallace sell the 1929 hubcaps for the disc wheels?

His web site list them but you would have to call to see if they are in stock.

1929 Hub Cap With Chevrolet in Bow Tie (for disc. wheels) (Polished) UC 150.00ea
probably same supplier as the others... he may have some used ones as well, have to call

Try the Usual Suspects
*Gary Wallace at Early Chevrolet Parts (314) 293-1991 Missouri
*Lonny Ekstrand at Stanleys Parts (817) 478-7265 Texas
*Bruce Bugay at bwbugay@aol.com (Posts on here as chevy b) Virginia

These three all deal with NOS, NORS, USED parts n pieces and who I turn to when looking for something i can not find on eBay, and they all have been very helpful. Actually been out to Bruce's Place and met with him, very nice guy randomly posts on here as well and sells on eBay a lot, just does NOT list everything he has.

can someone validate the thread diameter and thread per inch for the 1929 hub cap and mating thread.

unfortunately my thread gauge will not FIT in the area to measure it. looks to be approx 2-3/8" diameter. my thread gauge is the L-type worked great till now and it is too big @!

gonna have to order another thread pitch gauge (smaller compact style)

any easy way to chase the threads inside the cap to clean them up any ??

2 3/8-16. Don't think I've ever seen a tap that big but who knows.

Any good machine shop should be able to do it with the thread cutter. You have to be SUPER careful chucking them up, because they are really soft. Use the four-jaw chuck, some protective tape, and a dial indicator.

All the Best, Chip

thanks guys !! these are the repros i got

they are cast and a LOT thicker and heavier then the stamped aluminum ones i have.

here are some pictures of the original caps I have as well the hub on the car they screw onto.

Here are some of the Repro Hub Caps

well decided to clean up the chewed up threads on the hubs, as well as chase the threads on my new repro hub caps. problem is they are 2-3/8-16 threads, which is non-standard as well as being a big thread. after talking to a few machine shops around and figuring would have to go lathe, i found a tap and a die on ebay the tap said it was used but in great shape, the die was listed as new. they arrived and when i opened them up they both looked  new never used !! got them from 2 different sellers funny thing they both were in California  got them for a good price considering they usually run about $200-250 each !! that is my price through work.

got them in last nigh and cleaned/chased the threads on the hubs

oh yeah in order to chase the hubs, i did not have a large enough wrench 3.75" across flats to get on the die, so i got it started by hand. then had to use my strap wrench to spin and thread it on. that worked great. i backed it off and ran one more time to ensure clean threads. now it goes on and off completely by hand !!  man what a difference !!!

try to tackle the hub caps this weekend...  

I now own a tap and die that big :)

took and chased the threads on the repro hubcaps tonight. that tap cuts that aluminum like BUTTER !!
was very easy and simple to do. i secured the tap in my bench vise, then get teh cap started on the tap and used my strap wrench and threaded wach one on till it bottomed out. then back it off.

now they screw on very easily and smoothly on the hubs i cleaned up last night !!