Rudge wheel hup caps

When I was at Road Atlanta last weekend a dude complemented me on my car until he seen it had four lug bolts.And he said O but it is just a volkwagen this from a butthole driving a Kia. So I decided right there to solve that this week .Here is the proto type Rudge wheel hub cap

Nice job, Pete.
That was something I was working on before I switched over to alloys.
I hope you will be making more?
I, for one, would be interested in a set.

Pete-not bad at all. I personally like the knock-off look.

Hmmmm.... I gotta think about that. Nice work, Pete.

KIA = Killed In Action --- surprized they didn't change their name before going world wide.

Nice job - now if you could produce them in aluminum!

You can always paint 'em with some real bright silver paint and then clear coat 'em. That might simulate aluminum pretty well. There may even be "aluminum-look" paints available. I wonder how they'd look on red rims...

Pete, how are they attached to the rim?

Lots of usable info in this thread regarding Rudge-style wheels:

http://www.356registry.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6677

Some neat alternatives to get the look without spending the coin. Maybe some of the low-tech will help you, or others, out.

For the wide five Rudge-style, it's pretty much go wheel skinz with a center spinner or go home.

I took a journey down cellar and grabbed up a few fast items that might work (with some work) for the four lug wheels. Just a quick poke yielded these. Excuse the lack of paint and the junky four lug prop wheel, I just don't have many four lug VW wheels around that aren't already on cars.

First up, my sad, shabby rim,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/center7.jpg

This is the basic lens from a blinking "road closure" saw horse/blinking light unit. They're available at every bridge collapse in your local area. Easy to steal and you only need two. Bring beer and a Buddy, makes for a fun "boy's night out." Of course the lens would need to be painted silver or wheel color.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/center6.jpg

Add a spinner, three or four prong and it's looking pretty neat.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/center8.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/center1.jpg

Those 80's style ARE aluminum center caps are available on Ebay or at every auto jumble on the East Coast for free.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/center3.jpg

Add a two or three blade spinner, and it starting to get real.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/center5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/center9.jpg

Got an old set of Volvo caps, could work as well if you hammer out the lettering. They have a neat domed profile.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/center4.jpg

Maybe?

Just saying . . .


ForuM PRicK

The spinners came from Cip1 I used 4 pizza dough pans used for storing pizza dough .We put the pizza dough pan on a lathe cut the hole for the spinner in the center ,then cut the bottom of the pan 3/8 inch deep,drilled 12 holes in a circle same as bolt holes in wheels. Welded 1/4 20 studs on the lugnuts they match up with 4 of the 12 holes they atach with acorn nuts .the other eight nuts are just there there are 12 bolts in a Rudge wheel.

NOT bad! Now try a 51 Merc trim ring and see what ya think..

On a two tone solid smoothie wheels, with a set of home-made Rudge centers, I'll betcha that Ford/Merc trim rings would look pretty elegant. Especially on a back dated coupe.

Nice idea!


FP

Anybody got a picture of said trim rings?

They look not unlike the one featured here:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=210124
Second picture in the first post.

The trim rings don't have to be original Ford/Merc, they just need to be 15 inch and the ribbed-style. In cross section, the rings have two levels . . . almost like a decorative molding cross section might have.

Those are almost exactly what I got from Cip1. Unfortunately my rims don't have the lip that the trim rings backs up to, leaving an odd gap between the trim ring and the center of the wheel. I may bring one to Carlisle and get folks' opinion on it.

Any ribbed trim ring is much like the next. Other than the vintage-style ribs the most important feature is that they DON'T go right to the tire. You need some wheel rim showing, a little color, then the ring, then some more color, then the wheel center. All in balance, all looking just right.

The cheezoid modern trim rings go right to the wheel edge/tire and look shabby. Like you can't afford chromed wheels so you cover EVERYTHING up with rings and center caps.

80's crap . . .

Yeah, I prefer the look with some of the rim edge showing. The ones I hove look good until you notice the gap at the back. Of course I may be the only one to notice that.

Hey Pete, these would work just fine on your rims. I could bring 'em to Carlisle, if you're interested.

yeh bring the trim rings and Ill have a look at them . Made all four today Ill install them tomorow.

Those are not the right factory trim rings.The correct ones catch the on the outer lip of the rim and look like a quarter round molding 1 and 1/8 wide . I have been trying to find them for my marathon rims for a long time now.

Know one makes them anymore. my pop had 51 merc rims and hubcaps on is old 54 ford truck.

Finished all four today used some stainless hardware the bigest pain was welding the studs as close to center on the lug nuts car rides good I was woried about wheel balance problems but seems good .Better put some sounds in

Wow Pete!

That looks mean.
VERY NICE ! ! !

FP

Agreed. Great looking outlaw. Now just drop it a tad bit more and you are set.

The car looks even better in person. He carries the look over into the interior with a big skull shift knob. The whole package is sweet!

Yeah Pete! It was a HOOT! You CRAZY, Man!

~WB

It was a pleasure to hang out with Pete over the weekend. Cool guy, cool ride. They both have allot of personality (the same?).

I had a ball can't wait till fall and do it again and Ill go to Pa next year .How about all those cops on I 81 on the way home.

Check out Mike's solution to the exposed four lug look ! !

http://mikestrporsche550build.blogspot.com/

The wheels are the last entry, but the rest of the build is just as clean.
Imagine those little silver painted insert hub caps with a spinner on them and the Porsche crest on the spinner.

A really SWEET alternative to the home made RUDGE-look. His has a wonderful "factory" look to it, doesn't it? Neat and clean and DONE!

FP