flying hubcaps

[tarps3]

Does anyone have a good trick to keeping these hubcaps on the squarebirds?

I average losing about 1 hubcap per year (actually, I always find them but they are not usable due to damage).

The last one that came off was really nice too - it happened this weekend.
I was driving down a smooth road - no bumps or dips - and it just came off! No warning - scared me to death. I thought the drive shaft fell out or something.
Luckily it didn't damage my paint - only scuffed the white wall tire which I had to sand down a little.

Anyway - I'm running out of spares.
Anyone know how to keep 'em on?

Casey
60 hardtop

[Alexander]

RE: flying hubcaps

I had the same problem until I did this modification:

http://www.squarebirds.org/sun_ray_applique.htm

The first day I got my my first car, the 1959 Thunderbird, I could not remove the fourth wheel cover to inflate the tires for the first drive home. My friend who accompanied me told me not to worry, if it had been on twenty years, it would not come off now. On the maiden drive home, coming slowly to a red light on a smooth boulevard the wheel cover came off. It rolled slowly in a straight line done the double yellow line past my friends car. I honked my horn and pointe. I will never forget that!

I have also had this happen when a group of friends in the car. Once one wheel cover came off and cut through 50-feet into a corn field. It took six of us to find it. How you get six people in a Squarebird is a different story. People are thinner in their teens and twenties.

http://www.squarebirds.org/images/thelma_and_louise_squarebird.jpg

Thelma and Louise, professional Thunderbird endurance testers, field testing the Sun Ray wheel cover attaching system on a 1959 Thunderbird. They have not lost a wheel cover yet!

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[byersmtrco]

RE: flying hubcaps

Just take em off and bend the tabs out (slightly)
Makes em hard to put on. But they won't come off.

Sheesh, I have enough 60 TBird hub caps to start a TB Supply.

JB

[tarps3]

RE: flying hubcaps

So, unless I have the Sunray covers, I'm outa luck.
Unless I want to have an exposed hole in my current covers.

Maybe I'll buy some snazzy chrome wheels!

Casey
60 hardtop

[Alexander]

RE: flying hubcaps

The basic problem with these hupcaps is that when new they stay on fairly well, but when they get worn, they rotate and fall off.If you look closely at the tabs you will see that they are bent to grap the rim. These edges get bent and dulled with use. You can bend them out and sharpen them to improve their grip.

With my mod with the Sun Ray center, you can go over any pothole, and you won't lose a wheel cover.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Alexander]

RE: flying hubcaps

I found out someone used my Squarebird Thelma and Louise picture in a satire. http://www.unconfirmedsources.com/?itemid=596 The picture is now famous.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[tarps3]

RE: flying hubcaps

WOW
you ought to get royalties from that!

You can add Commercial Graphic Artist to your resume now in addition to Squarebird Guru.

Casey

[dgs]

RE: flying hubcaps

[em]"Maybe I'll buy some snazzy chrome wheels!"[/em]

That's my solution. I lost covers 2-3 times over 2-3 years, each time on a rear wheel and each time it got wedged up in the wheel well. That makes a real scary noise at freeway speeds. Not real good for the covers or tires either.

No worries now that my 'bird looks like this:

http://www.salguod.net/images/tbird/wheels_after.jpg

[tarps3]

RE: flying hubcaps

Hey dgs, that looks awesome!
what size are those and did you have to modify anything to insstall them?

Casey
60 hardtop

[dgs]

RE: flying hubcaps

They're Boyd Junkyard Dog's, 17" x 8" wide, zero offset. Tires are Pirelli P Zero Nero in a 235/55R17. No mods necessary, just bolt 'em on.

Of course that's after waiting like 11 weeks for Boyd to make 'em.

[sqbird430]

RE: flying hubcaps

Hi, I am new to this forum living in london, united kingdom
I have a 59 sqbird 430. The way I have solved the flying hubcap syndrome is to apply silicone sealant (bath/shower sealant)to the edge of hubcaps after fitting. It is easy to remove but is strong enough to keep them on. I have been using this method for the past eight years. It is a bit messy to apply.

[Alexander]

RE: flying hubcaps

Welcome to the board. We have a couple of other members from the UK here.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Guest]

RE: flying hubcaps

D1959 Thunderbird Hardtop
This is Nick Cousin's 1959 Thunderbird Hardtop. It is an original California car. Nick replaced the stock rims with 17-inch American Racing wheels.








17-inch American Racing wheel




Original Black Leather Interior.

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