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Are or were the round center caps with 'Chevrolet Motor Division' sometimes seen on '66 hubcaps instead of the three-point spinners commonly-pictured ever original? I've been unable to locate a reference. Thanks.
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Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
Rick
Original hub caps for the 66 model year all had the three prong spinner. Some time in, I think 1967 or 68, the federal gov decided that the design should be classified as "extremely dangerous" to all citizens, and forced the manufacturer (GM) to remove the prongs from all the hub cap ornaments sold in service. That's why the newer replacements have just the round ornament. The part number on the cap assembly, and the ornament, changed to reflect the change in design. Thank goodness the gov was watching out for our safety.
Michael -
Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
Thanks. Evidently, my dog ate that page.
That's consistent with the knock-off/bolt-on wheel issue. For clarification, were they ever installed on the '66 model at the factory?
That makes me wonder how the replacement round caps would be evaluated during judging if they would not have been on cars at that point.Comment
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Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
Never installed at the factory. Would lose points.Comment
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Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
Rick-----
The non-spinner wheel covers were never installed on the cars in PRODUCTION. Those cars with wheel covers got the spinner style. 1966 with aluminum wheels all received the spinner style knock-off wheels.
The original 1966 wheel covers were GM #3888813 (this is the SERVICE complete cover assembly including ornament/spinner; PRODUCTION covers were assembled from the same seperate pieces which make up the SERVICE assembly). Those covers were used in PRODUCTION (after assembly from the seperate pieces) and were available in SERVICE until October, 1974. At that time, they were discontinued and replaced by GM #3964518. The latter are the non-spinner covers.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
Thanks for the information, Joe and Wayne 722.
I take it there was no mandatory removal, and that the cars currently with the dome center caps either reverted to stock from custom wheels after the originals were no longer readily available or cheap, or may have had their spinner caps/spinners either disappear or removed to prevent that from happening.
Strange stuff.Comment
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Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
Rick-----
No, there was never any government-mandated requirement for replacement on existing vehicles. They never went that far. Usually, this sort of requirement is imposed at the time of vehicle build. I'm not even sure that the fact that the SERVICE parts were changed was something that was government imposed. Usually, this sort of retro-fit requirement, especially so long after original build of the vehicles and in that era", was not done. In this case, I think GM may have made the change in the SERVICE parts "on their own", perhaps to head-off legal ramifications or to "appease" the government.
If it were illegal to manufacture the hub caps with spinners, then there would be no way that reproduction or aftermarket-type hub caps with spinners could be made and sold. And, they are. If an owner finds that he has a 1966 (or, any other year) that someone has replaced the original spinner-type with non-spinner type, they can re-install the spinner type without fear of governement sanction. Heaven help them, though, if their spinners subsequently injure someone and the lawyers get ahold of them. I wouldn't worry too much about it, though. I don't think that there's been a single case of a hub cap spinner injuring anyone.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
I had a hub cap come off one time, I was going to work an I was looking back in my mirror when all the sudden I see a hubcap going down the road. well it was off my car on the rear pass side, an this guy who had been follwing me to close could not get out of it way. boy was he mad, you know those PO2s are heavy so it just about wiped out that toyota car he was driving.Comment
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Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
Joe,
Are there any other differences between 3888813 and 3964518 other than the spinners? I assume you could put spinners on the later covers and they would be the same.Comment
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Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
Ian-----
My vague recollection is that there are some other minor differences beside the ornament configuration. But, I don't recall, for sure.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
Joe -
I bought a Ferrari Daytona Spider with Borrani knock-off wheels new in 1973 (went to Maranello for two weeks and watched them build it), and in 1974 or 1975 the factory sent me five replacement hex-shaped "earless" spinners and a wrench to fit the huge hex, with a letter indicating that the U.S. Government had outlawed the "eared" Borrani spinners. They apparently didn't understand the new MVSS regulation either, but wanted their customers to be covered however it was interpretedComment
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Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
John,
That's exactly how Chevrolet handled it too, but without the free nuts and wrench.
I've only seen one set of the new safety style earless KO nuts for Corvette. I ordered several sets in about 1973 but the order was never filled.Comment
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Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
Joe, et al.
Here is a data point and observation from the centers and ornaments for my '65.
When I bought my '65, in 1970 off a used car lot, it had ET brand mag. wheels with incorrect reverse. I soon purchased a used set of correct wheels and went to the Chevrolet dealer to order a new set of wheel covers. Wheel covers arived with smooth centers as we would expect.
I am looking at my smooth centers and comparing them to the reproduction spinners that I bought last year. The plastic ornament insert appears nearly identical; however, the original Chevy looks a little sharper in detail than the repro.
The spinner bezel has an approx. 1/8 inch black circle near the inside diamenter. The smooth Chevy bezel does not have this area painted. It is bright chrome.
The bolt pattern is the same, so the spinner can be mounted on the wheel cover with no problem. I personally like the smooth bezels. I only purchased the spinners for authenticity and judging. Heck, I may run them all the time.
This may be more information that originally requested. Sorry if this is boring stuff.
Best regards to all. Have a great holiday weekend and keep your powder dry.
GeneComment
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Re: 1966 Hubcap Centers v. Spinners?
Very interesting and helpful. Thanks, Gene.Comment
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