Hubcaps

[Vicenç Feliú]

I lost one of the original wire hubcaps after hitting a good size pothole (the roads around here are littered with them).  I went back and retrieved it but it got damaged so I had to replace them.  Last Monday I got the ABS wire hubcaps from MG Magic: http://www.mgmagicclassicmotorparts.com/wheel-covers-mg-replica-chrome-spoke-abs-sets/.  Not crazy about the ABS but I could live with it if it wasn’t for the racket these things make going down the road.

So that’s a long intro to ask your help in finding suitable replacements.  They don’t have to be wire and I would settle for just regular VW hubs but I would like to have the MG logo if possible.  If any of you has a lead on some nice hubcaps I would appreciate it. 

Thanks in advance!

Sabreur762015-04-16 19:29:11

Vicenç - (bee sense)
Pembroke Pines, FL
1986 Aston - BCW Model 52 - "Montse II"

(1983 FiberFab MiGi II - "Montse")

[newkitman]

I ordered the 1-7/8 inch MG hubcap logos for mine. I use smoothies for vw. Got the idea from Ed (I think). Here’s what they look like. Mine is like the one on the right.

Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The Shack

[Vicenç Feliú]

Allen, Where did you get those?  That’s probably the way I would rather go.

Vicenç - (bee sense)
Pembroke Pines, FL
1986 Aston - BCW Model 52 - "Montse II"

(1983 FiberFab MiGi II - "Montse")

[John Simion]

When I first got my car last October, I foolishly thought I’d have it on the road in a couple of months, so in my excitement I made a set of five (5) hubcaps identical to the one on the left (actually, I got the idea here).  They have been sitting in my garage ever since.

I used hubcaps from SoCal and ordered the genuine MG TD emblems from Moss.  The emblems have a stud on the back that precludes putting them directly on the VW hubcaps.  Also, I found out that the edges of the emblems aren’t entirely flat — they kind of have an arch between each point of the octagon.  I figured I would get the best attachment by drilling a hole in the center of each hubcap through which that stud would fit.  After I did that, I glued on each emblem with generous amounts of epoxy underneath it, then backfilled the hole on the back of the hubcaps with even more epoxy.  Then I sprayed the back of the hubcaps with primer to seal them up against any possible rust, and also used clear sealer around the edges of each emblem to keep water from getting in and possibly causing rust (because the emblems aren’t entirely flat).

The hardest part was in centering the hole.  You can do this the most easily by making a round cardboard circle that matches the circle on the SoCal hubcaps.  I made my hole a little bigger than it needed to be to accommodate the stud on the emblems, which gave some leeway in centering and let me stuff a lot more epoxy down into the hole.  All told, I think I used up an entire tube of resin and hardener.

One of these days I will find out if my hubcaps actually work.

[newkitman]

Vicenç

I got the smoothie hubcaps from a VW show. They are EMPI smoothies I believe. The hubcap medallions are from Moss Motors, Part Number 200-277.

Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The Shack

[edward ericson]

If you can find the stock type hubcaps (left, above) with a smooth finish in the center instead of a VW or EMPI emboss, get those. you drill the hole and the Moss MG TD hubcap emblem fits nicely, secured with just a cotter pin.

I like the smoothies just as much though, and they are arguably a little closer in shape to the original TD hubcap than the other choice. I think the emblem could go on those just as easily–if not more so. Either look gives you something a lot closer to the original MG than a wire basket hubcap. The correct MG wheel color is a shiny gray (not silver) but a lot of owners go with body color or black as well, and they look darn good. Imho black draws attention from the fact that we’ve got 8-slot wheels instead of TD’s 15 smaller holes, but only a wild-eyed T-car fanatic knows details like that, and he’s not fooled by any of our cars–even Roy with his real MG wire wheels. 

edsnova2015-04-16 21:35:38

[Vicenç Feliú]

Thanks guys!  I really appreciate that!

Vicenç - (bee sense)
Pembroke Pines, FL
1986 Aston - BCW Model 52 - "Montse II"

(1983 FiberFab MiGi II - "Montse")

[Royal]

I can fool all the “my room-mate in college used to have one” gang. That’s as close as I can get to pulling on over on onlookers – those on the verge of senility.

I was filling up at a gas station a while back when a 65yo lady pulled up and insisted that her room-mate had a 1964 MGTD. I told her it was a MGB. I mean she INSISTED it was a 64 TD. She told me that I didn’t know anything about MG’s. When I drove off, she was still ranting.

A nicely done BCW, like yours, is the only one that may fool a TD owner.

[davearoy]

Another thought is if you look on E Bay, you will find several self adhesive stickers, to put on a non logo VW “moon style hub cap”. The stickers are a shinny metallic background, with a nice black MG Octogon logo. I have seen several of these in various sizes.

Just my two cents.

Dave

Dave
Lakeland, Florida, where we drive Topless every day

[Bob]

I have a set of 5 wire hubcaps, and at least a couple of them rattled so I removed them. Just left the spare one on. All have a little rust. Centers say Special Edition, except spare with multiple country flags on it.

I would sell them but who would want rattling hub caps!

I like the half moon hubcaps with MG logo idea, but I’m going to need 4 good wheels first. All have dented rims, from looking bad to just noticeable, so those wire hubcaps helped hide the ugliness.

[Author]

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