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Understanding The Purpose Of Hubcaps
I'm sure you've
seen plenty of different types of hubcaps before in your lifetime including
those that are white, chrome, plastic, metal, and even those that spin around
and around and never stop even when the car isn't moving right? Great. So what
exactly are they used for anyway? Are they only there for decoration? Do they
serve any purpose at all other than to cover up the rims of the tire?
In
order to get a better understanding of why they are there, it helps to know when
hubcaps actually came to be in the wonderful world of automobiles. The earliest
form of hubcaps were created to cover up the center portion of the wheel where
the steel spokes met what is known as the hub. This was what was used up until
about 1932 which is when snap on center hub covers or caps came about which were
a bit more decorative than what was previously used. These caps were equipped
with a special snap feature that allowed them to be pushed and locked into place
for a secure fit. This very system is the foundation of what is still used on
hubcaps and wheel covers today.
After the 1930's things started to get a
little more fancy as hubcaps were now turning into wheel covers, which are made
to cover the entire rim of the wheel except for a tiny portion of the rim
closest to the rubber tire. We first started to see the more decorative style
hubcaps and wheel covers being introduced in the 1940's, which was about the
time when more and more were being made with stainless steel or chrome plated
material. If you really wanted to go all out, you purchased a set of wheel
covers that had an extra chrome ring on the outer edge in addition to the chrome
center hubcaps. These were quite expensive during those times and were typically
only purchased by those who could afford them.
The other trend that came
about was the manufacturer stamp or logo which was pressed into the center of
the hubcaps, for publicity purposes of course. Perhaps the most notable stamp or
logo was that of the Cadillac, which undoubtedly became the most popular stamp
of all because of Cadillac's highly regard reputation for being the most
luxurious brand of car available on the market.
Since then plastic has
become the primary material used in the manufacturing of hubcaps of today's
vehicles and can be seen primarily on those vehicles that come with more
affordable price tags. The plastic material is much more economical and
efficient when it comes to manufacturing so auto makers are able to equip their
vehicles with more hubcaps made of plastic for far less cost than if they were
to use other materials for the same purpose.
By now the answers to the
questions above should be quite apparent and you most likely have figured out
that hubcaps were created for the simple purpose of covering up the tire rim and
nothing more. That was the purpose for which they were created back then, and it
will continue to be the purpose for which they are created in the years to come.
Hubcaps Unlimited offers a large inventory of Hubcaps, Wheels, and Wheel Covers.
We purchase Hubcaps, Wheels, and Wheel Covers in large quantities to pass on discounts to you.
We stock Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Geo, Mazda, Mercury, Mitsubishi,
Nissan, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Pontiac, Toyota, VW, Hubcaps, Wheels, and Wheel Covers and more
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