hubcap restoration
- Thread starter ted55ford
- Start date
dmsfrr
Well-known member
The plastic can age-out and may be too brittle.
Reproductions are available from the various T-Bird parts supply houses,
although I've not purchased any to speak to their quality.
Example...
https://www.classictbird.com/Plastic-Center-55_56-Wheel-Cover-Order-5-Per-car/productinfo/1141/
A local craft & hobby store may have matching suitable paints.
.
Reproductions are available from the various T-Bird parts supply houses,
although I've not purchased any to speak to their quality.
Example...
https://www.classictbird.com/Plastic-Center-55_56-Wheel-Cover-Order-5-Per-car/productinfo/1141/
A local craft & hobby store may have matching suitable paints.
.
Last edited:
fordor41
Well-known member
I have a wheel cover on our '60 that had some pretty good dents. I worked them out slowly with shaped wood pieces and a small hammer. go slow and work from out side of the dent towards the middle. after ours was finished you have to look closely to see where the dents were.
Daves55Sedan
Well-known member
As far as the plastic center emblems on the full wheel covers, you can bend back the tabs on the back to take them out, but the tabs will most likely break off. Then the only way to get the plastic centers back in is to glue them in carefully by squirting roofing sealant around the edge and inserting them back in the hole.
The old plastic centers can be fixed up good enough for a daily driver by polishing out the backside and painting them red but they wont look like the original finish. Or, you can buy new plastic center emblems from many of the resto parts suppliers and glue those in.
I have used Grundy Plastic cement before and it still holds up to this day. Black-Jack roofing cement might be similar, but can't guarantee hold.
Use coarse rubbing compound at first on the plastic centers then go to a fine compound and slightly moist cloth.
If the plastic centers are displaying excess crystal checking, they wont look good no matter how much elbow grease you put in to them. Just buy new ones. They ain't cheap though.
The old plastic centers can be fixed up good enough for a daily driver by polishing out the backside and painting them red but they wont look like the original finish. Or, you can buy new plastic center emblems from many of the resto parts suppliers and glue those in.
I have used Grundy Plastic cement before and it still holds up to this day. Black-Jack roofing cement might be similar, but can't guarantee hold.
Use coarse rubbing compound at first on the plastic centers then go to a fine compound and slightly moist cloth.
If the plastic centers are displaying excess crystal checking, they wont look good no matter how much elbow grease you put in to them. Just buy new ones. They ain't cheap though.