| Grant | -- 03-09-2013 @ 8:31 AM |
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I'm interested in acquiring a set of 68-1130-C spider hub cap and spoke cover assemblies in excellent condition. Has anyone had difficulties with these ? Are they prone to getting damaged if installed or removed improperly ? Are they easy to take off after being mounted ? Would there be a member currently using the Hirsch reproductions who could comment on the quality of those repros ? Do the originals or the reproductions have a tendency to fly off while the vehicle is being driven ?
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| ford38v8 | -- 03-09-2013 @ 12:43 PM |
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Grant, I have original spiders on my '38, and have seen reproductions on other cars... Not even close in quality. The repros are light weight and easily bent or dented. I do understand that there has been more than one repro, though, and Hirsch is known as a good supplier. As for install/removal, the palm of your hand is best to install, but removal takes more ingenuity to accomplish without damage. Here's what I did: I made a hooked end slide hammer using a 2" short pipe nipple. The hook is shaped properly to engage the cap and used in several places around the perimeter until the cap releases. The alternative to this would be to use a large screwdriver from behind the wheel, not something easily done at the side of the road! Alan
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| 37don | -- 03-10-2013 @ 5:34 PM |
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Hi Grant, I have a set of 36 spiders on my 37 that came from a car with 22000 mi on it. They are perfect. That's the good news. The bad news is while returning from Lake George one year I herd a clinging noise and didn't pay any attention to it. About 40 mi down the road we stopped for lunch and my friend got out of his car and said What The Hell Happened? You guessed it a cap is missing. I ordered a replacement from Herch and it is a very nice replacement. High quality in every way except there is a very minor detail missing on the stamping. 99% of the people I ask to find the replacement can't find it and I have already alerted them to a difference. The reason I lost it is because I was careless when putting it on. I would not hesitate to use the Herch replacements.I pop mine off with a screwdriver from the inside and have someone hold the cap from falling or place a blanket under the cap. The only difference between the 36 and the 37 is the v8 stamp. The 36 is embossed and the 37 is in dented and only a purest will notice it. Hope that helps, Don
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| Grant | -- 03-10-2013 @ 7:35 PM |
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Thank you, gentlemen. Much appreciated. I had been considering buying a set of five spider hub caps plus four trim rings from Hirsch. That would eat up most of two pension cheques. The original ones which occasionally appear on Ebay have been nowhere near perfect. For some reason a few even had holes drilled in them. Does anybody out there know of a nice set for sale? I would be willing to pick them up at the Tahoe meet.
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| transbytip | -- 03-10-2013 @ 9:53 PM |
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Grant,Have a set of 5 Spyder caps for 36 also 2 for 37 .They all have minor road rash no holes,very easy fixed with a little work.They are original Ford.I have a full set on my 36 4 dr. conv.for 8 years now have had no problems.E-mail tipper52501@yahoo.com L.L.(641)682-6091 with reguards Cliff. Tipton
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| Grant | -- 03-13-2013 @ 2:28 PM |
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Alan: Could you please post a photo of your spider hubcap removal tool ? Cliff: I will phone you shortly......this evening if I get a chance.
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| ford38v8 | -- 03-13-2013 @ 3:35 PM |
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Grant, I'm not able to post a picture at this time, but will describe the tool I made: It's a home made slide hammer, made from bar stock, about 1/2" x 1/4", size not important, use whatcha got. I formed a tight hook on one end with a hammer, anvil, and a file. This hook engages the edge of the spider, so it needs to be well made. I flattened a 4" section of 2" galvanized pipe, leaving it open just enough to slide smoothly on the bar stock. A large hook on the handle end of the bar finishes the tool. Engage the edge of the cap with the small hook, slide the hammer to slam against the handle end hook, which pulls the cap from the wheel. Easy does it, it doesn't take much effort, and you're right there to catch the hubcap when it comes off. Alan
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| Stroker | -- 03-13-2013 @ 4:23 PM |
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Sounds like a real "hassle" to me. What's wrong with the original hub caps? To me, they are tasteful, subtle, and have a quality appearance with the juxtaposition of body color and stainless, especially with the stainless trim rings. I know, there is no accounting for taste, or politics, but....why make things difficult? As the owner of a station wagon, Lord knows there are more pressing ongoing issues than hubcaps. Is it because it was an extra-cost option? Or is it because we just "gotta have more bling"? I'm anticipating a scathing response from Alan, but I really think the 36-39 "skeleton" wheels are very tastefully dressed as-is.
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| Grant | -- 03-13-2013 @ 6:19 PM |
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Thanks again, Cliff. Nice talking to you. I look forward to receiving the photographs. The email here is flatheadfleming@hotmail.com.
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| Grant | -- 03-13-2013 @ 6:31 PM |
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Hi, Stroker. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the "normal" 1936 Ford hubcaps. They look great. And ours will remain with the first set of wheels on which Coker radials are mounted for highway use. The spider hubcaps are going to be run locally on a new set of Firestone 600/16 Deluxe Champion belted tires that have been installed on five other rims which were recently blasted and painted. It's a bucket list thing. Rather than choose between the two, we've decided to run both kinds of tires and both kinds of hub caps.
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| Grant | -- 03-13-2013 @ 6:35 PM |
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Thanks very much for the description, Alan. It sounds like a fairly simple enough mechanism to construct. Probably that sort of thing could be used to remove hubcaps other than just the Ford spiders.
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| ford38v8 | -- 03-13-2013 @ 6:38 PM |
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Scathing responses will be saved for those who knock mechanical brakes. My car had the bling when I bought it, so I'm d*mn well going to show it off. My decision to run whitewalls, however, is just barely supported by the bling hubcaps. With regular hubcaps, I would definitely run blackwalls for authenticity. Alan
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| Grant | -- 03-23-2013 @ 8:47 AM |
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With the assistance of this terrific web site and a fine gentleman in Iowa named Cliff Tipton, a really nice set of five factory original '36 spider hubcaps has arrived here in RG149. Thanks again to everyone who responded to our inquiry.
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