Are they wheel covers, center caps or hub caps? Are there variations in them? Why were they developed? These are just some questions to ponder whether they interest you or not.

People who love cars have developed a love of hubcaps as well. There are those that say the design of the Chrysler Building gives tribute to it.

How did they come about anyway? Hubcaps were necessary. At first, wooden spokes were used on automobiles. They had to be joined together with the outer rim to where the wheel bearing was at in the hub. The wheel bearing was stuffed using grease. A cover was necessary to hold the grease in and dirt out.

Now you know why it was developed. The center cap was covered with the little cap and the spokes were left open to the elements. Suffice it to say, the spokes did not have a long life. Polished and often decked out with pin striping, age made them unattractive with cracks. Old spokes could be heard coming from far away.

The late twenties and thirties, saw a design change to steel wire-spokes. These needed the center cap as well. As with the previous design, the spokes were still left bare. The thirties, need took second play to style. Hubcaps got bigger and were stamped by the auto maker with their name in stainless steel or brass and were meant to be decorative, however, the spokes were still left bare. They were difficult to clean and were irritating because of the wind noise they made on the road.

In 1934, Cadillac developed the first disc that covered the entire wheel. It provided a streamlined look.

Bringing in a new era in wheels, the pressed steel wheel was introduced by Cadillac in 1938. These hubcaps were full sized. Cadillac created an icon of opulence and elegance. Those who had cars dating from 1930 through 1950 began stealing the hubcaps. Cadillac owners didn’t realize how popular the hubcaps were until this happened to them.

Auto manufacturers starting using plastic hubcaps on their cars during the 1970’s. By the 1980’s, steel hubcaps were pretty much gone and plastic covers took over. Most think of plastic as being inexpensive and fragile; but, the plastic that is used is rough, long lasting and light in weight. A light weight hubcap is likely to fly off the wheel of your car. You also should know that there are plastic wheel covers that are made by auto manufacturers that are not that great. They fly off way to easy. Being strong, rough and light is not nearly enough. The cover also needs a good rock hard retention structure. A 360 all steel retention ring is the best. It can easily grip the wheel and keep the hubcap on your car.

Since you are now an expert when it comes to the history of the hubcap, you can wow your friends at the next get together with the information that you have learned. You may not wow them but maybe you enjoyed learning a little history that most people do not know.

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