Anybody ever figure out the secret for removing the outer chrome shell from vintage hubcaps? I have a couple donors I'm experimenting with to see if its possible. It appears the outer chrome shell is actually stamped from solid brass. The inner shell is steel. I un-crimped the outer shell thinking it may slip off, but no joy. I'm thinking it has some type of glue in between the layers. Anybody ever figured it out? Next step is to chop it in half just to get a peek...
People drill a little hole in the inner shell and use an air nozzle to pop Ford hubcaps apart. The Ford caps are not crimped; but I can't see what it would hurt to try on yours since you have it pried open.
I have seen where they grind the crimped edge off and straighten and rechrome the shell. Then use silicone to glue the newly chromed shell to the back.
Never done one, but if it's glued like you think, maybe a bit of heat on the inside will allow it to move??
I’ve heard of this and mentioned it myself but always got a rousing “BS” reply. So does it actually work? I have a number of hard to find FARGO hub caps I’d like to get refurbished and need to get the outer skin off.
Something from the Ford Barn. Not an illustrated how-to-do-it tech piece; but a little further info. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=992889
On 36 ford hub caps I have very carefully drilled a tiny hole on the back side (not going through the outer) and then popped them off with a blast of air from a rubber tipped blow gun.Getting them back on is a whole different deal
I haven't done this to hubcaps however I did the instrument cluster and glove box lid on my 46 Olds as the chrome outside trim on the face is rolled over in a similar fashion. I used an old narrow hubcap removal tool (1/2" diameter rod) and wedged it slowly in between the inner and outer layer, tapping it around the entire circumference with a soft mallet slowly opening up an even gap as I went. The parts were laid up on a thick soft blanket, eventually separating the inner and outer. I then hammered the edge to remove any imperfections allowing it to slip back over inner core with some minor effort. After outside trims were rechromed they were fitted over the modified cores with lip slowly worked down using wooden dowel along the lip compressing it and pinching the inner and outer together as per OEM. From memory I may have used a soft wooden pine block on the face and finished the lip with a soft mallet. I worked the lip and didn't damage the rechromed trims. Patience and not a lot of force is the key
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