The hubcaps on my 61 Cadillac Eldorado/Le Mans are long gone, I would really like to get a set made, does anyone know who has the capability of doing this? I suppose I could get them scanned and CNC machined out of aluminum, and that's probably my only bet, I think to get them stamped could be expensive beyond belief. Here's a vintage picture from 1961, the car has stock 1961 Cadillac caps on it now.
Have you looked into having them spun? Metal spinning is often used for round concave shapes like prop cones, etc. Might be able to get the shape close, then make a set of dies to punch the louvers and then weld on wheel clips.
I would think you could have the forms cnc'd then have a few pressed out of sheet. Just spitballing the process.
Building a die for stamping proably wouldnt be cost effective.Laser scan and reverse engineer/solid model for machining would be around $1000.00 to $1500.00.Program and machine per each would run around $1500.00.Thats based on our shop rates.Probably somebody out there cheaper.
The scan and engineering for a stamping die would be the same as for machining them really. I can't see finding someone who does one off pressings being any more expensive than machining them either. I'd say ask El P about it. He did those firewalls at his place, maybe he'd have some insight into the doing them.
Hi... Just a idea.. Im not sure how costly it would be.. why could you not get wheels made to look like the caps? and have a center cap snap into place? would it not be a better way to go as far price? its just a thought.. whom ever you got the car from. or where its been.. have you asked if the caps are hanging on nails in someones shed? Wheels would be cool.. 1 of kind..
A guy had a set of wheels machined to look like stock caps at Reggies bbq before the Round Up year before last. They looked amazing, you'd never know if you didnt know... It was a wagon, Pontiac perhaps. Sorry to be so vague, but it's been awhile. Im sure someone here has pics as people were all drooling over em the whole time. I'll look and see if I have any pics.
Nads, check out having them re-moulded in plastic ,then plated.....you can use em for display only and use the buggered up ones you mentioned for drivers.........
Some of the guys here may want to go take a look at the thread on that car. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=735537 It'll help you understand the what and the why.
Given the time frame (before CNC) those caps were probably fab'd by a "Metal Model Maker) using typical bench sheet metal techniques. Possibly a wooden or Kirksite form (or crude die) to make some shapes that could be grafted to an existing wheel cover. It is unlikely that even GM would build the 4 or 5 dies required for a full wheel cover just to make a set for a prototype car that would never see the road.
So did they have slots or were they just painted to look like they had slots, or louvers, in them? ... My bet is painted.
They had to have been painted, the wheels are gold underneath, you would think you could see the color if they were open. Man, they're complex caps, beautiful though, if I were making 1000 sets I could get 'em done in China.
Yup, you are right, I bet the mounting ring was stock 61 Caddy, it will take someone with skills to remake them, skills I don't have.
3D printing seems to be getting cheaper by the day, maybe a hi-res 3D printer could make them then have them "plated" with one of the new spray chrome processes. Obviously you'd have to work out the clips. As Choprods said, maybe not for everyday use but for show.
I'm no expert, by any means, but I've had my share of trying to duplicate things in metal. I think you could do them yourself, Nadeem, seeing how much you've accomplished on your 59. I'd start with some trim rings, or hubcaps that fit your wheels. If caps, cut out the centers. The basic shape looks pretty simple, not deeply drawn, either. If you can find a willing machine shop, see if they could make a die of one "section" of the cap. Say, 2 ribs, and the 'louvered' section in between. You could probably use a 40 ton hyd. press to stamp the shape into some thin stainless sheet. By making a template of the conical shape of the cap, from the "trim ring" out to the center flat area, you could cut that out of the stainless, then carefully stamp out each section, until they are all done. (you may have to cut out the open areas of the louvers, as the press won't have the power to form AND cut out the sections) Then form it into a cone, and weld it to the trim rings, and fab up a center to weld in, as well. Hell no, it ain't easy, and finding a tool and die maker to make the forms, won't be easy, either, but you could pretty much do an almost exact duplicate of the cap. You'll have to spend a bit of time on getting the technique, and spacing of the stampings just right, too. You would use one of the ribs to line up the next stamping as you go along, makes it a bit easier. You'd really have to want to do it right, to go through the trouble, but I think it might be worth it.
GM was counting dollars as they built this car , so you gotta think cheap. Not to be misunderstood but how could you make these with the lowest cost and least effort with they current technology of the time . You need additional info on the actual way the cap was constructed . Would GM have some information in their corporate records on the car ? They should have some documentation to verify the time involved . As suggested by Archangel a metal spinner should a first query on the list . They can make some fairly involved shapes and the cover looks to be made from 3 or 4 pieces that a metal spinner may be able to replicate. An outer spider shape an inner cone and and outer retainer . Divide and conquer .
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