The Five Finest Wheel Covers of the 50s

lots of caps being posted other wise people wouldn't see else where. I've also noticed how much the wheel rim paint accents them as well. Keep them coming

 

You've got most of the good ones, but nobody has mentioned '55-56 Buick spinners (here with Ford centers and yes, I'm biased):



Among Sombreros, Fiestas, and Lancers, the earliest were the best.

 

I already posted these on 50frauds thread, but well, why not. The factory 15's are '55 and '56. I also have a fetish for the aftermarket 15" versions of the long bar '57s, like the ones on the Lil' Coffin when it appeared on the cover of Car Craft. What can I say, I just like Lancers...

 

Really hard to pick just five as in my opinion virtually every wheel cover made from 1950 to 1959 has it's own good and bad points.
That being said I would probably pick these five in this order:
#1 hands down is the 57 Plymouth.Simple and beautiful.The 58 got ruined with those little divots but is still nice looking.
#2 50 Mercury dog dish.Again a simple and beautiful design.
#3 53-55 Olds flippers.The 56 is ugly and I really don't understand why they were so popular.
#4 56 Dodge Lancers.I could interchange #3 with these as they are both classic.
#5 50-52 Cadillac sombreros;always neat but hard to fit on other rims.

There are many more but I'll stick with those.

 

Then you'd probably hate a '57 Safari with '56 Fiesta caps, I'm guessin'?

 

I agree almost exactly with Safariknut's detailed comments. 100% on the content, although my ranking is a bit different.

...and Jay's Safari is gorgeous, even if it has the wrong hubcaps.

 

Luvvit

 

Link please?

 

I REALLY like the aftermarket versions of the Plymouth cones too. They were on a LOT of hot rods in the late fifties/early sixties.

 

Somewhere I saw a photo of these on a dark blue chevy with the centers around the planets painted body color. They looked DAMN good IMO.

 

"Hate" and "57 Safari" are not two words I'd use in the same sentence. Actually that car doesn't look bad with those wheel covers but it is just something I personally wouldn't do.Just my opinion JB

EDIT:For what it's worth I didn't think the stock 3 bar flippers looked good on them either.I would have liked to see them with 57 Plymouth caps.

 

Eight lugs.

 

The eight lug wheels & drums don't really look all that well on a 57.I had a set that I was going to adapt(requires a lot of mods to the front;rears bolt right on;only difference is 1/2" wider shoes)but decided against it. The guy who originally built my 57 had Riviera wheels on the rear and in my opinion they looked horrible(see pic)The engine looked nice though

 

50-53 olds my favorite..

 

perfect!

 

Edsel Spinners

 

I know they were on the last list but they should be the top of this on too! The Caddy sombrero...(for this list '50-'52) it just doesn't get any better.

Otherwise I agree with your list but closer to reverse order, and '57 Premier's are the cats ass.

 

I'll second that. Easy to add some body color one-shot down between the ribs.

I also like the following, with a shallow bullet added to the center.

1951 Pontiac

1955 Chrysler Windsor

1954-55 Caddy, (they don't need a special deep wheel)

1956 DeSoto

My post sucks without pics.

 

These vikings are aftermarket but will be on my turnpike cruiser someday!

 

That thing was cool as hell, goofy Riv wheels or no goofy Riv wheels.

 

Here is what it looked like the day I dragged it back here from Massachusetts in 1996.Still looks pretty much the same except it's buried in my shop right now.

 

I never thought about the '57 bonnevilles until about a year ago when I saw a set hanging on a wall in an auto parts store. They weren't for sale, but I had to have them! After a lot of talking and a handful of cash they were mine! I think these will look great with red rims and 2 inch whites......Sorry, I couldn't upload pic. Tried several times.

 

Got some Lancers for my '51 custom & some original '56 Fiestas for my '56 truck ( might put them on the roadster if I ever get to it).

 

Self-serving reply...but yes, Kutomcarparts.com has the "Cones" and dozens more repop wheel covers plus bullets and hub cap parts.