Didnt they start with the aluminum backing of acitate or nitrocelulose lacquer record masters? And then evolved to the domed shape of the Moon Discs?
It varies. I've read that some eastern guy started running them in the 40s. But if you look way back there are wheel covers on LSR cars running in the 20s. Here's the Bluebird in 1928. By weslake at 2012-05-11
Dean Moon started the marketing of his "moon disc" wheel cover in the 50s. However the aluminium wheel disc covers were around for long time before that.
yeah I remember a buddy, Benny Garat in Riverside had the first ones I saw in late 50,s. They were using them at Bonneville and his were the first I had seen on the street. Pretty soon they were everywhere. They were held on by screws.
Dean Moon in the 50s, started getting them spun and marketed them, those were the real deal but later they were made to clamp on like a hubcap, POS !! We used go bug our local DJs for old commercial discs which were aluminum backed acetate records, big ,like 17 -18 ". We would trim the acetate off the OD and soak them in hot water and peel them . The only problem was the centering and turntable drive holes. An enterprising lad in my neigborhood would scallop the outside edge with a church key , stick some flowery decal over the holes, glue 4 felt cushions on the bottom and went door to door selling them as serving trays, no his name wasn't Billy Mayes or Ron Popiel !!
Did anyone ever paint them? Ive seen the sun burst and such but was wondering if anyone painted the whole disc ever? Seems like a no as the the added weight / rotational m*** on a race built car but I have it in my head painted black with dzus fasteners but can't decide if it would look ok or not
I always thought of them as an air flow thing for Bonneville that became a styling thing for the streets just like "lakes pipes" did. Wasn't it Car Craft that did a big deal on painting them in the early sixties? I don't remember anyone painting them. The spun aluminum surface was the look that we were after.
There is a thread on painting them. It's more striping them then anything but some had some crazy designs. I don't think anything would look as good as plain old bare aluminum covers. I'm gonna run them on my 32.
I read a story years ago that Mickey Knight, A former L.A. Roadsters member and Magoo client claimed the first "lacquers" used on a hot rod. I can't remember whose car it was though; perhaps Don Feruson's '34 coupe? (the only car I can think of off the top of my head) The story was that Mickey's dad owned a recording studio in Hollywood and they figured it out over a few beers. That would have been late forties, and "lacquers" were flat, not dished.
Early in drag race history on itno the '60s that ran them on the strip as well. If you look at the earliest pictures of Iocono's car for instance he ran them over Halibrands. I don't remember when dean moon first produced them but wheel discs are as old a lakes racing. Some of the fellas would run wheel discs on both sides of their wheels. Someplce in a magazine I have a picture of dean Jeffries painteng a set, actually striping a set would be more accuratem they were done with big teardrops. Maybe someone ran them that way on a show car, I don't recall anyone painting them on the street anywhere I lived.
I read where Dean Moon first used washing machine lids he got from a local junk yard. He found it was easier to make new ones than cut down an old one. I think the story was in an old Moon catalog.
I was looking to paint a duzs set black and only found one pic. It was on a land speed Firebird, all black. Looked kinda cool, but reminded me of a race bicycle wheel cover. It just didnt look good enough for a traditional hot rod, looked too modern, too race purpose.
I don’t know when MOON started making them but it seems to be a mid 50’s thing for them on the street. The only way a hot rod can look mean with wide whites.
Is there a way to date Moon discs in any way? I understand there were different ways that they were stamped with the Moon Logo. I have a set of discs that I got from Dean around 1980-81 or so at the Swap meet in pomona. He told me these were off the Moonbeam. I had no idea at the time what car he meant. Still have them, and they still have salt residue on the insides of them, and were wrapped in newspaper from the late 60's. He was a great guy.
It took 13 replies before someone mentioned washing machine lids! They were called Maytags in the '50's. Some guys put bullets in the center holes where the knob used to be, others just a screw, or the open hole. If you wanted to look fast, they were the ticket!
Bob Rufi used Curtiss Jenny wheel covers on his lakester in 1940, although others say washing machine lids...maybe the first time hot rodders used aluminum wheel covers...Moon disks were on the Reed brothers lakester in '55, first time I saw them, though could have been earlier
I remember a street racer in the mid 60's that had a blue metallic 37 Chev coupe. The car was called Johnny B Good and he had that painted on the front moon discs. They were spindle mount though, so when the car moved the discs stayed still. Whenever he stopped, the words were always right side up. I loved it. My 2¢. .bjb
I don't know when or where wheel discs started. You will see them on aerodynamic cars from the '30s. I read that Dean Moon started making his at home when he was still in high school.
Around 1960, I remember a 53 Studebaker with a SBC engine terrorizing the Elmont, NY. Had full Moon discs all around. Cool car.
My Dad, Al Sharp, fabricated them for Chrisman Bros. Bonneville coupe in the early 50's. He is the one in the middle of the picture.
Painting them sounds like fun. Like spinners on Warbird props. I'd like to know if anyone sells them for the inside of the wheels, for mounting to the spindles. Sure would be easier than making them! Gary
I see them in photos a lot, but mostly on race cars. It sure would be easier to wipe the inner discs and sidewalls down than keeping the backs of open wheeels and brakes clean! Gary
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