'90's style centers for steel wheels

[mark grady]

I'll introduce a new class of GMC motorhome owner with this question....

I've been working on a big Steel vs. Alcoa question for the list since the
last tire and wheel debate in early December. I'll save my question for a
Christmas present.

In the meantime, for the 3 of us cavemen that still have steel wheels, I
want to tell you all what I did last year in case there are other cavemen
who want something better.

A caveman is someone with steel wheels. The rest of you with Alcoa's belong
to an advanced society that we don't understand. We talk like this:

Caveman 1: Ugh. Shiny wheel man spend 30 minutes polishing wheel. Glisten
like morning sun.
Caveman 2: Ugh. Turn hose on my wheel, brush with bunch of weeds.
Caveman 3: Ugh. I water my wheel.

Of course, caveman 3's wheels don't smell so good, but dogs leave his coach
alone!

Now for today's caveman wheel dress up tip.

I took off my poor old ratty looking GMC hubcaps. I got 16.5 beauty rings
(trim rings) from a surplus store for $20 for 8 (and I think you can still
get them from JC Whitney, but I don't have a part number)

Then, I got 6 new style chrome GMC 4x4 style center caps from Hubcap Express
in Fort Wayne, IN for $80. I used 3M vinyl mastic tape over my stock lug
nuts and 'threaded on' the standard black GM plastic nuts to hold on the
center caps. Personally, I think they look pretty good, and I've still got
money in the bank.

My old hub caps were really sad. They were bolted on with an allen head
screw. Crude, but effective. It prevented me from getting arrested for
indecent exposure.

With all this talk about steel wheels, I sense that the time is right to
pose the question of the ages... Steel or Aluminum; Michelin, Goodyear or
.... But I'll do that later.

Mark Grady
mgrady
'77 Kingsley (riding in style)
N Webster, IN

 

[stacy]

> Now for today's caveman wheel dress up tip.
>
> I took off my poor old ratty looking GMC hubcaps. I got 16.5 beauty rings
> (trim rings) from a surplus store for $20 for 8 (and I think you can still
> get them from JC Whitney, but I don't have a part number)
>
> Then, I got 6 new style chrome GMC 4x4 style center caps from Hubcap Express
> in Fort Wayne, IN for $80. I used 3M vinyl mastic tape over my stock lug
> nuts and 'threaded on' the standard black GM plastic nuts to hold on the
> center caps. Personally, I think they look pretty good, and I've still got
> money in the bank.

Like Mark, I still run the 16.5 steel wheels. I had the wheels sandblasted and
etchant primed when I had my 73' repainted three tone blue. Had the wheels
painted the same as the below the belt line, darkest blue. I did buy two sets
of four beauty rings from JCW, gives me two spares and they fit great. A friend
of mine who ran a tire store let me buy 50 chrome closed (acorn style, built in
washer)dually lug nuts from his supplier at his cost - $1 each. He also
received a set of 8 Goodyear 10 ply "E" AT Wranglers by mistake (he wasn't a
goodyear dealer). I bought six @ $75 each. I have stainless center covers on
all wheels. I can see the lug nuts sparkle in the mirrors, makes me feel like a
big rig. I really like the way the wheels look in this setup. Won't change
until I have to.

Stacy Milnes
73' eleganza
Ridgefield, WA.

 

[john szalay]

>
>

>
>> Now for today's caveman wheel dress up tip.
>>
>> I took off my poor old ratty looking GMC hubcaps.

when we got our 73, years ago, it had fiberglass hubcaps that
bolted to the hubs . they were the same paint shade as the coach so I
suspect that they were original. since our coach is a VERY early production
model (#51) I was wondering if anyone else has seen these caps.
not really pretty caps but strange. so be thankful for your ratty looking
chrome ones. ( we have since put other design caps on the "poop mobile" )

John & Brenda Szalay
73 Painted Desert

 

[darren paget]

Hip, Hip, Hooray for the cavemen. Darren

> I'll introduce a new class of GMC motorhome owner with this question....
>
> In the meantime, for the 3 of us cavemen that still have steel wheels, I
> want to tell you all what I did last year in case there are other cavemen
> who want something better.
>
> A caveman is someone with steel wheels. The rest of you with Alcoa's belong
> to an advanced society that we don't understand. We talk like this:
> I took off my poor old ratty looking GMC hubcaps. I got 16.5 beauty rings
> (trim rings) from a surplus store for $20 for 8 (and I think you can still
> get them from JC Whitney, but I don't have a part number)
>
> Then, I got 6 new style chrome GMC 4x4 style center caps from Hubcap Express
> in Fort Wayne, IN for $80. I used 3M vinyl mastic tape over my stock lug
> nuts and 'threaded on' the standard black GM plastic nuts to hold on the
> center caps. Personally, I think they look pretty good, and I've still got
> money in the bank.
> Mark Grady
> mgrady
> '77 Kingsley (riding in style)
> N Webster, IN

 

[mark grady]

One of my favorite dry humor jokes. I didn't know you were a 'nature boy'
kind of guy!

Also, as the Stacy wrote, I plan to paint my wheels Santa Fe tan to match
the coach next year, unless I go civilized and get Alcoa's with my new
tires.

>
> Hi Mark!
>
> I have been running naked for along time, and I kinda like it too!

 

[voyager]

Stacy,
Is there a picture of Your GMC anywhere
on the net? I plan on painting My 74 a
two-tone Blue.
Rob Teed 74 Painted Desert
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gmcmotorhome
> [mailtowner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of Stacy
> Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 1998 1:17 AM
> To: gmcmotorhome
> Subject: Re: GMC: '90's style centers for steel wheels
>
>
>
>

>
> > Now for today's caveman wheel dress up tip.
> >
> > I took off my poor old ratty looking GMC hubcaps. I got 16.5
> beauty rings
> > (trim rings) from a surplus store for $20 for 8 (and I think
> you can still
> > get them from JC Whitney, but I don't have a part number)
> >
> > Then, I got 6 new style chrome GMC 4x4 style center caps from
> Hubcap Express
> > in Fort Wayne, IN for $80. I used 3M vinyl mastic tape over my stock lug
> > nuts and 'threaded on' the standard black GM plastic nuts to hold on the
> > center caps. Personally, I think they look pretty good, and
> I've still got
> > money in the bank.
>
> Like Mark, I still run the 16.5 steel wheels. I had the wheels
> sandblasted and
> etchant primed when I had my 73' repainted three tone blue. Had
> the wheels
> painted the same as the below the belt line, darkest blue. I did
> buy two sets
> of four beauty rings from JCW, gives me two spares and they fit
> great. A friend
> of mine who ran a tire store let me buy 50 chrome closed (acorn
> style, built in
> washer)dually lug nuts from his supplier at his cost - $1 each. He also
> received a set of 8 Goodyear 10 ply "E" AT Wranglers by mistake
> (he wasn't a
> goodyear dealer). I bought six @ $75 each. I have stainless
> center covers on
> all wheels. I can see the lug nuts sparkle in the mirrors, makes
> me feel like a
> big rig. I really like the way the wheels look in this setup.
> Won't change
> until I have to.
>
> Stacy Milnes
> 73' eleganza
> Ridgefield, WA.
>
>

 

[stacy]

> Stacy,
> Is there a picture of Your GMC anywhere
> on the net? I plan on painting My 74 a
> two-tone Blue.
> Rob Teed 74 Painted Desert
> MERRY CHRISTMAS

I don't have any pictures readily available, and the rig has been in storage.
I'll try to describe, even though it's never the same as pictures. I picked out
three blues that I had seen on vehicles, to get a real idea of what the colors
would look like (paint chips are misleading). All three happen to be from IROC
Camaros. As I mentioned earlier, we painted everything below the belt line the
darkest blue (looks almost black in the shadows). Everything from the belt
line up to 1/4" above the rear side windows back, from the belt line up to 1/4"
below the door/galley windows forward, and belt line up to a straight sloping
line that runs from the upper forward corner radius (+1/4") of the rear side
window to the lower rear corner radius (+1/4") of the door/galley window in a
medium blue (hope that wasn't too confusing). Everything on up over the top in
the lightest (almost silver) blue. The rig was all black (very bad idea, hence
the silver roof), including naked wheels and bias tires, when I got it. Wheels,
grill, spare tire carrier and headlight bezels got the dark blue. I traced a
basic side view of the GMC into Corel draw and filled in the spaces with
different colors to get a better idea of the finished product back then. It
almost ended up with three tone red. Hope this helps.

Have a great Holidays everybody!!!

Stacy, Mary & kids

 

[voyager]

Well Stacy,
They say a pictures worth a thousand words,
Now I know why!
I can follow what You describe though.
Merry Christmas!
Rob Teed 74 Painted Desert

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gmcmotorhome
> [mailtowner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of Stacy
> Sent: Thursday, December 24, 1998 10:13 PM
> To: gmcmotorhome
> Subject: Re: GMC: '90's style centers for steel wheels
>
>
>
>

>
> > Stacy,
> > Is there a picture of Your GMC anywhere
> > on the net? I plan on painting My 74 a
> > two-tone Blue.
> > Rob Teed 74 Painted Desert
> > MERRY CHRISTMAS
>
> I don't have any pictures readily available, and the rig has been
> in storage.
> I'll try to describe, even though it's never the same as
> pictures. I picked out
> three blues that I had seen on vehicles, to get a real idea of
> what the colors
> would look like (paint chips are misleading). All three happen
> to be from IROC
> Camaros. As I mentioned earlier, we painted everything below the
> belt line the
> darkest blue (looks almost black in the shadows). Everything
> from the belt
> line up to 1/4" above the rear side windows back, from the belt
> line up to 1/4"
> below the door/galley windows forward, and belt line up to a
> straight sloping
> line that runs from the upper forward corner radius (+1/4") of
> the rear side
> window to the lower rear corner radius (+1/4") of the door/galley
> window in a
> medium blue (hope that wasn't too confusing). Everything on up
> over the top in
> the lightest (almost silver) blue. The rig was all black (very
> bad idea, hence
> the silver roof), including naked wheels and bias tires, when I
> got it. Wheels,
> grill, spare tire carrier and headlight bezels got the dark blue.
> I traced a
> basic side view of the GMC into Corel draw and filled in the spaces with
> different colors to get a better idea of the finished product
> back then. It
> almost ended up with three tone red. Hope this helps.
>
> Have a great Holidays everybody!!!
>
> Stacy, Mary & kids
>
>