The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Chevy hub cap interchange

I have 1938 chevy 1/2 ton HC model truck and changed from the original 16x5 , 6 lug wheels to 49-57 15x5, 5x4.75 lug pattern wheels. The 15" wheels have the holes for the hubcap clips but do not have the clips.
what year/type hub caps will fit on these wheels, either with clips or without the clips? Will any of the dog dish style hub caps for cars fit? Will any of the 49-57 chevy hub caps fit of the center wheel hub on the outside edge?

Any info from fellow bolter would be greatly appecriated

all caps up to 1960, car or truck, require the clips ... sounds like you have either earlier car wheels the clips have been removed from, or ones from post '60 when they changed styles but for many years left the clip holes ... the later wheels have 3 'lumps' just outside the center ring that are for later style caps, earlier ones will not work, but you can get and install the clips on wheels that have the holes

Bill

Bill,

Thanks for the info. All the 15x5 wheels I have do have the holes for the clips. If I install the clips will the baby moon style reproduction or original truck and or car hub caps fit for the 1949-1953 time period. If my wheels have three bumps as you said to look for will the dog dish style fit on the outside over the bumps. Just wanted to make sure understood your info. You have been a great help

Don

Don - the moons would need to be specifcally for the earlier clip style wheels, some are made for the later non-clip wheels, so for them it would depend on the year they claimed to fit .... the earlier wheels had 6 clips, but the 3 clip wheels [55-60, which still have 6 holes] hold the 49-54 caps fine as well as the 55-60 caps, I used 52/3 car caps on a 57 for years .... my current truck has the later wheels with the lumps and has 60's car caps cuz they came with the wheels

Bill

Bill,
Again thanks for you time and info. I went out and really looked at my wheels closely and compared them to your photo of the 55-60 six lug wheels. My wheels are 5 lug and have small holes on the raised portion of inner wheel between the lug nut area, there are no flat portions of the wheel for wheel clips like the 55-60 six lug wheels. There are 5 holes, 1 each for the 5 raised areas between the 5 lug holes. Additionally the wheels to not have the outer nubs. I measured the inside of these wheels where are small hub cap would be attached and the measurement is approx 7 and 3/4 inches.
would installing hub cap clips in the raised area secure a small hub cap? Would I have to install all 5 clips? I took a photo of wheel but I dont have photo shop to send it to you to look at. I am at a loss at this point

Don

see here for some dimensions, the diameter where the clips meet the caps is about 1/2" less than where you're measuring - or you could scare up a cap you can compare to your wheels .... AFAIK the cap dimensions are the same across years for the 15 & 16" wheels, and between cars and trucks, seems reasonable that the 5 lug car wheels would only have 5 clips, but the car caps still fit the 3 or 6 clip trucks rims

I'd think w/ 5 holes that there wouldn't be 3 evenly spaced so using all 5 would keep them more secure, don't wanna hafta go scouring the ditches to retrieve them!

Bill

Bill,
Thanks, I will get the wheel clips and install. I really appreciate your knowledge, info, experience and help. I am getting close to finishing my father in laws 1938 chevy half ton which has been in the family since the late 1940's and was rescued by me after 41 years of sitting on my father in laws lot in Yerington, Nevada.
When I finish I will definitely submit to the stovebolt gallery section.
Again thanks alot

Don

Bill,
After discovering some mis-matching of wheels on my trucks, a search led me to this discussion.
Thank you for still helping, long after!

Jerry

Bill,
I know this is an old post... but can you enlighten me on what years the "wheels with the lumps" were used?
Seems I have three that I don't need, as they're not specific to my '59.

Thanks,
Jerry

I believe the lumps started right after the clips were dropped in 61, not sure how long they lasted, but I remember mine came from a guy with a mid/late 70's truck

Bill

According to my dear friend, the recently departed Warren Foster, the change was sometime mid year, 1961 models.

Also...if doing a disk brake conversion...the stock 3 bump wheels will not clear the calibers. I had to go to a 74-newer Jimmy or Blazer wheel to retain my 63 dogdish hubcaps. The look identical to the three bump, but have 4 bumps and the rears have the correct back spacing to fit over the calibers.