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Hubcaps protect lug nuts and add to a car’s style. Early ones were functional, but later became a place for corporate branding. They became bigger and flashier in the 1950s, but returned to a functional design as cars got smaller. Swivel hubcaps are popular with the youth market, and some taxi companies sell advertising space on them. Maintaining a complete set can be a challenge, but conscientious car owners should periodically secure them with a rubber mallet.
Hubcaps, also known as wheel covers, are round metal discs designed to fit snugly over the center space of a car’s tires. Their primary function is to protect the lug nuts from exposure to the elements, but they are also considered cosmetic items that add to the overall style of the car. Car designers often have natural limits when it comes to styling elements, but hubcaps provide a creative outlet.
Early hubcaps were routinely forged from heavy steel and were considered functional items, not decorative ones. Eventually, the major automotive companies realized that the hubcap area was an ideal place to promote their corporate identities. Those of the 1920s and 1930s tapped into the elegant fashion of Art Deco design, with an emphasis on streamlining and speed. Company names were featured prominently on the hubcaps, but the overall look was still pretty plain.
The war effort in the 1940s caused automobile designers to reduce the use of steel and chrome in trim items such as hubcaps. Aluminum and other alloys became the new raw material. After the war years, a booming economy led to a new emphasis on bigger, flashier cars. Cars in the 1950s often featured oversized hubcaps with dramatic extensions and lots of chrome. Car owners equated the size and style of a car with success, so even the cheapest models featured flashy hubcaps and other styling cues.
As the economy cooled and smaller cars became popular, hubcaps returned to their functional yet streamlined roots. The oldest ones became popular collector’s items, with some of the most elaborate examples fetching the best price at auction. The current trend is for a wheel cover that features a free-spinning center element. These “swivel” hubcaps and trims are silver, chrome or gold and are popular with the youth market. Taxi companies in Canada have begun selling advertising space on the hubcaps of their fleet vehicles. The ad itself is attached to a weighted caster wheel, which remains stable as the car moves through traffic.
Some people think of hubcaps the same way as armadillos or opossums: they are all stillborn on the side of the road. Maintaining a complete set can be a challenge. The main reason for this phenomenon is the process of changing tires. Hubcaps need to be pried off with a screwdriver or other tool, which will eventually cause the cap to warp. The cover itself is a wonderful holder for the removed lug nuts, but it becomes an afterthought after the new tire is put on. Few drivers carry a rubber mallet with them, so they are often loosely reattached. A few miles at highway speeds can lead to the loss of one or more hubcaps. Conscientious car owners should take the time to periodically secure them by tapping the edge in a circular pattern with a rubber mallet.
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