Practically Classics Forum

Just uncovered these amongst a mountain of junk but I cant remember what they come off, I have had too many cars to remember, they are 10 inch diameter
any help appreciated

I could be wrong, but they look like cover caps for early MGB/C "Tank wheels"

MG Mal wrote:I could be wrong, but they look like cover caps for early MGB/C "Tank wheels"

Surely not with caps that are 10" diameter???

The lack of any kind of centre stamping/badge probably means they are off the shelf extras.

jimmyybob wrote:The lack of any kind of centre stamping/badge probably means they are off the shelf extras.

I'm not so sure. OK, so the similar A60/Oxford/etc. ones carry their flying A, their M or their W but I'm sure that MGB nave plates didn't have marque branding on them so maybe these slightly larger MGC ones don't either? At least that's what they look like and the size tends to confirm it, 10" seems about right for a nave plate on their 15" wheels and image searching certainly makes them appear right for that car. The MGB ones - on the few cars that haven't acquired wires, Stag alloys, Scimitar-style composites or ROs yet - are similar but lack the step around their outer edge, possibly because Bs have 14" wheels so would presumably have had smaller nave plates to suit?
Either way, neither of thae MGs appears to have come with its name stamped into these things.

Luxobarge wrote:

MG Mal wrote:I could be wrong, but they look like cover caps for early MGB/C "Tank wheels"

Surely not with caps that are 10" diameter???

Sounds about right for a 14" wheel - giving 2" of painted steel either side of the hubcap.

If they are right for the Oxfords etc, perhaps they are for the half ton van/pick-up? IIRC, they didn't have the A or M stamped in them and would be about the same size. Come to think of it, a friend has a boat trailer with similar wheels and hubcaps - unfortunately, it's at Ullswater Yacht Club at the moment, so I can't get a photo of it!

tractorman wrote:If they are right for the Oxfords etc, perhaps they are for the half ton van/pick-up? IIRC, they didn't have the A or M stamped in them and would be about the same size. Come to think of it, a friend has a boat trailer with similar wheels and hubcaps - unfortunately, it's at Ullswater Yacht Club at the moment, so I can't get a photo of it!

Only thing is that the half ton commercials only have a 14" wheel, but they do look suspiciously similar, as this image shows:



( Lovely, isn't it, though the person who looked at that visor and declared it on straight wants shooting ).

MGCs have 15" wheels (with 165@82%x15" tyres), not the 14" ones found on the B so if that one on the van is the same, then might the C's nave plates be larger still? Or is the one shewn on that van smaller than 10"? It looks a lot like the one in the o/p's question. I'm guessing that the smaller 14" wheels do indeed take a 10" plate and that Tractorman wins the thread!

I so cant compete with the superior knowledge and memories here! But I would guess and only guess at a slightly older Austin - like an A40 Devon or Somerset, although I suspect that they might have an "A" stamped in to them. I shall have a peep next week when I am next at the Haynes museum. Sadly the only MGC to see there has wires on it, so I cant answer that one.
Ed

I think the Devons and Somersets had a more convex hub cap as well as an "A" (or even "Austin" in the centre on the Devon). It's a while since I overtook either of them and I was too busy looking at the rest of the cars to notice the hubcaps! I have a fondness for the Somersets - I suspect it was mainly because my grandmother had one when I was young - she sold it for a new Standard eight that she hated (and then bought Hillman and Sunbeams for about ten years).