Center caps and trim rings for civi wheels?

I've searched for ideas on this but I'm not really sure what I can do...

I kind of don't feel like running the plastic hubcaps on my caprice this winter. I guess the civilian steel wheels on these cars don't accept a dog dish hubcap or bolt on center cap because of the stamping design or whatever? I'll keep looking but I didn't know if anyone has been in this situation before. I just put brand new tires on the wheels last season so I'm not bothering with getting different wheels or swapping tires, lol.

I also need to find some kind of a beauty ring that will snap onto these wheels. Can I find generic ones at a place like Pep Boys?

I'm still looking around, we'll see...

Benny's sells 15" metal trim rings for about $6 each. Whenever I go to pep boys or Autozone they only have 2 never 4.

Heh, I meant to ask you, I liked the ones you put on your black wheels there.

I wonder if I can just use the 88-98 Chevy 2wd truck center caps. I have a black one of them sitting around that I can try, I just forget how they attach. My father has an old C1500 and I believe they snap onto the lug nuts or something like that.

The truck caps are held in by screws just like the 9c1 caps. You could always drill and tap.

bammax wrote:

The truck caps are held in by screws just like the 9c1 caps. You could always drill and tap.

The one's on my dad's 88 C1500 aren't like the 73-87 style, I had those other ones on my green 74 before, I had black rallys with rings and centers. (Wish I still had them, oh well). The ones on the 88 you can pry the centercap off and it snaps back on.

I just realized my stock wheels and tires are buried under boxes, I kind of don't feel like digging them out yet.

With winter coming the stock wheels have to go back on the Caprice, so I'm looking into this again...

From what I've been able to find, the 1988 and up Chevy 2wd truck caps are basically the same, but somewhere along the way they changed how they attached, from just snapping on ( I still need to figure out how that works on the original 1988ish design) to the fake plastic lugs that screw over the real ones right through the center cap.

It seems on ISSF that people are taking these caps, getting some kind of a different lug nut from an S10 or something that has the threads on the outside of the lugnuts, yet has the correct inner threads (12mm?) for the B-body, since the 2wd trucks and vans use a different lug nut thread in spite of the wheels having the same bolt pattern.

Then you can put the caps onto any wheel by screwing the plastic fake lugs on.

I know I partially just answered my own question, but has anyone on BADASS done anything like this before? I really want to do something somewhat outside of the norm with these stock civi wheels if I'm not going for N97s and swapping tires all over the place from rim to rim.

Also, does anyone have any Astro van or 2wd truck caps laying around?

Civilian wheels



Drilled and tapped for center caps with Bennys trim rings.

GasTT wrote:

Civilian wheels

Drilled and tapped for center caps with Bennys trim rings.

Hey, I bought my first set of tires for my ford bronco at that Bennys. I think it was like 1985. They were $25 each for 235/75/15 snow tires.

Let us know if you get that screw-onto-the-lugnuts cap to work. I'd be very happy to hear if it does.

I am pretty sure it would. You would just need the correct lugnuts with the threads on the outside of it and the caps that go over the lugs.

You know Tim, that looks friggin' badass. I might just go that route. Looks like when I had my black 2wd truck rallys on the old green Impala.

I'd have to buy a tap and die set though...

I found a site once where a guy with a Caprice wagon did just what you did, but I can't find it anymore.

And what is Bennys? I still don't know what it is!?!?! Is that a local retail place down your way for cah pahts?

FYI, I did that with the stock wheels on the Cadirat. Drilled and tapped them for 9c1 caps to use as a base for the spinners. Pretty simple.

Maybe Hollands has some Astro vans or trucks they'd let the centercaps go cheap from. Then I'd just get a set of the eBay lugs mentioned here (this is basically what I want to do):

http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=248527&highlight=astro+center

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/12mm-x-1-5-Lug-Nuts-Outside-Threads-Chevy-GM-Passenger-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4cf11bec00QQitemZ330462653440QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

I'm too used to the SS wheels on my granny car to go back to the granny hubcaps, for now anyway.

toomanytoyz wrote:

FYI, I did that with the stock wheels on the Cadirat. Drilled and tapped them for 9c1 caps to use as a base for the spinners. Pretty simple.

I'll probably do that first, sounds like the cheapest route and then I'd have a new tool! Just have to run to Lowe's and get some stainless bolts or something.

Matt Trakker wrote:

You know Tim, that looks friggin' badass. I might just go that route. Looks like when I had my black 2wd truck rallys on the old green Impala.

I'd have to buy a tap and die set though...

I found a site once where a guy with a Caprice wagon did just what you did, but I can't find it anymore.

And what is Bennys? I still don't know what it is!?!?! Is that a local retail place down your way for cah pahts?

Lucky for you Matt, I highlighted and saved that very article...
Transforming Plain Steel wheels to 9C1 style:

Welcome to my 9C1 Steel Wheel construction page. On this page I'll be taking a standard 15"x7" Caprice steel wheel and adding a center cap similar to the 9C1 Police package. I'll also be adding chrome rings and chrome lug nuts, but that's for a later date.

Circumstances occurred this spring that prevented me from purchasing Impala SS rims for my 1994 DCM Chevy Caprice Classic Wagon. Because of a pending deadline to remove the studded tires from my car and the lack of an aftermarket that is both cheap and stylish, I decided to dress up my steel wheels on the cheap and wait a season or two before I go with the 17" Impala SS rims.

Below we start with a standard wheel, and one of my 4 center caps. Look around on eBay and you can score a set cheap. These four cost me $18.00 shipped, but didn't come with bolts and are actually for a GMC truck...we'll fix that later. I decided on raised white letter tires a long time ago, I guess I'm just a sucker for them.



Now, 9C1 wheels are found on police package cars and if I recall correctly were used because regular cop cars tended to pop off hub caps and they needed a wheel with more ventilation. True 9C1 wheels had three treaded holes for bolts to secure a center cap (the bolts kept the centers from flying off), and vent holes all the way around the rim. We can't repeat those vent holes, but we can copy the caps. Our first problem: No threaded bolt holes...you can see raised sections on the wheel below, but we'll need to drill and thread some holes.



First step is to mark the correct spot for the holes. This is a very important step. Taking just an extra minute here can save you pain later. Place the cap on the wheel, it should rest down and not move as it is designed to fit around the lug nut holes. Take an awl and place it dead center in one of the three bolt holes and hit it with a hammer...repeat this for all three holes. Check and make sure the awl marks look center, otherwise strike it again and get it right.



To save some picture space, take your awl marks and drill a pilot hole...I like little 1/8" bits as they are cheap and work well. The next size depends on the type of thread you plan to use on your wheel. We'll be using a 5/16" bolt and you can use either a course (18 treads per inch) or fine (24 treads per inch). I couldn't find my 5/16"x18 course tread tap, so I had to go with 5/16"x24 fine tread. As per what is written on the tap, I'll need to drill a 17/64" hole. In a super rare event, first drill bit I pulled from the tool box was this size...no kidding! With the correct size, I now drill my holes.



This would be a good time to check the alignment of the holes with your cap. If anything is way out of alignment, it would be best to rotate the cap and try again. You can handle some misalignment, but the bolts fit pretty tight in the cap and they don't provide much room for error. If everything looks good, thread the hole with your tap...I'm not going to get into how to tap a hole, if you don't know, now is not a time to learn. Best to grab someone who knows how and then proceed.



Once all the holes are treaded, time for a test fit. Place the cap, thread the bolts and everything should work pretty well. Next is to clean up the wheel by clearing out the metal scraps and bevel the holes with a reamer. I washed my wheels and waxed them so they look real nice behind the caps.



I used 5/16" fine threaded bolts that were 1" long. I purchased 15 (three extra) stainless steel bolts for about $2.50. One downside was I couldn't find a flanged bolt similar to stock. A flanged bolt looks like it has a built in washer. If I eventually find a nice flanged bolt, I'll install them later. The ones I purchased just look like hex bolt sticking out.



If I were doing this project over again, I would purchase 3/4" long bolts instead of the 1" bolts. Because you need to make sure the bolt is flush with the wheel, I ended up cutting quite a bit of the extra bolt off. You need to do this to make sure the wheel sits properly against the hub. If any part of the bolt sticks out, the wheel won't mount straight on the hub and it will wobble. After tightening the bolts, run something flat over the back of the wheel to make sure nothing is sticking out. I ended up cutting my bolts and if anything was left over, I used a grinder to get it flush.



Below is the finished product...nice clean wheel on a dirty car. A non-9C1 feature would be a nice trim ring, which I'll pick up in a few days. Something around 1 to 1.5 inches looks nice, your choice of material. I've also got some chrome lug nuts, 20 for $21.00 shipped, another ebay score. With that, I'll have a nice set of summer wheels for the time being, and in a year or two, I'll use the caps and rims on my winter wheels while my Wagon rides on Impala SS rims!



Thanks for reading this article. If you found this article helpful, drop me a note as it helps me write other articles at TheReflex1@aol.com. To view some additional Caprice articles click on these links: (Cornering Lamps) (Raised White Letter Tires) (Intake Mods). I'd also like to note that the ImpalaSSforum has been a great help in general information and can be reached at www.impalassforum.com.

UPDATE!!!

Below are the finished wheels. We have $21 in GMC caps (eBay) and bolts (local), $21 in Chrome lug nuts (eBay again), $42 in trim rings (local), Grand Total per wheel: $21!!! Not bad for a factory wheel meant to be covered by a hubcap.



Back to Main Page

Did I ever tell you that you're my hero?

I tried using the lug nut held cap on a set of winter steelies 15 years ago on my 94 ss. The problem was the lug nut needed to secure it, was to large for the b-body studs. I tried one from a pontiac car that had the outside thread, and it was to small for the plastic cap from the truck to thread onto. The answer is to use car lug nuts with with the plastic lug caps that have the ridge to hold the center cap on. Then get a nylon washer to take up the space and hold the cap on with the lug cover. It will fit over the plastic lug cap but be held by the ridge, yet small enough to fit into the center cap lug hole. You can grind the outside of the washer to fit, but the inside has to be correct. I got the washers from Aubachun hardware.

Matt Trakker wrote:

Did I ever tell you that you're my hero?

I get that alot

http://www.hellobennys.com/

It's a small department store. They have some good stuff in the automotive sexshun.

GasTT wrote:

http://www.hellobennys.com/

It's a small department store. They have some good stuff in the automotive sexshun.

Next time I'm down that way I'm definitely gonna stop. Looks like there's one in Plymouth on 3A...

BTW, found this finally, has good pics. This is what I'm gonna do.

http://www.butchthecat.com/94caprice/9c1.htm

That being said, does anyone have any of those old style 9c1 or 2wd Chevy truck rally caps laying around? I'm going to check CL and eBay but let me know.

Matt Trakker wrote:

GasTT wrote:

http://www.hellobennys.com/

It's a small department store. They have some good stuff in the automotive sexshun.

Next time I'm down that way I'm definitely gonna stop. Looks like there's one in Plymouth on 3A...

BTW, found this finally, has good pics. This is what I'm gonna do.

http://www.butchthecat.com/94caprice/9c1.htm

That being said, does anyone have any of those old style 9c1 or 2wd Chevy truck rally caps laying around? I'm going to check CL and eBay but let me know.

I do, you saw them yesterday in the trunk...

I didn't think you were selling those...lol

Too late now, I just got some of these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330486319897

I'm going to use the 92-98 2wd truck caps, because I don't feel like drilling and tapping holes. A crappy tap and die set is like 40-50 bucks it seems and I don't feel like having them sitting around never being used again right now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/88-98-5-LUG-CHEVY-CHROME-CENTER-CAPS-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5195edba90QQitemZ350407735952QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

I am following this thread:

http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=248527&highlight=center+cap+lug+nuts&page=2

Problem is I think the screw on lug caps that are coming with these center caps might still be too big for the lug nuts I just got...

If that's the case, I'll get these Astro van ones, as I think they use a smaller inner diameter lug cap?

Matt Trakker wrote:

I didn't think you were selling those...lol

Too late now, I just got some of these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330486319897

I'm going to use the 92-98 2wd truck caps, because I don't feel like drilling and tapping holes. A crappy tap and die set is like 40-50 bucks it seems and I don't feel like having them sitting around never being used again right now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/88-98-5-LUG-CHEVY-CHROME-CENTER-CAPS-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5195edba90QQitemZ350407735952QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

I am following this thread:

http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=248527&highlight=center+cap+lug+nuts&page=2

Problem is I think the screw on lug caps that are coming with these center caps might still be too big for the lug nuts I just got...

LOL I guess they are by appointment only

Ok, so I've got it figured out I think-

I have to do what this guy did (which looks AWESOME in my opinion):



http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=248884

He's got the 92-98 truck caps, on the outside threaded lugs, with chrome Corvette lug nut covers that screw onto the aforementioned lugs. He's also got Buick center emblems. Badass!

BTW, speaking of Benny's, I'll probably wind up getting some new trim rings from them next time I'm down that way, might as well if I have new center caps.

Oddly enough, when I pulled an ice scraper out of the trunk of the Caprice today, it had a "BENNY'S" price tag still on it.

That looks freaking awesome, I may go that route while I save for SS wheels

I think I need to buy a Roadmaster now, just to do that.

LandMaster wrote:

That looks freaking awesome, I may go that route while I save for SS wheels

Yes

It does. AND It would look good in Gold

So matt for this setup You just use the truck center caps, and the corvette/camaro chrome lug covers?

I'm deffinitly gunna get the stuff together so I can do this in the spring.

What I got was truck center caps (they're coming with the plastic black lug covers anyway), the 12 mm outside threaded lug nuts, and the chrome Camaro/Corvette lug caps. I don't know for sure if it will work out yet, but it should. The lugs apparently were delivered to my house today via the USPS tracking site, and the centers and lug caps should be here soon. I hope to have it together this weekend.

Got all the stuff yesterday and I'm going to try and swap everything over today (I'm grinding and painting in my wheelwells while I have the wheels off). The center caps I got turned out to be NOS original GM ones that look like they've been in the bag since 1992, lol. There were even old GM Truck and Bus Division instructions in there.

The lugs work on the car, and the chrome covers screw onto the lugs perfectly, but they are slightly smaller on the outside than the original black lug covers that came with the center caps. I think they'll still work though.

Awesome! POST PICS!!!!!!!!!

Any of the lugs / covers you arent using work with my N97 stock center caps?
I need to close up my lugs before the salt hit the roads

HURRY POST PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICS

Damn, lucky for you guys who can't keep your shirts on, I can hook up my card reader on the library computers!

Ok, I have good news and BAD news. I'll post the bad first.

What, in the F, am I supposed to do about this???



Figures this was the last lug nut I got to on the entire car when I started breaking them loose before lifting it to take the wheels off. I didn't do this, and didn't try too much because I thought it would get worse. I think it might have been the Town Fair that mounted the wheels when I had the Nittos put on the SS rims. There was another like that, but for some reason I got it off (it was actually loose!) I soaked this with PB just to see if it helps.

Is there a way I can remove this lug? It's in those recessed holes the SS wheels have, the lug is mostly okay, but I have nothing that can grab it on those rounded off tips of the ridges. My friend told me about some socket they use that works like an inverted easy-out for this problem, but I have no air tools. HALP!

Anyway, I got the two fronts all set. I am going to buy new trim rings someplace, I thought it would look crappy with the less than nice set that I have with all the other new stuff on there.

I redid my wheel wells too (quickly and not so nicely) while i had everything off.









Painted the wheels with regular black gloss Rustoleum, I just sanded down the original paint so it would bite then cleaned them real well.



Lugs worked


Lug covers:


Now, I did these hand tight- It seemed like you could move the cap around as you tightened them up. I am afraid to snug them with a wrench because they are plastic and chrome as well...any recommendations?






I like how they look now, but I'll probably get trim rings. It kills me though because the black paint actually came out kinda nice on all parts of the wheel. The paint is still curing, later on in the week on a nice day or whatever I'll probably put a bunch of wax on the black paint to protect it.

I gotta fix that lugnut, I have wide SS wheels on the back still!

That looks awesome. I knew it would. How much in total was your parts list for this mod?

try one of those special sockets if that don't work weld a nut too the lug nut

Yeah, apparently Sears sells a kit of the special sockets. I might just pick up a set. A friend told me he used to hammer a smaller socket on the nut then crank it off that way too.

Brian, I think I have about 50 bucks shipped into the center caps (they also came with the original black covers, which I may resell on Fleabay to get some of my money back or save for something else), 15 shipped into the chrome lug covers, and like 25 into the lugs, shipped. A lot of money, but I needed new lug nuts and everything I got was brand new quality stuff, so I can't complain.

sdstick wrote:

Any of the lugs / covers you arent using work with my N97 stock center caps?
I need to close up my lugs before the salt hit the roads

Ha, just saw this. I don't know if those black caps will work, the inside threads are WAY bigger than the chrome ones I used on my car...

Thanks

mean ss wrote:

try one of those special sockets if that don't work weld a nut too the lug nut

Use a twelve point socket of slightly smaller diameter and gently hammer it on the nut about 1/4", then remove the nut. this method works great for the locking lugnuts too, but you go through a few sockets doing this. Looks kinda tight to weld another nut on.

Will do! I actually tried that yesterday, but with the right size socket. I'm an idiot so I didn't try to use a smaller one at the time.

I really want to get the rest of those steel wheels on. SS wheels? Who needs those, sheesh.

Looks good, but I'd try the black lug caps instead of the chrome.

And take it back to town fair. Say "You did this! Now get it off so I can put my snows on PLEASE!"

They should be able to get it off and shouldn't cost you a thing. You can drive it home with one lug nut missing. Or just put one of the new ones on it there...

That looks REAL good!!! Those Dunlop SP60's are a good tire too, I have them on my 88 and my Silhouette. Great in the snow.

toomanytoyz wrote:

Looks good, but I'd try the black lug caps instead of the chrome.

And take it back to town fair. Say "You did this! Now get it off so I can put my snows on PLEASE!"

They should be able to get it off and shouldn't cost you a thing. You can drive it home with one lug nut missing. Or just put one of the new ones on it there...

I think the chrome works better with the white wall. Either way get the trim rings

looks sweet...trim rings for sure though.

Yeah, I stopped by TF today for a sec, I'm taking it there later on when I actually have the car w/me. I tried getting it off yesterday, no dice.

I like the black caps as well, but they aren't usable for this because the inside diameter is WAY bigger. I might try to get a black version of these lug caps. But I've spent enough money! I want the trim rings, but in a weird way I like it the way it is now. Maybe the whitewall helps or something.

One thing I don't like is how the chrome lug caps show the missing section of the recessions in the center cap, so it looks black, but you can barely tell.

Tim I LOVE these tires. I have a non-sexual crush on the Dunlop SP60. They're like magic tires. More people need them. For a regular every day tire, they cannot be beat.
This car has an open diff and everything, I swear I didn't skid or have one issue all winter in it! I was at someone's house during a freak snowstorm last winter, the hill up to his house (it's at the top of a cul de sac) was all ice and snow. He couldn't get his Astro van up there but my car made it without even slipping! It was nuts.

You could always paint the chrome caps! But I dig the whole package just the way it sits!!

Town Fair got the lugnut off, turns out it was cross threaded on there! LOL

They cleaned up the threads, hopefully it's alright.

Once I have all 4 wheels on and my car looks like a taxi I will post a pic of it...haha

Matt Trakker wrote:

Town Fair got the lugnut off, turns out it was cross threaded on there! LOL

They cleaned up the threads, hopefully it's alright.

Once I have all 4 wheels on and my car looks like a taxi I will post a pic of it...haha

who cares it'll still look good. if it really does look like one, just go with it and if people think you're a taxi drive them and take their money

Finally got around to some pics. I'm just OCD about where I take pictures, but who friggin' cares, right?













I was surprised to get comments from a few random people about the car after only having these on there for a couple days. I have to say, I kind of like the sans-beauty rings look, but we'll see. I think it's because of the whitewall tires.
I probably should have trim just to cover the numbers and crap stamped into the wheel, there's a few ares around there where the wheels got gouged from the old hubcaps being put on too.