Hub caps
 

Man. I was watching the auction on eBay for a set of 69-72 3/4 ton ones

They ended up bringing $440 plus shipping

That is what some 3/4 ton trucks were being sold for about 5-10 years ago

How cool is that??


This isn't the picture of them.
But all of them. Were beautiful!

And it seems, the price is going up.

Re: Hub caps
 

Holy moly. Not sure if that's "cool", or terrifying. I do like to actually drive my truck (I know you do too!). Don't really want to be driving a cash cow that A) is expensive to repair after an accident, or B) is overly tempting to thieves, even the type that might, say, steal your hubcaps.

Re: Hub caps
 

I don't know why I keep admitting to it, but I paid $1500 for a set of NOS 3/4 chrome caps for 1970. There were 54 other guys bidding with me!

They are very nice though.... I guess there's a chance someone would steal them, but they'd have to be knowledgeable enough to know what they were and why there are hard to find, etc. Plus I don't usually leave it alone!

Re: Hub caps
 

I was watching those caps too, it's crazy what hub caps bring now days.

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I traded a set of Chevy ones for a 82 YZ490 about 3 months ago.

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I'm going to put a set on eBay and have a buddy bid them up to $3000...then everybody will believe that's what they are worth :metal:

Re: Hub caps
 

You forgot the decimal. I will fix it for you $30.00:lol:

Re: Hub caps
 

Doesn't work that way. When I was bidding there were 54 other people. I wouldn't have big against one or two people, they could be stooges.

Re: Hub caps
 

You might not but other people will. How do you know one of the other bidders wasn't a "stooge"? It is possible.

Re: Hub caps
 

That's what I mean... one or two or even three of them could have been stooges, but there were 20 or so people who bid right behind me (or me on top of them I should say) so I know there was ample demand.

If there were one or two usernames running up the price, then I'd be suspicious.

That's all I'm saying: one or two people can drive up an auction, but an experienced buyer will/should look at the bid history to see who they're bidding against and how they're acting.

Of course for better or worse it's complicated by the fact there were no comps. No sets had come up before (in 5-6 years) and none since.

Re: Hub caps
 

They have gotten so crazy expensive, I pull mine off before I go to the tire shop.

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^^Always^^

I'm not sure if it is cool or not.
But it is reality.
Thank god my trucks are drivers.
That way I only have to pay driver quality prices

Seems like all collector car/trucks go through phases.
Customized , often with new rims, after they wore out the first set of tires. Staying that way for many years.

Years later when they are sought after.
The originality factor comes back into fashion.(for some)

Re: Hub caps
 

GM only made two 3/4t hubcaps that work with modern nub-type wheels...69-91. I know there were subtle differences, but two style, 69-75 and 76-91...that's it!

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to pay $1,500 I'd say the other bidders weren't the stooges here

Re: Hub caps
 

Those will pull a disappearing act. Hell, my wheels got ripped when it was just rallys and the whole set of four with tires wasn't worth 300 bucks. I was more concerned that I lost the GMC caps, I had another set of wheels but had to go with bowtie caps on a GMC.

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Yeah, well, at least this stooge has a nice truck. Post your junk if you're going to insult people on a truck forum. Mine's the one above with the nice caps.

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Numbers and availability ...

If one wants a 100% factory truck - then they just might pay that for these :metal:

Re: Hub caps
 

Dave, those hub caps were the icing on the cake for your truck. It's now perfect :)

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I went with nice driver-quality 73-up caps, and painted the bowties blue. Less than $100 total. But I can't give Dave any grief about his NOS caps, because a lot of folks I know consider the simple fact that I own a 1972 pickup truck extravagant. To each their own, as long as we're not harming others.

Re: Hub caps
 

I know, right. :lol:

Re: Hub caps
 

I didn't even know what a stooge was.
But I'm sure I've been stooged!

Bought plenty of eBay parts, trucks, chevy whatever.
I you want it bad enough, you'll pay the price.
I've also had people comment 'you paid HOW much'
My answer is always 'more than anyone else'
'WHY' they might ask

Because, I can.
I worked hard for my money! It's mine!
I like Chevy trucks.
And that is what I spend it on.

All the power to you, davepl

Re: Hub caps
 

I guess I got lucky.
I paid $80 for mine. They were tarnished but had no dents at all.
Got some S100 Polishing Soap at a Harley shop and with a little elbow grease they came out pretty good.
Sent them up to my sign painter, who for $100 repainted the black and changed the bowties to blue.
So for less than $200 I got a mint set.

Re: Hub caps
 

I think Dave is privileged and should have shared with the rest of us. (tongue in cheek):lol::lol::lol::lol: Then four or five of us could have bought driver quality hubcaps.

It's your money Dave, you earned it, spend the hell out of it. After all the guy who sold them to you probably bought his wife something nice.

Re: Hub caps
 

Doesn't bother me a bit. If people can supply them cheaper, get on it and start selling them on eBay, the other 53 bidders probably want a set.

Like I said, I've never seen a set before, never seen a set after, and 3/4T 1970 GMC Chrome is a lot harder to find than 1/2T Chevy 73-

Re: Hub caps
 

Those (the Chevy caps above) look great. BTW, I took a shot at polishing a set I had on hand, but none of the compounds I had would touch it, so I presume they were chrome.

I took from my experience that you can't polish out chrome, it needs to be replated. Stainless and other metals you can polish out very nicely.

Does anyone know (a) what years are for sure chrome and (b) how they can be refinished?