Center caps on the cheap

General chat about the car goes in here.
User avatar
spidernut
Posts: 1905
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:20 am
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider Automatic
Location: Lincoln, CA

Center caps on the cheap

Postby spidernut » Wed Mar 29, 2017 12:27 am

I couldn't find center caps to fit the 2 1/2" diameter openings in the rims of my son's car. I came up with this solution:

1. 2 inch Halex Knock-out seal from Home Depot. Cost $1.25ish. Available in the electrical department. It fills a 2 1/2" diameter hole in electrical boxes, metal buildings, etc.

2. Adjusted prongs out a little to tighten the fit in the wheel openings

3. Painted with self-etching primer followed by silver metallic paint

4. Self-adhesive Fiat logo printed on bubble jet printer adhered to face

5. Covered with approximately 1/8" liquid resin which fills in the indented part of the metal plug. Slightly tinted to match the rims.

6. Snap in place

Image
Image
John G.
1979 Spider (Owned since 2000)
1971 124 Sport Spider (Owned since 2017)
1977 Spider (Sold 2017)
1979 Spider (Disposed of in 2017)
1979 Spider (Sold 2015)
1980 Spider (Sold in 2013)
1981 Spider (Sold in 1985)
2017 Spider (Owned since 2019)

fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: Center caps on the cheap

Postby fiat218 » Wed Mar 29, 2017 4:55 am

That looked really nice
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider

User avatar
RRoller123
Patron 2020
Patron 2020
Posts: 8179
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 2:04 pm
Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: Center caps on the cheap

Postby RRoller123 » Wed Mar 29, 2017 8:49 am

Clever!
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
2002 Edgewater 175CC 80HP 4-Stroke Yamaha
2003 Jaguar XK8
2003 Jaguar XKR
2021 Jayco 22RB
2019 Bianchi Torino Bicycle

spider2081
Patron 2024
Patron 2024
Posts: 2967
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:45 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Spider 2000
Location: Wallingford,CT
Contact:

Re: Center caps on the cheap

Postby spider2081 » Wed Mar 29, 2017 8:56 am

Love it. what do they say " Frugality is the inspiration for creativity"

AriK
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 1148
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:58 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider
Location: Montreal Canada

Re: Center caps on the cheap

Postby AriK » Wed Mar 29, 2017 2:19 pm

Great recreation! The logo even blends perfectly inside the indentation. Last year somebody on ebay had balls for listing a set of 4 originals for some sick price +/- $400 :shock:

samakijoe
Posts: 132
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2017 9:56 pm
Your car is a: 1975 Fiat 124
Location: Original Washington (1776) NC

Re: Center caps on the cheap

Postby samakijoe » Wed Mar 29, 2017 5:21 pm

Love the look.

Go into production.. How much for a set of four?? 8)
Joe D.
SAMAKIJOE
AKA GRANDPA GRUMPYPANTS

DRUMMOND
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 443
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:11 pm
Your car is a: Fiat Spyder 2000 1980 Pininfarina

Re: Center caps on the cheap

Postby DRUMMOND » Wed Mar 29, 2017 10:02 pm

Very good A+ for creativity!!


Return to “Fiat Spider Related”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 73 guests