C hubcaps

[Ron LaDow]

I know this has been covered, but after a Bing search (and there is no search feature on the Main Discussion page), I can't find anything.
C hubcaps came in three flavors:
1) No crest; plain
2) Chromed cast brass crest
3) Cloisonne crest
#1 was very short-lived; how long did #2 get furnished? I know #3 went through any steel-wheeled 9XX cars.
(added by edit) When did we contract with the Slowskis' web host?

2nd Edit. Yes there is a search feature on the MD page; it's on the left, a bit down
There I found this: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=32680
Wherein #2 is claimed to be standard for Cs, and seems to be implied that they were used on those steel-wheeled 9XX cars.
Any confirmation?

[Edwin Ek]

Not quite a direct answer, but in the summer of 1964 my dad picked up at the factory a slate grey on red C coupe.

I could have sworn it had Ron's #2 with painted colors, not just chrome. I remember distinctly my dad talking about repainting them because the paint had started to flake off.

Am I completely hallucinating or ...

[Ron LaDow]

Not quite a direct answer, but in the summer of 1964 my dad picked up at the factory a slate grey on red C coupe.
I could have sworn it had Ron's #2 with painted colors, not just chrome. I remember distinctly my dad talking about repainting them because the paint had started to flake off.
Am I completely hallucinating or ...

2nd owner of my current C, and while I have no way of citing evidence, here's the story I got from the OO:
Early '65, the dealer was really frightened of carrying 356s on the lot after the intro of the 911s. While not shown on the invoice original invoice, or the (later) CoA, the car had chrome wheels and the cloisonne crests.
Supposedly, the dealer tried to charge extra for them, but the OO said 'take it or leave it'. I have no doubt dealers were 'dealing' on 356s at the time, but it means the records are therefore unreliable. It is a C (not SC), very late Karmann build, with those wheels and 'caps. And a story.
In the many Cs (SCs) I've owned, all have had the cloisonne crests, but at that time it meant a $50 order from the dealer or Stoddard.

[Harlan Halsey]

My '63 SC has the plain hubcaps. Most likely original.
I seem to remember that it went from plain to the silver ones-which always looked like the base for the cloisonné-to the final cloisonné. But the cloisonné must have always been available as they are probably the same used on the B hubcaps.

[Joris Koning]

Wasn't cloisonne an option? Pretty sure it was on the early 911's

[Eric Lenius]

Our Jan 65 build car has date matched hubcaps with the plain chrome crests. They appear to be original to the car. So, the plain chrome ones may not be an intermediate style since they are on such a late car? I agree that it appears that the earlier C models had the crestless 904 style hubcaps.

[Emil Wojcik]

Years ago I remember reading the earliest Cs had the plain caps, after which all other Cs came standard with chrome crests (cloisonne optional) and all SCs came standard with cloisonne. Don't remember where I read it but I think it was in these forums.

My C has (actually, had, since I replaced them with cloisonne years ago) date matched caps with chrome crests that I believe to be original to the car, at least I have no reason to doubt that they are based on my knowledge of its history.

[Dave Wildrick]

I bought my 64C from the 23-year-old original owner in 1976. It came with chromed cast brass crest hubcaps. Based on how worn the rest of the car was, I don’t believe the kid would have spent money to upgrade from crestless hubcaps. I bought the aftermarket cloisonne crest hubcaps currently on the car.

[Ron LaDow]

A similar 'survey' is going on over at the 912bbs.
I had imagined that the cast-brass part was an interim (time-limited) rather than an optional part, but it seems they were 'base' parts even on steel-wheeled 9XX cars (one guy has an original invoice showing an $8.00 upcharge for the cloisonne parts).
I think it's a safe assumption that they were not real popular and the factory followed the normal procedure of never throwing anything out, and simply continued to provide them as the 'base' offering until they were finally sold out.

[Wil Mittelbach]

As a reference:-
My original unrestored`65C cab (Jan'65 build date) has clear chrome hubcaps on chrome rims as the C cab depicted on the cover of the May/June`10 356 Registry mag.

[Tom Coughlin]

My 2/65 Cab. has "hubcaps with crest" on the COA (and on the car). The crests are colored.

[Mark Selleck]

My early '65 SC Coupe, originally purchased in Charlotte, NC, October, 1964, has the "chrome" crests, no color. I'm the second owner, and, based on the original owner's lack of use (I bought the car from him in March of '88, with 49k miles on it.), I feel confident the crests are as was originally purchased.

[Robin Walker]

My early 64C chassis 129856 is fitted with plain hubcaps of thin metal, which are very easily dented.
I was given a set of used Cloisonne centered hubcaps which I fitted very proudly and promptly lost one as they were always fitted with the point of the shield pointing to the valve stem thus giving a wear point where they were fitted to the wheel and the others were all loose.
I have now gone back to the original dented hubcaps, and have three cloisonne ones on the shelf.

[Thomas Sottile]

My very early 64 sc had no crest just plain hub caps. the registration was (1963 super C)

[Wil Mittelbach]

Per my preceding post -