Shelby Center Caps and Lug Nuts

[tgrenis]

Looking for some Saab Carroll Shelby center caps and lugnuts. I've got the rims and will probably get them cleaned up and painted, but I'm having problems locating the nuts or center caps. The center caps are the same ones that were used on the Inca rims. If anyone has seen any somewhere I'd greatly appreciate locating them. Thanks.

Tim G. in Colorado
tgrenis@comcast.net

[Crazyswede]

Looking for some Saab Carroll Shelby center caps and lugnuts. I've got the rims and will probably get them cleaned up and painted, but I'm having problems locating the nuts or center caps. The center caps are the same ones that were used on the Inca rims. If anyone has seen any somewhere I'd greatly appreciate locating them. Thanks.

Tim G. in Colorado
tgrenis@comcast.net

The original shelby center caps are located on the periodic table next to Unobtainium. The common replacement are the hexagonal ones. You could also have a machine shop spin up a set of round aluminum ones if you were so inclined.

The ones you are referring to can just barely be seen in this picture:



The yellow wheel in the back is a minilite not a shelby so no center cap.

[Jordan]

I think I actually have 2 or 3 real shelby caps, a couple of the tabs are broken off and I was always too afraid to run them and lose them.. and if you find them you probably break them and lose them as well. So if you are going for originality it's probably best to keep them in the glove box and put them on at shows

[tgrenis]

Thanks for the responses. I'm actually okay with the hex caps as well broken tabs or not. Maybe it's not doable, but I'm hoping I can figure out how to fabricate a repair.

TG

[Crazyswede]

I have a friend in Southern Vermont who has a Haas mill in his garage and who helps me we some small machining projects. If there was enough interest we could draw up some of the original shelby center caps and machine them out of Aluminum...could probably get them anodized black or other colors.

[tgrenis]

I'd certainly be interested in that and I'd bet he could sell a lot of them if the per unit price isn't too crazy. Any idea what he'd be looking at $$ per cap? Thanks.

TG

[Crazyswede]

I'd certainly be interested in that and I'd bet he could sell a lot of them if the per unit price isn't too crazy. Any idea what he'd be looking at $$ per cap? Thanks.

TG

Not sure really. It was sort of a quick idea. it all comes down to machine time and demand. We'd be talking about a limited run...10 to 20 sets I'd imagine. Price could be in the $50 to $100 range....maybe more if powder coated or anodized. I'll have to dig around and see what materials cost etc. I used to have one drawn up but i think it was on an old hard drive. I had one lying around at one point to draw from....might be able to find it.

[tgrenis]

Swede - are you thinkin' that's the approximate price range per unit or for an entire set? If it's a set price I'm ready to commit to three or four personally. I can take care of the powder coating locally. Let me know. Thanks.

TG

[Crazyswede]

Swede - are you thinkin' that's the approximate price range per unit or for an entire set? If it's a set price I'm ready to commit to three or four personally. I can take care of the powder coating locally. Let me know. Thanks.

TG

I am very broadly guessing on a price for a set. I'll have to start by:

1, Finding my old cap to use as a model
2. taking dimensions and creating the new solid model
3. talk to friend and find out machining cost.

Given they would be made from aluminum we would either have to make them a press fit into the wheel or have some sort of positive attachment from the back to keep them from flying off....the plastic ones have little fingers that snapped in place...and liked to snap off over time.

[tgrenis]

Swede - I understand...just wanted to let you know that I'm very interested in this idea. Makes a lot of sense and this way I could quit worrying about trying to locate originals. And ideally I won't have to worry as much about losing an antique original.

I was wondering myself how to figure out how to make the aluminum tabs work. It may be that you have half as many since aluminum isn't nearly as flexible as the reinforced plastic. Keep me posted on what you come up...and thanks!!!

TG in Colorado

[SwedeSport]

Maybe a fiberglass/epoxy resin molded replica would be more logical. As far as the tabs, a lip that fits just inside the center bore may be all that is needed. A little Permatex RTV would be enough to hold it on. I use that on my center caps on my steel wheels. A dab of silicone in the lug nut covers is all that is needed. They can be painted to match the originals, and I can reproduce the center logos, or create custom logo centers. I personally like the SAAB roundel on my wheels.


As far as the lugnuts go, I found a chrome acorn nut with a washer, that works perfectly as a finctional replacement. They are not original, but allows you to run the wheels now, while continuing to hunt for the right nuts.

[Geoff]

Why not have them machined out of a black plastic? Acetyl or something similar?

Or just use old black spraypaint can caps with a little electrical tape wrapped around the end so they stay in place. I've done that before.

The lugnuts that SwedeSport got were from Summit racing.

[Crazyswede]

Why not have them machined out of a black plastic? Acetyl or something similar?

Or just use old black spraypaint can caps with a little electrical tape wrapped around the end so they stay in place. I've done that before.

The lugnuts that SwedeSport got were from Summit racing.

Why buy Penthouse when you can jerk off to the Walmart flier

[Geoff]

Hey if it works for you...

[SwedeSport]

Is that what we have to resort to? Damn I miss the Sears catalog.