My car currently has the regular 88 hubcaps but I've been wanting to install a set of the correct super 88 hubcaps. I recently acquired 3 hubcaps and while I look for the fourth one I wanted to ask why everyone seems to dislike the clips needed to install these? Several people have told me to stay away from them because they are a pain. I've never had them so I don't understand the issues. I know my 1941 Buick has clips and they bolted to the steel wheels and the hubcaps attached easily. Is this the same process? If so, why does everyone seem to not like them? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

This is not the same process.

'57 and up (through '63) deluxe wheel covers used spring clips mounted on the outer diameter of the wheel rim. The clips snapped into a ring on the back of the wheel cover. This was because Olds designed their wheel covers without holes for the valve stem. They needed a way of checking tire pressure, so they devised these clips, which allow for pulling the cover away from wheel to access the valve stem. Clips are available for purchase from Fusick Automotive. There were five on each wheel. When all five are installed, the wheel cover will (hopefully) "snap" into place. You don't want your fingers in there when it does. Conversely, the other side of the wheel of the wheel cover may pop away from the rim. Or, the clips may fly off. Also, with new clips, and the wheel cover snapped in, the wheel covers are a bugger to get pulled away from the rim - again, watch the fingers.

The parts book lists different clip numbers for different years, but the clips Fusick sells seems to cover them all except '61. '61 clips are shorter. And shouldn't have been necessary because the '61 wheel covers have holes for the valve stems. I don't know why they used them in '61.

They are the devil's work...

 

Thanks for the information. Yeah, they do sound like a pain. Well, I'm always up for a challenge so we will see how it goes.

 

They are worth the effort, especially when your car is going down the road. They aren't that bad to work with

 

I found the easiest way to install them onto the caps is to have the tire lifted off the ground so you can turn the tire to get to the next one. I found the clips from Fusick aren't that great of quality and I ended up breaking a couple of them during the install, order a few extras just in case.

 

Thanks for the comments. I agree, they do look great on the car.

Is Fusick the only place to order these? I wonder why they are so expensive.

Do you think some of them broke because you did something wrong or is the quality bad?