Eldorado Hub Cap Discs

[Dave MacGregor #18998]

Hi,

Has anyone tried, or does anyone know how or if the colored discs on the 77-78 Eldorado hub caps can be carefully removed so as they can be reused without destroying them?

I have a hub cap with curb rash and a perfect disc on it while I have a perfect hub cap with a farless than perfect color disc on it.

I already have a good quality spray adhesive that can be used to reapply it.

Thanks,

Dave

[Brian Rachlin]

Dave,

I am going from memory here, and this is from the late 70s, so it may be wrong, but...

I am pretty sure that the color disks had an adhesive backing and that the color was on the same side as the adhesive with a clear plastic on the outer surface.  This may be a replacement part that I am thinking of, or even 77/78 caps, but I had a 76 back in the late 70s and I put a set of black disks on soke plain stainless caps, and I am pretty sure that they came from Cadillac.

I think if you pull them off, you will ruin the color, but try heating it up with a hair dryer (a heat gun will melt them), and see what happens...

Let us know,

Brian

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

My experience is that you CANT get them off in 1 piece. The glue they use is like nothing Ive ever see. Various solvents dont even affect it. Good Luck. Bob

[Randall McGrew CLC # 17963]

I had that problem when I lost one of mine.  I found a good 77 at a salvage yard but the disk was blue.  The best I could do (no one would touch it or make a new disk) was have the blue disk removed and the area painted the correct color.  It turned out beautifully, but it is not original.  Finding one with soveriegn gold was next to impossible.  Oh well.

[Rhino 21150]

For an adhesive solvent you may want to try Goof Off from the paint store. Try it on the buggered center to see if it melts the whole thing!. If that doesnt work, get a Dremel tool and a lot of the tiny cutoff wheels. Cut the metal from the back. Thats more effort than its worth, probably. If you have access to a drill press it might be easier to use a hole saw with the pilot drill removed. This will take a very steady hand and a light touch.

[George Woodford clc21025]

I had my eldorado hubcaps buffed and polished and they shine like chrome.  At the time, the shop representative informed me that the applique would be destroyed in the process, because the stainless will become very hot.  I decided not to apply new appliques or paint to the centers.  The centers on the 1976 Biarritz were just painted with no applique applied.  The appliques are available for about $15 at USA Parts Supply.