Sombrero Hubcaps

[Davidrubin]

doing research for my next The Self-Starter article.  Is the term sombrero restricted to 1948-1952 hubcaps?  were they only available on certain series?

thanks!
Dave Rubin
CLC Exec VP

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

They would have been an extra cost item from 1947-1952. Standard caps were the "dog-dish" hubcaps and trim rings. Trim rings may have been optional as well. In 1951/52, they offered what I have always called "El cheapo" full sized wheel covers out of thin stainless. (I have surmised that people bought them simply for the emblems when they finally ran out of separate emblems, as NO ONE wanted these on their cars. I state this as they still had the cheap wheel covers and were out of emblems.)
Dog dish caps were still standard in 1953, and in 1954, they went to full sized covers across the line. I've never heard of any cap other than these referred to as a "sombrero."

I checked the Schneider books and could find no reference to them being standard on the 60S 1950-52 instead of caps.

[Caddy Wizard]

Isn't it correct that while the Sombreros were extra cost options, the vast majority of Cadillacs came with them?

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Art, you are correct. Most people LOVED the sombreros, and they were soon knocked off by the hot rodders.

[kav]

My 53 has the sombrero's,  but they were an option I believe . I'll check my build records

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

1953 caps when delivered were just that. If you have sombreros then someone liked them better than the original ones with the curved emblem in the dish portion and the angled flat portion around the edge.

Generally, Cadillac used wheel covers for at least two years in the 1940s and 1950s. As in 1937/38, 1939,1940, 1941,1942, 1946. 1947,1952 looked alike but were changed in 1948 due to problems with attaching the covers to the wheels.

[kav]

You are indeed correct , I just did some more research and mine are not sombreros  and are exactly as you describe . That'll teach me to believe crap that I haven't researched properly  .