General Fiat 500 Steel Wheel Caps. Anyone seen these before?

[F500ldn]

Was walking past the car in the photo and fell in love with the wheel caps! Anyone know anything about them?

 

[jrkitching]

Anyone know anything about them?

Almost certainly aftermarket, possibly these. I doubt they're very durable; the front one in that picture looks pretty mangled.

Car looks like a Colour Therapy. These had steel wheels as standard, with special Colour Therapy trims. The special (plastic) trims cost a fortune to replace (RRP is over £500 a set, though you can buy OEM ones online for £80-£90 each), so folks who've had them stolen or damaged often fit an alternative. I'd guess that's what happened here.

As an aside, anyone contemplating the purchase of a used Colour Therapy would do well to check it has its original wheel trims, and that they are in good order.

 

[F500ldn]

What a legend! Thank you!

£500 for wheel caps!! What a robbery! Even 80-90 a piece is too much! You can get a set of used alloys for half that! Probably with tyres on ‘em too!

 

[jrkitching]

£500 for wheel caps!! What a robbery!

I'd agree; OEM trim parts, particularly for special editions, have never been cheap.

And so would many CT owners, judging by the number I see that by now have lost their factory trims.

The ones in the ebay link look like a reasonable alternative. Shame they're showing out of stock. That said, securing them might be difficult; it looks as if they're just held on by spring clips, and there's no easy way to put a tie on them. The first good pothole, or encounter with the local light fingered parts recycler, and they'll be gone.

 

[MN500]

Yes we had a set on our 13reg blue colour therapy, the only photo I have is when it suffered a puncture. We liked the look (got many positive comments from people) and also to preserve the expensive originals as JRK correctly reports.

I have a brand new spare set of 4 of these trims, we have just swapped to a 71reg Dolcevita that has alloys so they're surplus to requirements now. If you're anywhere near Leeds you or anybody else is quite welcome to them for free. Send me a message if so.

 

[portland_bill]

OE wheels and trims always have holes in them. This is to allow air to pass through, for cooling the brakes. Those trims look to have no holes, so might cause problems with braking, if used hard. Normal driving is probably not going to make a difference, but there is still a risk.

 

[Troubles with 500c]

I really like these trims as well and have been working on the Wife to let me buy some to use when we swap over to the winter wheels.

You can buy them on eBay for £60.

 

[Gina500]

We have those on our winter wheels (steel rims), they are called „moon caps“ and are chromed plastic, not steel. After 3 winters, the cream paint on the outer ring started to chip off, so I repainted them last year. The chrome keeps up well so far.



Ebay link is

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265394006714

The brake cooling is no issue on this high performance heavy duty brake :devil: system. On the summer wheels (expensive retro alloys) I fitted inner wheel covers to prevent brake dust making its way to the outside. Works perfectly and no braking issues even in hot summers.

 

[Ralf S.]

Is that a Vintage 57 wheel? The v57 has the best wheels, in my opinion.. although one of the local lads round yer has got a passable impression of the look just by fitting some 16" steel wheels which have been painted gloss white, with no hub-caps or anything.


Ralf S.

 

[F500ldn]

Thank you all so much! Love seeing photos of your cars!
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