RP De Luxe - Spare Wheel Cover

[Frank Stoll]

Hello,
I had hoped that the photo is available in better quality because my attempts to change brightness and contrast to find out whether any spokes become visible more or less failed. I clearly spotted the shiny wheel centre and came to the conclusion that the wheel cover only covered the tyre and not the spokes, similar to the metal cover produced by WB. Why should a fabric cover have an open center that perhaps can hardly be placed directly in front of the metal cap? The question of tightening and mounting the gadget with a zipper is interesting. How many items have had a zipper in those days? I would have expected a string or some springs that tighten the whole cover. 
Let's try to find out and work on the matter... the more we find out, the more original our cars will be...
Regards 
Frank

[Ivor Hawkins]

I’ve spent hours searching the forum for the photograph I remember seeing Frank, I’m convinced it was a really clear shot of a full vinyl cover...I’ll keep looking.

[kenkimber]

Frank, the zip fastener as we know it was patented in 1913 although there were earlier less successful similar ideas.
I seem to remember that any years ago the 750 MC Bulletin used to advertise a complete fabric cover with a large reflective yellow triangle on it, I will speak to some old friends to see if they remember them - or indeed if they still have one which could be examined !
Obviously if the spokes and wheel centre are covered then the whole thing remains clean.

[Frank Stoll]

Hello Ken,
yes, exactly... I still see (virtually) the advertisment in front of my eyes. Roughly 20 years ago I could hardly imagine something like this being original. Today I would buy it (even with the non-original triangle), but I have not found anything similar.
The zipper thing is something that I simply exclude because the original clothing (mainly uniforms) from the 1930s and 1940s that I still have in possession tried to avoid zippers... obviously because of missing reliability. 
Regards
Frank

[kenkimber]

Frank, I have spoken to a chap who has one of the covers with the yellow triangle still fitted to one of his cars !
He says that that the part that fits over the tyre towards the back of the car is elasticated and just reaches over far enough to cover the tyre.
He lives fairly local to me and I may possibly see him on Thursday at a lunch meeting, he says if he is able to come he will bring that car, if so I will take a couple of photographs.
Best wishes Ken.

[Parazine]

I have seen a photograph here on the forum (or perhaps the old one) showing a spare wheel cover and unless my mind I’d playing tricks on me, I think it is a period shot.

It was an RP parked on the verge and I have a feeling some ladies were enjoying a picnic...I shall see if I can find it.

Are you thinking of photo 901 on P362 of the Source Book?

Several trimmers have produced modern versions with yellow triangles, outlined with reflective bands, they were quite popular in the Bristol Club a few years ago. I have one on my Chummy:

   

[Frank Stoll]

Hello,
that's at least what I thought of when we discussed the version that I remember from ads in the 750 motor club bulletin. The question still remains, whether this is close to the one mentioned in the sales brochures for the late RP De Luxe versions.
Some of the options that have to be taken into consideration:

On the period photo of Ken's father car, we see the white / silver piping around the outer side of the cover AND we see a chromed cap in the center: the center was left out to reveal the chromed cap or some sort of centered badge / logo was added to the fabric cover.

The period phot in The Austin Seven Source book shows the same type of cover, clearly showing the Austin Wings and the centre, that seems to be an extra silverish something and not the chromed cap.

The WB version was a posh aftermarket product and the catalogues misled the buyers by suggesting a WB cover.

   

What is striking about the "Source Book photo" is the fact that the silverish centre comes out a bit, as if the fabric is either bend inwards or the center pushed to the outside because something has been attached to the inside to avoid damage to the chrome cap.

So the wheel cover with the triangle, would be very close, if the white / silver piping was added, a logo attached and the mystery about the center solved... Let's go!

Regards

[JonE]

is that not just the tent 'top' of the vinyl cover being pushed outward by the wheel embellisher, perhaps with a thin rubber pad underneath to stop friction wear?

[Ivor Hawkins]

Yes! That’s the photograph I’m thinking of, we’ll spotted!

[Hedd_Jones]

The centre caps were/are stainless. (Were they not advertised as durabrite or sumsuch?). I shouldn't have thought any care was needed re wear. The cover would just polish it up nice. 

How do those with covers find the wheel condition remains? I'd have thought with a car in fairly regular use, rain or shine, and with the low pressure at the back of all cars, that the cover is more likey to keep moisture in, rather than out and cause more rather than less corrosion. Particularly if the forward facing bit (the 'car side') of the spare wheel is open.