Has anyone ever tried to put pontoon style hubcaps on W123 steel wheels? I’ve got a stock 1981 240D with the usual 14” color matched caps buuuttttt then I saw this picture today and am sort of LOVING it and want to know if it could work. I imagine there’s enough room but I have no clue, anyone try it already!?




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Those also work with body colored wheels and hub caps.

Sixto
98 E320s sedan and wagon

The fintails had studs with knobs on them IIRC. Some also may have the eyebrows like a us car with dog dish caps.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Holy retro that looks good!

So, some questions are

1) can I just buy old dog bowls and corresponding trim rings and expect them to work on the standard W123 steel wheels on my 1981 240D?

2) if so, how do those dog bowls and corresponding trim rings mount? Part numbers?

My lord - if you have the patience to read the link below, the guy literally goes into awesome detail and may or may not even answer these questions to somebody who can connect the dots.......buuttt I’m having trouble doing so because I don’t know enough about these older hubcaps (or quite frankly about W123 wheels).

https://www.sl113.org/wiki/WheelsTires/Hubcap


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The pontons and fintails that used dog dish hubcaps and trim rings had 13" wheels, so the trim rings will not fit a 14" W123 wheel. Also, the dog dish hubcaps need nubs for mounting them, which W123 wheels do not have.

Early W108 chassis cars use 14" wheels that take dog dish hubcaps and trim rings. You have to use an early W108 wheel with nubs for them to work.

You can, however, buy hubcap mounting studs from a Volkswagen Beetle or something and can mount them to W123 wheels so you can install dog dish hubcaps on them. Heck, I've even seen dog dish hubcaps installed on aluminum 16" CLK wheels.

I have plans of using 14" steel-look aluminum wheels (the kind that take full size wheel covers), and installing the studs on them so I could use dog-dish hubcaps on my 1967 Universal. They would allow the disc brakes to vent well, and would have an original look.

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1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

There we go, thanks for that Squiggle! Now I think I get it a little better. So to recap, dog dish caps alone (ignoring trim ring because I’m not wed to it necessarily) can certainly be mounted to 14” steel wheels, but I’d probably want the wheels off, sanded and painted black; then I’d need to measure diameter (not sure how I’d do this right, but open to suggestion - I’m thinking a stencil so each wheel can be pre marked) if the dog dish caps and figure out where to mount the clips on each steel wheel; buy some clips that all appear to get riveted into my steel wheels (again no idea how that process works or who I could have do it); get the clips mounted and then mount the dog bowls. Would allow for plenty or venting through the holes and I think look pretty awesome.

Here are some pics to help visualize the parts and work - does this all sound right, any recs on measuring where to place these clips on my steelies and getting them riveted into my steelies?




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Now where to get a nice set of dog bowls? Perhaps available from the classic center still? I would not see a big issue with attaching the clips to the wheel as the posted picture shows.

I am far from a wheel fanatic. I just do not like the bunts. I much preffer the full disk wheel covers and this is yet another option as well it seems.

I also have had great luck repainting the full disk hubcaps starting with fine line masking tape.

A lot of good parts that where available locally are crushed now. About ten years ago was when the local decline started to become noticeable.

This far north in eastern Canada there were for example pristine interiors complete for very little cost up until then. Uncracked dashes where even very common. What is painful today is the amount of low milage parts that could have been obtained from many of those rust outs.

I am slowly turning against the modern car. I dropped my keys in the snow this morning. Picked them up wiped the car key off and the ignition switch would not turn. Also the limited freedom the steering wheel has in the locked position seemed less. That turned out to be my imagination.

I went into the house and thought for a moment. Maybe a small piece of snow went into the ignition lock. Got the wd 40 and gave the lock a good shot. Fortunatly I was lucky. I also looked up the cost of repair at dealers on this car for a non functional ignition key. It usually is not the tumbler section of the lock that fails. Plus if the key where really stuck in the off position it may be difficult to get the tumbler out. If not impossible. So this is yet a car if you ever suspect any tumbler or key wear order a new one immediately.

About a thousand dollars with about eight hours labor involved the guys on the net claim. Even a spare key cannot be programmed by other than a dealer on this year. Two hundred for a key and one hundred for programming. Their keys electronic system is so complex they have discontinued it. It is the only system I am aware of that you can not do it otherwise. It seems even places that provide aftermarket keys cannot program this one. They do have the required equipment to cut the special slots in the sides if the key though. If you provide a sample key.

You can use a generic trim ring. I guess eBay or other forum members would be the best place to find dog dish hubcaps. I mean, you can still get new full face wheel covers from The Classic Center, but they are over $400 EACH.

Those clips should work. I've also seen some that are more like a stud. The clips may be better. I'm not sure how to get them positioned correctly, other than "be careful". The wheels may be designed so that the raised edge is in the perfect position for drilling holes and installing the clips.

I don't blame a person for turning against the modern car. I have never been interested in them. They are just way too complicated for me.

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Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

Interesting about the clips, thanks. Not much into caps, especially those modern caps. Heck, don't like modern on most things, especially vehicals (unless had really good employment requiring a lot of driving, pay cash, and could afford someone else doing repairs).

Thought before the accident to run bunts during nice weather and caps during the winter with winter tyres. That way if know going to be muddy, pop the caps off and no visible wear.

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1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT - Rear ended 23 September 2016 and now looking for a new home.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD - Parted out.

1964 Volkswgen Beetle - Vater's since September 1968 and undergoing a restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

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