Which center cap do you prefer?

Aurora40 · 08-09-05, 03:07

Ok, so I love the 5-spokes on my 1990 Corvette. But the only thing that sort of bugs me is that they have the '94-95 center cap. It has the 1991-1996 Corvette emblem on it, not the 1984-1990 emblem. I'd prefer the right emblem. So I can put the center caps from my stock wheels on, but they are a polished-type finish. Which do you prefer:

Current wheel with the (wrong) 1991-96 emblem:

Wheel with the 1984-1990 emblem:

There are also other choices, in 1984-85 they had a black center cap with the same emblem, and 1987 had a dark grey center cap with that emblem. I think the dark grey might look better than the polished look, but I still doubt it would match the wheel color.

As an aside, excuse the messy wheel. The car just got back from a very rain-filled trip to Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ.

Mosca · 08-09-05, 05:50

The proper emblem doesn't blend in well enough. I've worked at Chev dealers for 17 years and wouldn't have recognized the emblem was wrong. I have a '97 Miata and my winter wheels are '99s with the newer Mazda emblem on the centercaps, and no one notices nor cares.

Tom

Aurora40 · 08-09-05, 06:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mosca

I have a '97 Miata and my winter wheels are '99s with the newer Mazda emblem on the centercaps, and no one notices nor cares.

But this is a Corvette...

I hear what you are saying, no one notices it's the wrong emblem. But I do. The other emblem is all over the car, on the hood, trunk, engine, power key... I wish there was one that blended in better with the wheel. It bothers me that it's the wrong emblem. I bought a 1990 because I like that style over the 1991-96. I like the emblem better too.

If it helps, here's the 1987 emblem which would also work, next to the current one that matches the wheels finish. The 1987 would be a darker color paint, but it would be closer to matching (for those not sure, the gold bowtie on a red background is the correct 1984-1990 emblem, the red-outlined bowtie on a black background is the 1991-96 emblem. My wheels are from a 1994-95, hence the newer emblem).

The thing about the brushed finish one I photochopped is that I already own a set of those emblems from the original wheels. I'd have to buy the '87 emblems at the ridiculous "corvette emblemed" price.

merci · 08-09-05, 08:34

Hmmm... quite a pickle... the 1984-1990 emblems do not match the 1991-1996 wheels - they stick out like a sore thumb.

Have a custom center cap made so that it has the same finish as the 1991-1996 center cap but with a 1984-1990 emblem. I'm sure you're not the only one with this problem.

Prometheus · 08-10-05, 07:31

I personally think you should stick with the ones that match the wheel, but it might be possible to give the polished ones a brushed look and that might match better. I can't tell exactly what the finish is like on the rims, so I cant say with even a confident feeling it would look good, but it might be an option. Might work, might not. Anyways, that's what popped into my head when I saw the pics.

missam · 08-12-05, 02:20

the "wrong ones" as you've said doesn't seem to look any different from the later emblems. but i'd go with right ones (1984-1990), there can be some things you can do for the color of the central cap given that grey and the polished type both looks good.

this is quite a hard pick.. i have to agree with merci.

percynjpn · 08-13-05, 05:12

I think you should decide which is more important to you: The numbers matching, or which looks better to your eye.

Personally, I'd go with the "wrong" ones, as I think they look better against the rest of the wheel.

MattZ28 · 08-13-05, 05:24

Don't like the polished ones.

steck · 08-13-05, 05:26

like you say,,,its a vette...

stick with stock.

you can never go wrong leaving things alone!

GTScott · 08-19-05, 08:42

I don't think the proper emblem blends well enough, like others suggested. I would stickw ith what you have already. I am about to scrape the rear trunk emblem off of my C5. If you want it you can then add that one into the mix!

-GT