Need a recommendation for secure center caps.

[Onetech]

Got the tires rotated and balanced on the car today(4 different sizes were present, lol). I had the service guy leave off the center caps and rings because I need to repaint the rally rims. I'll only put on the caps and rings before I go to a show or some other special occasion. For the time being does anyone know of some secure center caps I could use? I have looked at quite a few but it just seems that someone equipped with a flat blade could pop off the caps easily. BTW - standard 15x7 rally rims.

I'll post some pictures of them later.

[Patrick Sheean]

They would not be hard to steal for sure, but I'm not aware of any secure ones. Are you going to get your rims media blasted and powder coated?

[LostnFound]

Cory CK03 had some locking center caps for sale a while back I think. Is the car staying outside?

[Dans '70 Z20]

First off, I am surprised you intend on driving with 4 different size tires ( unless I am reading your post wrong).

 

In regards to securing rally cap. In the past I have seen a kit you can install to each cap. Consists of a cable you secure behind center cap and the other end is secured with some sort of ring that is secured behind one of your lug nuts. Only issue with these is if cap gets loose ...... Rather than it flying off ... It is still attached to lug and potentially will destroy cap and cause body damage. Cheaper to replace a set if lost/stolen than pay for body work if one should loosen up and cause body damage.

 

Best bet is to pay attention to where you park and not leave unattended forong periods. Here in NY our cars are not parked or left anywhere other than a cruise or show where we are somewhere close by. These cars are just too easy to break into and drive away with. Around here last year there was a group of 4 guys stealing newer OEM wheels off upper models that people with base models will want. One guy one each corner .... They jack up car ........ Using cordless impact wrench....... Pull all for rims off and drop the car onto four cinder blocks. Happened to 6 cars I am aware of within a mile. They did it while cars in peoples driveways, parked in the street ... Anywhere! They got past any wheel locks. They are so fast if cops called they are loooooooong gone before they arrive.

 

Dan

[Onetech]

I had the tires matched up front and rear so we don't have odd ball sizes anymore. The car will normally be parked in my garage when I am home. The problems comes when I drive it around town and park in public parking lots and at work, who knows what could happen. As far as media blasting, not yet. Just want to get all the little things done. Here is my list so far.

Paint rims this week, one is cracked just found out

Replace rear shocks

Clean engine bay

Repair A/C unit, I think the clutch is broken(has a loose inner plate, it just spins freely)

Repair some rot in the right side of trunk right below the Monte carlo emblems on that 3" wide plate by the 2 big bolts.

Detail and paint the rear axle, might even change the fluid.

[Canuck]

I've had my 70 Monte for 17 years and park it almost anywhere. I don't park it in high risk areas but I do park at malls, grocery stores, Wal Mart, etc. Never had one taken.

 

I had a 72 as a daily driver (summer months) until recently and parked it out of view on a side street daily and did not have an issue. I did however lose a cap one day last summer. Not sure if it fell off while driving or if someone took it when I was at the swap meet that day.

 

My dad had a set stolen off of his 75 Monte back in the late 80s but uncle parked it in a pretty bad area.

 

My family has had several cars with rally wheels (in many cases 2 at a time) used as daily drivers over 30+ years and we've had very little issues. If it is not parked in a high risk area, you will likely be fine. I try not to stress about it too much otherwise I'd never take the car out of the garage.

[Leghome]

I have a friend who ran 8' rally's on his S10 pickup. Had two sets off of the truck while we inside working at Delco Remy in Anderson Indiana. After the 2nd set was stolen he put INDY 500 wheels on it and they were never bothered. The INDY 500 wheels were harder ot find at that time than the rally's.

[Malyc]

Only time I've lost a cap was cruising up from the QA1 factory to the Car Craft Summer Nats, and it was loose... Drive it pretty frequently during the summer, and haven't had a problem with anyone trying to borrow them.

[Rob Peters]

Only time I've lost a cap was cruising up from the QA1 factory to the Car Craft Summer Nats, and it was loose... Drive it pretty frequently during the summer, and haven't had a problem with anyone trying to borrow them.

 

I had one fly off of my Monte shortly after I bought the car. It happened as I started to slow down and it passed me uup and rolled up into someone's front yard. Prior to this happening, I had thought about buying one of those strap systems Dan was talking about but once that cap flew off and I considered how much damage it could have done flopping around I scrapped that thought.

Rob

[Malyc]

Yes indeed... small (not that the center caps are small, but hey) metal objects traveling at high rates of speed can ruin anyone's day. Fortunately for me, my dad had a set from his second gen that he'd given me about a week before, so I still have all four on the car =)

[Evan91]

I have cap keepers on mine http://www.opgi.com/chevelle/CK56975/

[Onetech]

Very good suggestion Evan91. How do they actually attach if you don't mind me asking. Looks as if one end is held down by the nut center cap?

[70mcarlo]

The cap end is attached via the four screws used to attach the center cap to the "dish" and the other end is attached using two of the lug nuts (best to use one locking lug nut).