CX Pallas stainless hubcap repair

[Andy N]

Hey, Just to get another question out there about the CX. A great car by the way.

With every CX hubcap of this type that I've seen:
They are scuffed and dented and deeply scratched......in 3 years I've owned 12 of them!

So what is the best way to get them back to original?
-Andy

[DoubleChevron]

Get a good set from the back of parts cars, and don't hit gutters with them !! The back hubcaps are always good, so long as no-one has swapped them front/back at some point to hide the damaged hubcaps, they kerbed the rear ones

seeya,
Shane L.

[Andy N]

Hey Shane

I've owned 3 CX's with these and all 12 hubcaps have been damaged to a variable degree....and no I don't hit kerbs often and the off time when this has happened it was the fat tyres scraping and not the hubcaps.

I don't know how they get so damaged but it's obvious that hubcaps are easily changeable between wheels and I generally put the worst on the rear wheels.

I may one day find 4 good ones but I'd much rather fix up the 8 ones I have and that way I have 4 spares.

A mate of mine polishes stainless with an attachment to a drill....so that could work for the minor crazing, but can stainless be beaten back into shape? Sounds like it would be specialist work and that could cost mucho mulla

[stuart dammery]

does 4 for$100, gets them as new

[Andy N]

Originally Posted by David S

they do exist.
David

REALLY!? Where?

I've asked already when I first bought the C-matic..."Wanted. Hubcaps etc" on AF and CCC forum, and no luck then. Not one lead.

If Stu is right about getting 4 fixed up for $100 then that is very reasonable considering the characteristics of the Stainless that you mentioned.
I did wonder about the deep scratches, which are only on a couple of the hubcaps and are on the parts car.....that would be difficult to repair.

I'll get the number off Stu I think.

Cheers, Andy

[DoubleChevron]

Oh gee's

I wonder what happened to the hubcaps from my old CX ... I hope they haven't been chucked/lost/binned... It had 4 perfect hubcaps on it that car ...... I think the Series I CX's look wrong with the alloy wheels now and prefer the hubcaps.

I'll have to search around for some hubcaps and see what I have....

seeya,
Shane L.

[Andy N]

Thanks Shane, I'll be down to pick them up next week...... Well, I would like to do a bit of a road trip but probably not until Spring. The snow could be good this year and it's tempting to go down to Threders for some riding.

I've got rego this month so may need some new tyres. I like the look of the 195's all round but a lower profile would be good....like 65%. Are Michies the best for a CX? The BF goodrich tyres looked chunkier and better but may not be as quiet or lasting. I'll search for some tire info too.
Rob Thorne has Alfa mags on his S1 CX and they ooze class like a Merc coupe or something
-Andy

[stuart dammery]

a h commmercial metal polishing
Contact Alby Hiko
02 9748 0919
email albyhiko@hotmail.com

[Andy N]

Thanks for the number Stuart. I attempted to call Alby but no success. The phone rings 3 times then nothing.
Perhaps I should send an email.
So is he able to press the hubcaps back out to shape and then polish them?
At $25 a pop it is well worth it. Are you going to get that done on CC?
-Andy

[DoubleChevron]

Originally Posted by Andy N

Thanks Shane, I'll be down to pick them up next week...... Well, I would like to do a bit of a road trip but probably not until Spring. The snow could be good this year and it's tempting to go down to Threders for some riding.

I've got rego this month so may need some new tyres. I like the look of the 195's all round but a lower profile would be good....like 65%. Are Michies the best for a CX? The BF goodrich tyres looked chunkier and better but may not be as quiet or lasting. I'll search for some tire info too.
Rob Thorne has Alfa mags on his S1 CX and they ooze class like a Merc coupe or something
-Andy

Don't get your hopes high ... I'm hopeless at getting around to stuff I've had an indicator lense on my front floor I was supposed to send someone for months now ... It even went to the Cit-in and back and still hasn't found it's way to the post office "He who waits on shane will die of old age ".

seeya,
Shane L.

[Andy N]

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

Don't get your hopes high ... I'm hopeless at getting around to stuff I've had an indicator lense on my front floor I was supposed to send someone for months now ... It even went to the Cit-in and back and still hasn't found it's way to the post office "He who waits on shane will die of old age ".

seeya,
Shane L.

Nah...don't be so hard on yourself. You sent me that headlight switch when I was down at the snow and that got me out of trouble....it didn't take more than a couple of days to get to me.......likewise the CD rom, I asked for it and you sent it. Anyway, I don't know how you get the time to do all those engineering projects, and work full time, and be a husband and dad. You must have unlimited energy, or ADHD or something!

[Rob T]

Originally Posted by Andy N

I've got rego this month so may need some new tyres. I like the look of the 195's all round but a lower profile would be good....like 65%. Are Michies the best for a CX? The BF goodrich tyres looked chunkier and better but may not be as quiet or lasting. I'll search for some tire info too.
Rob Thorne has Alfa mags on his S1 CX and they ooze class like a Merc coupe or something
-Andy

I actually prefer the look of the original polished stainless caps, but for an every day driver the grip of the modern tyres is worthwhile.

There is not all that much difference between name brands. Pick a ride / performance compromise and let pricing make the final decision. You will probably find that there isn't all that much choice in 195/14's, given that they are now a superceded size.

I have just fittedf new tyres to my car. I could only find about half a dozen choices for the Alfa mags and they weren't all in stock. So I ended up with Michelin Pilot Preceda 2 tyres (205/55 R16 on 16x6.5 rims). These are nominally a performance tyre, and I was concerned that they would ride badly. But all was OK. Grip is a vast improvement over the old 195/14's and I reckon the new tyres have about the same level of ride comfort and harshness. Also gone are the steering shakes, mild bump steer and pull to the left. The old tyres were 5 year old 'no names'. I can't prove it, but they seemed to be slightly different diameters - hence the above symptons.

Anyway, I am enjoying the CX again. It now drives with the precision that it should (soggy track rod ends excepted), rides far better than my modern shoe boxes, has buckets of body roll and isn't so hot to drive at this time of year. Will have to get the air-con working soon.

And I have noticed that people stare at it as I go by ..... although maybe what I imagine they are thinking is not what is actually going through their minds....

[chris]

Originally Posted by Rob T

You will probably find that there isn't all that much choice in 195/14's, given that they are now a superceded size.

195/80, maybe, but my BX has 195/65R14s on it, and they're the kind of tyre where you can pick from about 8 varieties at your local discount chain (I actually think they're too wide for the BX, but that's another story).

Chris

[JohnW]

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

Oh gee's

I wonder what happened to the hubcaps from my old CX ... I hope they haven't been chucked/lost/binned... It had 4 perfect hubcaps on it that car ...... I think the Series I CX's look wrong with the alloy wheels now and prefer the hubcaps.

I'll have to search around for some hubcaps and see what I have....

seeya,
Shane L.

Quite right, much better with the originals. I can hardly believe 4 for $100 given the sort of rotating scrape/gouge they tend to get.

[JohnW]

Originally Posted by stuart dammery

a h commmercial metal polishing
Contact Alby Hiko
02 9748 0919
email albyhiko@hotmail.com

Many thanks Stuart. I've filed that address!!!

[Bruce H]

And I have noticed that people stare at it as I go by ..... although maybe what I imagine they are thinking is not what is actually going through their minds....

Hi Robert - I've noticed the same with my GS which has been forced back into daily transport now, and have drawn exactly the same conclusion

[JohnW]

Originally Posted by Bruce H

Hi Robert - I've noticed the same with my GS which has been forced back into daily transport now, and have drawn exactly the same conclusion

I've noticed the same here with my CX, but I'm quite sure they are overwhelmed with its style and beauty!

[Andy N]

Originally Posted by Bruce H

Hi Robert - I've noticed the same with my GS which has been forced back into daily transport now, and have drawn exactly the same conclusion

I'll second that one! I think that people see my CX and wonder how it still exists!
Some think that there aren't any on the road so that says much for their longevity.....anyway I'm not driving it for a status thing and I'm a little embarrassed sometimes that it has leather seats and a sunroof, I mean I'd have a Mercedes if I wanted to look swanky.
I have never driven a car that puts you in such a state of relaxation(when it behaves) as the CX...truly sublime driving.
Why doesn't Craig get some UFO hubcaps for Deb's CX?

[JohnW]

Originally Posted by Andy N

I'll second that one! I think that people see my CX and wonder how it still exists!
Some think that there aren't any on the road so that says much for their longevity.....anyway I'm not driving it for a status thing and I'm a little embarrassed sometimes that it has leather seats and a sunroof, I mean I'd have a Mercedes if I wanted to look swanky.
I have never driven a car that puts you in such a state of relaxation(when it behaves) as the CX...truly sublime driving.
Why doesn't Craig get some UFO hubcaps for Deb's CX?

You are right about the relaxation. My CX wafts along. "Waft" is the verb that describes it best. I'd never imagined a CX would be such a good town car.

[Rob T]

One thing I forgot to mention. The Alfa mags only JUST fit on my car.

At the front, the inside edge of the tyre just touches inside the wheel arch at full lock. My car has the wide track front end - I doubt that there would be enough clearance on narrow track cars.

At the rear there is literally 5 mm clearance between tyres and the suspension cross tube on the inside and 3mm clear to the wheel spat on the outside.

On the plus side, the increase in diameter leaves plenty of clearance for suspension and brake components.

Earlier cars would probably get away with 15x5.5 or 15x6 rims. The good news is that all 5 stud Alfa's have used 5x98 for many years - so rims of various sizes do come up occasionally.

[Andy N]

Great stuff! So do let me know if you find any David. I guess many see them as being a bit daggy, even in good condition....I think they look very classic and unusual and some say I'm a bit of a dag at times, so it all makes sense.

So the 16" Alfa wheels are not for the narrow track CX. I was under the belief that the Alfa 156 wheels were the only ones with the right offset. So are there other Alfa wheels Robert? And which ones had the 15" wheels?
I ordered two sets of Citroen wheel emblems off ebay for John's turbo now that he has Alfa wheels and both sets of 4 had at least one damaged. Crappy flimsy things from Hong kong that cost just as much to post. I saw the ones you had there at the French car day and offered to order some for John but the quality wasn't there.

I'll stick to the originals until I can afford something more...a car that goes for more than 2 days would be a start! Disintegrated fuel lines an issue at the moment.
-Andy