Canadian nickeled zinc hubcap, what date is this?

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nsbrassnut
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Canadian nickeled zinc hubcap, what date is this?

Post by nsbrassnut » Mon Sep 16, 2019 6:47 pm

Hi All

While reviewing and cleaning my collection of variations of Canadian T hubcaps I found one that appears to be nickel plated zinc. The base metal is not magnetic and is light. The top side is nickel plated and where worn through the base metal has started to pit.

The pattern is Ford only, with a small letter R for either the manufacturer or stamping die.

I believe this one dates somewhere between 1917 and 1920. I would be interested to hear from others about when the Canadian hubcaps started to add the "Made in Canada". I have several others with the "Made in Canada" ones like in nickeled brass and nickeled steel and with the Made in Canada horizontal and with it curved (which I think is around 1925-27).

Over to all of you.

Jeff
Nova Scotia
Attachments
Canadian Zinc inside.jpg
Canadian zinc front.jpg


Allan
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Re: Canadian nickeled zinc hubcap, what date is this?

Post by Allan » Tue Sep 17, 2019 9:36 am

Jeff, I have its twin,[without the hole punched in the side] I put it down as aluminium, but it may well be zinc. It definitely has been nickel plated. It has the same letter R as yours. I also have a number of brass and nickel plated brass ones with just the letter under the Ford script, the letters not all being the same. Then there are the ones with Made in Canada emblazoned on them. I have never tried to assign a production date to them.

Allan from down under.


Topic author
nsbrassnut
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Re: Canadian nickeled zinc hubcap, what date is this?

Post by nsbrassnut » Tue Sep 17, 2019 7:47 pm

Hi Allan

I am up to around 9 distinct and different styles/patterns of Canadian model T hubcaps. The challenge now is trying to also sort out what was used when. All part of plan to add to the documentation notes for Canadian Ts. Many are similar to the ones you mentioned.

Ford Canada used a combination of imported and locally made parts as you likely know. Even though sub vendors made parts in Canada, I don't think too many were marked "Made in Canada" until actually made by Ford Canada directly. I also think that some parts may have actually been made elsewhere and brought in unmarked to avoid some of the tax implications.

I am starting to think that Canadian T hubcaps were not marked "Made in Canada" until some time in the late teens or early 1920's. I am running across a lot of nickled plain "Ford" as well as the "Ford Made in Canada".

Ford of Canada production appears to have really taken off after the end of WW1 with the 1919 models. Ford Canada also expanded the factory a lot by then as well. I think the marking of "Made in Canada" parts started to be used more around 1920-21 and then on.

I would be interested in hearing what others think or have seen on their cars.

Jeff
Nova Scotia


Craig Raynor
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Re: Canadian nickeled zinc hubcap, what date is this?

Post by Craig Raynor » Tue Sep 17, 2019 8:11 pm

I bought a 15 Canadian touring car three years ago and have done some research and would agree with you.


Wayne Sheldon
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Re: Canadian nickeled zinc hubcap, what date is this?

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Wed Sep 18, 2019 1:47 am

I don't know just how this may or may not relate to Canadian built model Ts.
About a month or so ago, working on hubcaps for my '15 runabout project, I ran across a similar "MADE IN USA" hubcap. I had another what I thought was a damaged but repairable brass hubcap. I figured bad enough to not keep it pure for a nickel era T, repairable enough that I could make a decent looking brass hubcap for my brass T. I knew it was not magnetic, but as I began cleaning it up, it became clear it was not brass either. I speculated early on it that it may have been a form of white brass. So, me always searching for more historic facts and such, I threw it out there on the forum for answers.
What was found, and shared, was that in the USA at least, for a very short time during calendar year 1925, nickel plated zinc hubcaps were used. Apparently, they were not satisfactory, as the change back to either brass or steel (nickel plated) followed only about six months later. That hubcap, dents mostly repaired, now sits on one of my few display shelves.

1925 makes it a little late for your hubcap not having "MADE IN CANADA" on it. Maybe Canada tried zinc hubcaps earlier? Maybe some suppliers made caps later without the "MADE IN CANADA" on them? All I can do is speculate on things like that.


Topic author
nsbrassnut
Posts: 143
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:30 pm
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Location: Nova Scotia

Re: Canadian nickeled zinc hubcap, what date is this?

Post by nsbrassnut » Thu Sep 19, 2019 9:06 pm

Hi Wayne

It was a combination of the post on your odd hubcap and then finding this one in my box that got me to post the question.

I have seen in the Judging guidelines where they note zinc in the c1925 cars in the US.

The puzzle for me is the lack of "Made in Canada" and assuming that those marked only "Ford" must be the earlier hubcaps.

There is a fairly original 1923 Canadian T near me which has mixed up hubcaps. Some "Ford" only and a couple of the much later "Made in Canada" curved writing. Just enough to suggest that "Ford" only might go as late as 1923, but not conclusive by any means.

I keep hoping some of the Canadian Ts might be able to add something to the story.

Jeff
Nova Scotia


Allan
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Re: Canadian nickeled zinc hubcap, what date is this?

Post by Allan » Fri Sep 20, 2019 1:25 am

If it's any help, when I built my 1919 roadster pickup, I had access to an original, one family owned, 1922 roadster built on a Canadian chassis. All four hubcaps were plain Ford script with just the one letter underneath. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to which letter is there. Today I looked at an assortment of hubcaps and found plain Ford ones with 6 different letters, including an inverted V.

Allan from down under.


D Stroud
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Re: Canadian nickeled zinc hubcap, what date is this?

Post by D Stroud » Fri Sep 20, 2019 4:44 am

This is just a WAG, but I'm guessing that the different branch assembly plants received what ever hubcaps that were handy at the time of the shipment, along with many other parts. I doubt that much attention was paid to what went where and when. JMHO Dave
1925 mostly original coupe.


Topic author
nsbrassnut
Posts: 143
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:30 pm
First Name: Jeff
Last Name: Lee
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: Canadian nickeled zinc hubcap, what date is this?

Post by nsbrassnut » Sat Sep 21, 2019 8:04 pm

Hi Allan

Your observations appear to match up with what I'm seeing here.

I also re-read the current Judging Guidelines with the Canadian supplements. It notes that Ford Canada didn't add the "Made in Canada" in block letters until 1924 and the "Made in Canada" in curved letters in 1926.

Overall similar to what we both have seen. So perhaps I'm re-discovering the wheel. :)

This is later that expected considering the number of hubcaps that I run across that have the "Made in Canada".

Drive Safe
Jeff
Nova Scotia

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