General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

2

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Metal

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

N/A

Width

6.7 cm

Height

4.9 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Motorized Ground Transportation

Category

Automotive parts

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

DURANT

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

Period

Unknown

Canada

In 1921, Durant Motors Inc. was an automobile manufacturing company that was established by William Durant, founder of General Motors. In 1928, Durant opened Durant Motors of Canada in Toronto, Ontario as a subsidiary. The American company closed its doors in 1932, while the Canadian company was purchased by a group of Toronto businessmen, who operated the company under the name Dominion Motors Ltd.; the company closed its doors in 1935 as a result of the Great Depression. A street in Toronto was eventually named after Durant (Filey, "Motor Ride Back in History"). Hub caps are collectors' items.

Function

Cover put on automobile wheels to enhance its aesthetic appearance or aerodynamism and to protect the wheel bolts from mud and dust.

Technical

Originally, hub caps date back to the horse-drawn era and afterwards to the first automobiles when wheels were made of wooden spokes connected to the center hub. The hub contained the wheel bearing, which was packed with grease. The hub cap was a small device used to cover the center hub to keep the dust out and the grease in. Eventually, car manufacturers replaced the wooden spokes with steel wire spokes in the 1920s and 1930s. As a result the hub cap evolved into a wheel cover, which is a large disc that covers most of the wheel. Wheel covers continue to serve a functional purpose but they have also become a decorative design feature of the wheel.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Name 'DURANT' and logo stamped on face of hubcap (raised surface) face of hubcap indented in circular fashion

Missing

N/A

Finish

Possibly polished surface (silver), possible chromed

Decoration

N/A