Spare tire cover. Is this 33 or 34?

[Doctor's Ford]

I am working on finishing and mounting my spare tire on my 33 Tudor. This car is a late August 33 production, exactly the time when Ford was changing the spare cover from black to body color. I believe the spare tire cover is original to this car. However, when looking carefully it has some features that are described on 34s rather than 33s. The tread around the cover for instance seems 34 (see photo # 3). It has no stainless trim and is wider. I can't tell if the color is original. It is red vermillion, exactly same color of the original wheels. From my reading, the cover in 34 was BODY color, not WHEEL color.

Have 2 questions about this spare tire cover that hope somebody can clarify:

1) If this is 33, I would like to add the stainless trim piece around it. Where and how do I connect it? There is no place to attach them.

2) Where does the rubber seal go? Is sold as part # 40-1351 but found no pictures where to place it.

Thanks ! Manuel

[petehoovie]

The cover you show is a '34.. The center hump on the '34 tread cover is much wider (more than twice as wide) as that on the '33....I see no mention of the rubber seal in the restoration manual...

[mercman from oz]

Your Spare Wheel Cover is 1934 model. The 1933 Covers had an extra Chrome Band around the outside "tread" cover, as per this photo.

[David J]

Here's another one on one of my 33's .

[mercman from oz]

Here is an enlarged pictures of David J's very original 1933 Ford Five Window Deluxe Coupe that clearly shows the Spare Wheel Cover with the Chrome Trim around the "tread" cover, that was unique to the 1933 Fords.

[VeryTangled]

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Originally Posted by David J

Here's another one on one of my 33's .

Yikes! Blood Pressure Alarm! Ding, Ding, Ding!

I'd drive that!

Nice car David J!

[DavidG]

The rubber strip is inserted into the channel on the outer edge of the face plate.

[tiger.1000]

Mercman,

I'm no authority on 1932 Fords but here's the spare wheel cover on my 32 Cabriolet showing the stainless trim on both sidewall and tread covers. Having said that I did make the cover and knowing me possibly got it horribly wrong?

Maybe David G will enlighten us on this?

[Doctor's Ford]

OK, it is 34 style then. But, were some of them fitted on 33 production cars? My car has some other 34 features that I can't explain. For instance, the rear fender wells have reinforcement ribs which the 33-34 restoration book says are not seen in 33

[30-9]

Curious did all 33-34 come with it?

[1934]

I understand that all '33 cars had the spare tire cover like the photo that Mercman posted. And that is what is said in the 33-34 restoration manual. Having said that just remember "sometimes we can't always go by the book". My '34 deluxe sedan has a few issues that don't correspond with some things in the restoration manual. It's possible that some cars built outside of the US might have a few minor differences for whatever reason. (Mine is Canadian built). And now, some 80 yrs. later, we're trying to figure out what's going on with these differences. Anyway, if you think your cover came with the car originally, (even though it appears to be from a "34), why not just go with it as is?
Your car will look beautiful no matter what cover is on it.
Doug.

[koates]

Hi there, I believe the facia disc of your spare wheel cover is for a 1935 ford. The difference here is that the stainless steel trim ring is narrower and more rounded in cross section than the 1934 and it is held on to the disc at the back with threaded nuts. The 1934 stainless trim ring is wider and flatter in cross section and is held on to the disc with spring clips which press into slots in the disc. Measure the discs. 1934 is approx. 28" right across and the hole is 15 3/4" across. The 1935 is approx. 27 1/4 " right across and the hole is 14 3/4" across. I think the tire tread covers for 1934 & 1935 are the same. Of course 1933 is different in the tire tread cover because it has the stainless band around it and the pressed moulding is narrower than the 1934 pressing. That's all I can think of, but there may be more. Regards, Kevin.

[koates]

Metal or fabric spare tire covers were an added cost accessory up until 7/1933 and after that the two piece metal cover was a standard fitment at no extra cost. Regards, Kevin.

[koates]

It would appear that all "standard" cars 33 & 34 the spare tire covers metal & fabric were an extra cost option or accessory. Metal were $5.00 and fabric $2.00. Regards, Kevin.

[deuce lover]

Koates,You got it reversed.The 35 stainless is not as wide and held on with a twist fastener.The 33-34's stainless fastener used a small square plate with a threaded stud.Dr's Ford has the correct face plate and stainless.

[Doctor's Ford]

Originally Posted by deuce lover

Koates,You got it reversed.The 35 stainless is not as wide and held on with a twist fastener.The 33-34's stainless fastener used a small square plate with a threaded stud.Dr's Ford has the correct face plate and stainless.

Thanks to all for your comments.

I checked my trim and fasteners and they are small square plates with a threaded stud as you say it should be for 33-34. I am missing some of them though. Do you know any vendor who may sell them? or do I need to fabricate them?

[deuce lover]

Originally Posted by Doctor's Ford

Thanks to all for your comments.

I checked my trim and fasteners and they are small square plates with a threaded stud as you say it should be for 33-34. I am missing some of them though. Do you know any vendor who may sell them? or do I need to fabricate them?

Couldn't find any at the vendors I know.I have these.The screw is a 10-32.The plate is threaded and 1/2" square.They might fit in the stainless.You will need a slightly longer screw and use lock tight to set it so does not unscrew when tightening the nut.How many do you need? If it works for you I will give you what you need.PM me.

[koates]

deuce lover & Doctors Ford, Sorry I got the trim ring fasteners arse about. It was after midnight when I posted that. However I did state that the 34 stainless trim is wider than the 35 trim. 1935 is approx. 5/16" wide and 1933-34 is approx. 9/16" wide. So your facia plate is correct for a 1933 or 1934 Ford, but your tread cover is for a 1934 model. 1933 tread covers with their stainless trim are harder to find, but show up now and then. Regards, Kevin.

[Doctor's Ford]

Originally Posted by deuce lover

Couldn't find any at the vendors I know.I have these.The screw is a 10-32.The plate is threaded and 1/2" square.They might fit in the stainless.You will need a slightly longer screw and use lock tight to set it so does not unscrew when tightening the nut.How many do you need? If it works for you I will give you what you need.PM me.

Appreciate it very much. Luckily a machine shop owner who is a friend of mine will fabricate them for me using my old rusted sample and the info you provided. Hopefully will get them tomorow. Thanks for sharing your knowledge! Manuel

[DavidG]

David (tiger.1000),

While off the track of Manuel's question, you asked.

There were 4 tire covers offered in the U.S. during the '32 model year, although not all at the same time. The two most commonly-encountered (and photographed by Ford back in the day) were B-1395-A, a two-piece steel cover where both the black-painted face plate and chrome-plated outer band (tread cover) were smooth without any moldings and B-1395-D, a one-piece black fabric cover with stainless steel edge trim and embossed Ford script and oval in blue and white. Both these covers were available as extra cost options or through service throughout out the '32 model year.

The remaining two offerings were both two-piece steel covers where both the face plate and outer band were painted black. They were B-1395-B and B-1395-E. Both of those covers had a circumferential stainless steel molding on the crown of the outer band (tread cover) like the '33 band discussed above. Where they differed was in where the stainless steel molding was placed on the face plate. On the B-suffix version, it was nearly at the outer edge of the circumference of the face plate. On the E-suffix version, it was placed on the inner edge of the opening in the face plate.

Both the B and E-suffix versions are rarely encountered. The B-suffix version was replaced by the E-suffix version in May, 1932, not that long after Job #1.

The B-1395-D fabric cover was a mandatory, extra-cost option like bumpers and spare tires and tubes except when a side-mounted spare was ordered during the latter part of the model year. In Canada, the D-suffix cover was standard equipment included in the base prices except for cars with side-mounted spares.

B-1395-B was similar to the A-suffix two-piece cover except that the outer band was polished stainless steel rather than chrome-plated steel. It was not released for production.

All of the above plus the dimensions of the various component parts and more '32 tire cover history are detailed on pages 19-6 and 7 of the Early Ford V-8 Club's book on '32s.

As for spare tire covers offered in Europe or elsewhere outside of North America, I plead ignorance.

Unlike the other three photos below, the third one (for B-1395-B) is not a Ford Archives photo and the outer band shown is incorrect as it lacks the stainless steel crown molding.

[FrankWest]

Manuel, Here is a photo of my car with the 1933 tire cover show top and side views.
It was very difficult to find

[DavidG]

Manuel,

The difficult-to-find part is the outer band as it is unique to '33 whereas the face plate is the same for both '33 and '34.

There is a correct '33 outer band on eBay presently.