Good To Know NEWS TRENDS LINKS

Keep on Turning

November/December 2003
By Pamela Kerr Martin 
ND-03-019-19-hubcap-b.jpg
Image Gallery
Photo by Povy Kendal Atchison
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

Roundabout uses:
“People get pretty creative with hubcaps. I’ve seen them used as lamp bases, clock faces, purses, and even as a container for pâté.”

RELATED CONTENT

Hub Cap Annie’s, which sells used and classic hubcaps in Denver, Colorado, puts a new spin on “recycling.”

STARTING HER ENGINE: In 1982, without a lick of automotive savvy, Jane Withers hit the road with a beat-up truck, 600 used hubcaps, and a rubber hammer. Gradually she created a successful new, used, and antique hubcap empire. Over the years, she’s sold wheel coverings to film crews, architects, and restaurants.

CHROME CRAZE: For auto buffs, Annie’s Hubcap Museum displays tire covers of classic Aston Martin, Pierce-Arrow, and Terraplane cars. Also available: the potentially lethal three-bar spinner, which may have contributed to chrome’s demise (car manufacturers now use plastic). The spinners, with three metal squares sticking out dangerously from a hubcap’s center like a fan, were designed to look pretty when the wheels turned but were outlawed in 1979 to protect pedestrians.

CLASSY CHASSIS: Whenever there’s a fundraiser or a local parade, Withers assumes her “Viking Valkyrie” persona and dons a pair of golden braids and a hubcap breastplate.

TIRELESS DÉCOR: Functional or decorative, recycled hubcaps can spiff up your home or yard, says Withers. She suggests arranging them ­artfully on walls, showing them off as cocktail party serving platters, converting them into lampshades, feeding Fido in style (Ford truck hubcaps work well), and mounting them in wet cement on exterior walls or walkways.

WHERE SHE PARKS: 5007 E. Colfax in Denver, Colorado; (888) 206-5992; HubcapAnnieUSA.com.

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Natural Home readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Natural Home Magazine?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe today and save 50%
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Subscribe to Natural Home

Welcome to Natural Home, the authority on green lifestyle and design. With an up-to-date outlook on current trends in sustainable building and wholesome living, Natural Home gives today’s eco-conscious homeowners the information they need to live in nurturing, healthy homes. Subscribe to Natural Home today to get inspired on the art of living wisely and living well.

Save money and a few trees by paying with your credit card now. Take advantage of our earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You’ll save an additional $4.95 and get six issues of Natural Home for just $15! (Offer valid only in the U.S.)

Or, choose Bill Me Later and pay just $19.95