General Motors popularized simulated wire wheel covers that snapped on over steel wheels in 1953 by offering them as a factory option across Oldsmobile, Buick, Cadillac, Pontiac, and Chevrolet divisions. Shown is a 1953 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight wire wheel cover.
cadillac did not borrow the oldsmobile wire wheel hubcaps, both divisions bought the optional wire wheel hubcaps from the mimetic company, the company made this style of wire hubcaps for several car brands. the 1953 to 1956 pontiac optional wire wheel hubcaps were made by the cello company, the 1953 and 1954 pontiac versions were identical except for only changing the lucite center emblem. the mimetic made wire wheel hubcaps were held onto the stock wheels by means of a retainner plate that kept the wire wheel hubcap fasten with three of five lugnuts, if the stock wheels had the three or five retainner clips meant for the small or dogdish standard hubcaps, those clips will also hold the wire wheel hubcaps in place. charles l coker, 1953 pontiac technical advisor, poci.