Date range for hub cap variations

[Shawn Piper]

I have a June 1969 BMW 2002. I’ve noticed there are two styles of hub cap and I’m wondering when they made the change so I can get the right caps for my car. 
 

The earlier one doesn’t have its own valve stem hole and the centers are painted. It seems the transition happened in 68 or 69? 

[Mike Self]

2002 Wheel Covers 101 (at least for US cars):

Many (if not all) US 68 '02s had two piece wheel covers:  a center cap, (painted silver so it looked frosted) and a trim ring with oval slots.  Together they looked just like the later one-piece wheel covers.  It's possible that late '68s had the same one-piece wheel covers as the '69s; not completely sure on that

 

1969:  One piece wheel covers, painted silver in the center (frosted look) with only a little half-moon cutout for the valve stem (first picture).  AFAIK those wheel covers were only used in '69 (but some early '70s may have been so equipped, while the factory was using up stock).  The silver paint was poorly applied and started to flake off within a few months.  If you remove the paint, the stainless steel underneath won't be particularly shiny, especially when compared with the later wheel covers.

 

70-73  One piece wheel covers, highly polished, with a designated, round cutout for the valve cover (second picture).  

 

The factory reverted to little center caps when the styled, slotted wheels were adapted for the 74-76 models.  

 

mike

[02Anders]

Everything he said...  ^^^^^