Joe, I have the "moon caps," or "dog dishes" as some call them that you describe.  They are the most appropriate wheel covers for these vehicles, so far as I can tell.  They aren't breakable, they aren't intended to look like something they are not, they just serve the purpose in a simple and straightforward way.  They were on my '91 Campmobile when I bought it.  The plastic trash caps that seem to be OEM were in the under seat cargo space.  My wheels are 14" steel.  mcneely

---- Joe Luther <jluther@ALFONS-HAAR.US> wrote:
> I finally got the Vanagon home yesterday, my was driveway cleared of ice 3
> weeks after purchase.
>
> In the interim, I purchased some Vanagon hub caps off of Craigslist (small
> caps with the VW logo embossed in the center).  The girl was 100% clear they
> came off of a Vanagon, she owned one and these were taken off when she put
> something else on.
>
> When trying to install the caps on my front wheel as a test, there was no
> way they would fit.  The center grease cap assembly was too tall and the
> outer diameter of the cap seemed totally wrong to fit the boss on the wheel.
> I have the steel 14" wheels, (5 x 112 I assume) with the holes around the
> perimeter.
>
> The wheels on my van should be OEM, they came with a plastic wheel cover
> that is correct for my year of Vanagon according to the web.  I just prefer
> the little VW logo hub caps.
>
> I've seen photos of Vanagons with these VW logo hub caps before. Is there
> anything odd about the 1983 air cooled GL wheels or special about the
> Vanagon caps one year versus the others?  This no-fit situation doesn't make
> much sense.
>
> Thanks
>
> Joe

--
David McNeely