Gear drive knock off wheels 1963 design

[Mike McKown]

How many documented 1963 Corvettes have the KH design gear drive wheels installed on them? There is an owner of a 1963 Z06 that claims on his web site to have one of two known to exist. It shows pictures of what is my understanding to be correct wheels and adaptors (one wheel only). E-mail inquiry to this person did not provoke a response. I have been told there are none and I have been told there are many. Anyone know if there are truly ANY documented cars and who owns it(them)? Individual wheels/adaptors?

Two bar spinners are NOT part of this equation. Just the gear drive wheel and adaptor.

Mike

[Mike M.]

Re: Gear drive knock off wheels 1963 design

i own a 28k mile big tank Z06 and frequently communicate with the fella that ordered it new. He ordered the K/O wheel option and paid for the car and all its options when he ordered it from his wife's uncle who had the chevy dealership just south of atlanta. When the z06 arrived(its Vin 20301 and according to noland's surveys is probably the last big tank Z06 chevy built) the car was equipped with steel 15x 5 1/2 with huibcaps. original owner was refunded the K/O option $. he then ordered a set of K/Os over the counter in sept of 63 and installed them on the car in octob of 63. I don't believe any production 63 vets, Z06 or otherwise, arrived at the chevy dealers with kelsy hayes k/os. mike

[Mike McKown]

Re: Gear drive knock off wheels 1963 design

Mike:

So, does it follow that your car has the wheels in question? Any others that you know of?

I didn't state it but factory delivery of the wheels on the vehicle along with the two bar spinners are not part of the inquiry. I guess I'm just trying to figure how many of these wheels/adaptors are out there and who owns them.

Thanks,
Mike

[David Van Weele]

Re: Gear drive knock off wheels 1963 design

I ordered the Z06 package in Oct 1962 and took delivery in June 1963. I also paid for the wheels and did not receive them. Chevy by way of a letter from Joe Pike told me that I would not get a refund from them but the deal was between me and my dealer. Ha!

I do believe at least five cars were delivered to race teams with the original knock-off wheels in the gear drive configuration. I saw one of these cars race in Caguas in Puerto Rico in 1964. I do not know if they came from the factory that way but I do know Chevy did ship some wheels to various name brand race teams.

The general public never received the wheels they order and paid for. The letter I received from Chevy stated they had a problem with porosity, this let the wheels loose air. At one point I believe there were quite a few '63's sitting in the lot at St Louis.

My friend Eric Gill has one or two of the original 5 race cars and I do not believe he has the wheels, just quessing.




My Z06

[Tim G.]

Re: Gear drive knock off wheels 1963 design

I know the original owner of two 63 fuelie cars that were ordered with KO wheels. The build sheets on both #83XX and #13,9XX show KO wheels. The window stickers on both of these cars do not show the option. The original owner said neither car came with KO wheels. He is the original owner of both of these cars.

[Mike McKown]

Let me re-phrase the question

I am looking for an answer as to how many cars are out there today with these wheels on them regardless of where they came from or when they were installed or know of any un-installed wheels/adaptors?

Thanks,
Mike

[Mike McKown]

Re: Let me re-phrase the question

www.corvettes-musclecars.com/corvette/63BigTank/

After asking this same question 5 different times on three different Corvette forums, this is the only person that will PUBLICLY admit he has a set of the wheels. I don't understand why everyone is so tight lipped about this subject unless they are fearful that GM may come back and confiscate their wheels as stolen property. I don't think they could stand the PR backlash.

I know where ONE NOS wheel, adaptor and two bar spinner is. Where are the rest of them?www.corvettes-musclecars.com/corvette/63BigTank/

http://www.corvettes-musclecars.com/corvette/63BigTank/

[Loren L.]

It's too bad that 2-bars are not part

of this question - because gear-driv e is the only way you could get 2 bars KO's - except if you were a CORVAIR guy......

[Mike McKown]

Re: It's too bad that 2-bars are not part

What would you think if I showed you a Chevrolet document dated September 1962 that states "the wheels will be released with a three bar spinner spaced 120 degrees apart"?

Mike