I am looking to purchase a set of 5 KH KO's, for my 65. The owner says they are "D49985 KH". Is this the date code? Also, what should I be looking for in terms of the presentation of the date codes or numbers on KH wheels. Are the numbers cast onto the wheels, stamped, engraved, and where should these numbers be physically located on the wheels? Thanks again for your help and comments. Regards, Dan K.
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Re: KH KO's Date Codes
KH (first line) D-49985 (second line); both cast (raised) in an oval "cartouche" pad. Date codes (at least on my original '66s) were of the format B 2 4 66, stamped on the inside surface of the hub, close to the machined portion with the holes [for the KO nuts and locating pins] that mates to the disc. Due to the curved survace, the characters of the stamping are not equal. There are threads in the archives; WAY back, on the stamped date codes. -
Re: KH KO's Date Codes
Dan, The K-H D49985 was the Kelsey-Hayes number that was cast into the back of all the K-H knock-off's regardless of year. It is cast in somewhat of a oval design, in raised characters. The date codes are also on the back of the wheel, but they are stamped with a rubber stamp for 64, and stamped into the wheel for 65-66. As far as the date codes go I have seen some that are easy to decipher,month-day-year (4-10-65). Others including mine are different (b-12-10)(d-12-9)and so on. I still don't know what they are.
I hope this helps, BrianComment
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Re: KH KO's Date Codes
Dan your 327 will be done first of the week.Comment
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Dating nuissance....
It's pretty much taken for granted that '64 KH KO wheels were rubber stamped with date code while '65 and later wheels were embossed. But, when the actual change occurred is another matter.... I've seen several 'early' 1965 cars wearing KO wheels that did NOT have embossed date codes which lead me to question when the change actually happened.
We know the wheels were the 'same' with the exception of the center spokes having paint accent in '65 vs. being natural in '64. So, there is a visual distinction. Here's a question I asked Noland Adams at the UK chapter meet outside London in 2000.
According to his book (Complete Corvette Restoration, Vol 2), the text describing the P48 wheel option reads:
"The first 1965 Corvette knock-off wheel was part number 3852552, the same as 1964. The wheel changed to part number 3868768 on AIM date 2-22-65...."
OK, so what?
Well, if the first KO wheels for '65 cars had the same physical PN as '64 wheels, then either they were IDENTICAL to '64 wheels (e.g. NO interior spoke paint) or GM designers made engineering changes to the first PN to incorporate painting the interior spokes. Either way, there's a Catch-22.
One way we'd expect to see early '65 cars without spoke accent paint and I've never seen this. The other way (change the drawing), there would have been a service problem potential.... Guy with '64 has a wheel stolen, orders a replacement and it was built AFTER the 64/65 MY changeover and doesn't cosmetically match his existing wheels (replacement wheel HAS center spoke accent paint).
Then, there's the question of what Chevy did with existing inventory. If they took on-hand '64 inventory at St. Louis and altered it by painting the center spokes themselves for '65 MY build, you could expect hue/texture differences between early '65 KO wheels and later KO wheels that were fully detailed by Kelsey and shipped to St. Louis. I HAVE seen variations in center spoke color on early '65 cars that owners swear are untouched (verified by minor curb dings, and chips/flakes in the center spoke accent paint as well as NO embossed date codes on the rear spider of these wheels).
So, this interium period for KH-KO wheels (start of '65 production until shortly after AIM date 2-22-65) has always been a mystery to me. Were there legitimate differences (rubber stamped vs. embossed; color/texture/hue of the center spokes) in that time frame that should be considered during restoration and judging?
The 'mystery' might be unraveled if someone with access to GM dwgs could pull the two PN's (3852552 vs. 3868768) and read their revision history. I'd hoped Noland would have followed up on this because he has GM dwg access and, at the time, inventory of his Vol 2 book was exhausted and he was looking for a new publisher (convenient time to update and roll the book's edition). But, the 'mystery' remains....Comment
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Re: Dating nuissance....
Thanks Jack for your reply to my questions on the KO wheels. I appreciate your time and efforts here. Happy Holidays! Regards, Dan K.Comment
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Re: KH KO's Date Codes
Thanks John.....Comment
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