I am going to give my recently purchased '64 coupe a shot at the bowtie award this year. My question related to the fact that everything I have read states that in '64 all steel wheels were painted black regardless of tire choice. The '63's were body color if blackwall and black if whitewall. My car is a very early '64 with Sept '63 production date #1263. The original tires were on the car when it was purchased in 1989 from the original owner and he confirmed they were blackwalls, with rims painted white, same color as the car. There are noticeable runs in a couple of places in the middle of the rim as well, which to me points to a rather sloppy factory job. Moreso than any possible point deduction, I want to know for sure that this is how the car came. I'm cofident it did but I don't want to be the only guy in the country with a '64 saying so. Are there any other documented cases of early '64s with body color wheels? I appreciate any and all feedback.
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Re: '64 Painted Wheels
Call and talk to Carlton Colclough, the club's '63-64 National Team Leader. His phone is published in the front of each issue of Restorer. This will give you a definitive answer and let you chew over the campaign strategy for your car.
Remember, Bowtie cars either are or aren't -- it's an un-restored judging category that a car/owner can only attempt once. So, you don't want to do anything with the car beyond basic clean up. This suggests leave everything as it is, enter it in a Regional Meet and declare it a Bowtie candidate. The rest will fall into place as senior judges give you feedback....
Often, we've observed 'funnies' at the end/beginning of a model year. Next year's parts were often used at the end of a year to 'pad' depleted inventories of the current year's items. Too, fresh new model cars often 'burned' up the remainder of last year's parts. -
Re: '64 Painted Wheels
David, I would try to get any documentation possible on your 'bowtie candidate'. Maybe the past owner or original owner would have photos of the car when new or? Remember you will have to prove your case. Either way if you and the past owners are sure the 64 came that way, I wouldn't change a thing. That's what Bowtie is all about!!
BobComment
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Re: '64 Painted Wheels
Thnaks for the great responses so far. It would seem as though it is very possible I have a set of 'carry-over' wheels. For background, the car was originally purchased by a woman about 50 years old in Orlando, her third Corvette. The car was driven for about 10 years but her husband's health was failing and the car was stored. He died in the late 70's. She kept the car but it wasn't driven. (They had another main car.) While in storage, she was smart enought to have a local garage come in once a year to service the car and drive it around. The man that purchased it from her in 1989 told me it had the original blackwall tires on it (37K miles). He put whitewalls but didn't touch the wheels. He was a good owner as well as he kept it for 10 years and only put 5K more miles on it. I would like to find another early white coupe with blackwalls to support the info I have. Not to bore everyone to death but I have put up a couple of photos in anyone is interested. The address is and (nice original paint, eh -- the proud fathe.) I hope to ba at the Nationals if I get the go ahead in Pittsburgh. Thans for the responses and if someone has a 64 with a serial number less than 1500, I'd love to hear from you. Thanks, DavidComment
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Re: '64 Painted Wheels
If as you say the second owner put white wall tires on the car there should be no harm in removing one of the tires (better yet all) and seeing what the date code on the wheel is. See whether the date can support your theory.Comment
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Re: '64 Painted Wheels
I will change the spare soon and I'll check the date code. Many other parts support the 63/64 changeover theory Franz was kind enough to present. This may be yet another example of the many I have discovered so far. ThanksComment
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Re: '64 Painted Wheels
David, For reference, I have a 64 with a vin in the 3800's it's early but not as early as yours...the wheels are original and painted black. Best of luckComment
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