69 spare tire date question

[Greg L.]

When was the spare tire added to the completed vehical?

This is why I'm asking.

I checked my dates and I get:

K-1-9 ,2 () 2 AZ---Feb 2/69
K-1-7 ,5 () 6 AZ---May 6/77
K184 ,7 () 9 AZ---July 9/84?
K-1-6 ,5 ()26 AZ---May 26/76

When I bought the car back in 88 it was on really "cool" aluminum slotted mags but the sale included four 15x8 ralleys. My thoughts are that the guy I bought it from wanted to get a matching set so he found two used ones(76&77) used the spare(69) and bought a new one(84). This might be wishfull thinking but could it be possible that the Feb 2/69 rim is my original one for my Jan 31/69 built car?

I just think that it is very odd that it is within two days of my build date and the other rims are so far off.

Any thoughts on this one?

Greg #45455

[lyndon sharpton]

Re: 69 spare tire date question

I have seen that before, it could be? it was on a 71 with dec build date and the spare wheel had a jan-date?

[Greg L.]

Re: 69 spare tire date question

Thanks Lyndon,

I'm thinking that this rim is original to my car but it would be interesting to see what others have to say as to when the spare was normally installed.

It may or may not have left St Louis with this spare but I'll bet that it was sold new with it. Maybe it got swaped by accident at the dealer during a PDI...who knows.

[Mark #28455]

I wouldn't bank on it.

I don't know for sure what the unions were doing, but 2/2/69 was a Sunday. Didn't they shut down on Sundays? More likely it's a 1979 rim.
Mark

[Greg L.]

Re: I wouldn't bank on it.

Hmmm...never thought of that.

How can one tell if it's a 69 or 79?

[Mark #28455]

There was a writeup in the Corvette Restorer

a year or two ago, to make a long story short, there are several stampings that are inside the tire area of the rim (can't be seen while in use) and a few more that are on the center disc area (covered by the center trim cap). I think the 1979 didn't have the welded on dot to mark the high (or low?) spot on the rim, but that could be easily "restored" with a blip from the mig welder. The 1989's have a date code ending in "89" not just "9".

Mark