Kelsey Hayes rally wheel dates?

[Mike F.]

I picked up a set of 15 x 8 Kelsey Hayes Rally Wheels and had some questions about the dates.

Three wheels are dated K 1 8 1 5 * 29 AZ. Is the 8 1 actually the year? It seems to have an extra digit compared to what I normally see. If it is 1981, the date code stamped in the center hub is K180. 1980?

[Mike F.]

Re: Kelsey Hayes rally wheel dates?

One of the three wheels is stamped on the inner diameter (where the air goes). Any ideas?

[Mike F.]

Re: Kelsey Hayes rally wheel dates?

The fourth wheel is lightly stamped, so I can only make out K 1 ? 5 * ?? AZ. This wheel is stamped on the center hub as K 1 1 and E GM. It is also stamped on the inner diameter. Any ideas?

[Mike F.]

Re: Kelsey Hayes rally wheel dates?

[Lawrence M.]

Re: Kelsey Hayes rally wheel dates?

Hi mike,

These are Chevy over the counter wheels. They are from 1981. The center spider is dated 1980. The 5 29 was the month and day the wheels were assembled and completed.

As David said the K 1 1 wheel may be from 1971.

[David L.]

Re: Kelsey Hayes rally wheel dates?

K = Kelsey-Hayes
1 = Romulus, MI
81 = 1981
5 = May
29 = 29th of the month
The "AZ" is a code for a 69-75 Corvette rally wheel 15 X 8 JJ with -0.50" offset as per "1970-1975 Chevrolet by the Numbers" by Alan Colvin.

My 1969 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (May 1969) lists the 1969 Corvette wheel as # 3952869 (15" X 8.00 JJ). GM part # 3952869 was transferred to GM # 3970532 in Oct. 1969 as per Chevrolet Parts History (using the term "MIX"). GM # 3970532 was then replaced with GM # 327708 in Mar. 1973 (using the term "USE").

My 1982 Corvette Parts Catalog (Nov. 1981) lists GM # 327708 for 69-82 Corvettes (15" X 8.00 JJ, stamped "AZ"). Your May, 29, 1981 wheel would then be GM # 327708.

Does the 1971 wheel appear to be identical to the 1981 wheel even though the GM part numbers are different?

Dave

[David L.]

Re: Kelsey Hayes rally wheel dates?

May, ??, 1971

[Mike F.]

Re: Kelsey Hayes rally wheel dates?

Thanks for the help.

[Lawrence M.]

Re: Kelsey Hayes rally wheel dates?

Mike,

Your 1981 dated wheels may be production wheels and not service wheels. Someone with more knowledge of late C3 wheel dates than me hopefully will chime in and let us know if production AZ wheel dates went to the 3 number date after 1979 or if it was only service wheels.