61-62 hubcap spinners

[Bruce B.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

Dan, with a burst of cleanser from "Rottweiler Elixir" and a 2nd bourbon manhattan (medicinal), an airpipe through the debris into a still partially closed chamber provided access to a late famous member then in semi-conflict with NCRS and a very recently late member of another organization (that would later part company with him!) - did the "chirp" just become a "bell"? Perhaps it is time for TLs to "check the source".

Bruce, as Mike indicated, it's better to seek the path of least resistance, ESPECIALLY where a change is not irreversible without changing the car.

Loren, Thank You...

[Darryl D.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

?? As opposed to the other kind ??

From post #5

"IIRC this alignment thing was invented by two very well known Corvette guys as a joke on all the over corrected Corvettes being restored. They laughed about it later.

[Jim L.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

From post #5

"IIRC this alignment thing was invented by two very well known Corvette guys as a joke on all the over corrected Corvettes being restored. They laughed about it later.

For what it's worth (possibly very little) over in the Tri-five Chebby world, for as long as I can remember the conventional wisdom has been that the optional wheel cover spinners on '57s were intended to be oriented such that the Chebby logo was to be right side up when the valve stem hole was at BDC.

So maybe it's a joke here in NCRS land but NCRS doesn't have an exclusive on the humor.

Make of it what you will.

Jim

[Terry D.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

Bruce
For what it's worth the new JM says the same thing the old one did about valve stem being directly below spinner at 6 o'clock.

[Edward B.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

I feel silly for actually looking into this, but Corvette advertising photographs of that period appear to show valve stems at right angles to the major axis of the ears. Impossible to tell from the photographs if the lettering is readable or upside down relative to the valve stems. It seems hard to believe that the factory worker charged with this mindless wheel cover assembly task cared about a consistent orientation of the ears.

[Jack M.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

Ed had a good idea to check old GM photography... my images (a very small sample) seem to give a slightly different perspective. I've zoomed into the tires and circled the valve stem locations. You can tell the orientation of the cross flag logo... the 'darker' checker flag should be on the right side. Once again, your mileage may vary...

[Loren L.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

Jack, interesting results, especially with 2 "promotional" vehicles that you would expect to have received extra attention - 50/50. I'm sure that Dan joins me in apologizing for having been around too long, but can any of the TLs "source" the statement in the JMs? Anyone?

[Jack M.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

Loren- Does your '50-50' remark refer to the valve stems? From my observation, I see it as 25-75 (only ONE wheel following the suggested format).

[Loren L.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

I checked again; I see two with the valve stem perpendicular and two with the spinner pointing at the valve stem........

[Jack M.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

Indeed, but the two that are perpendicular to the spinner have different orientations for the valve stem (in reference to the checker flag).
If the spinner bar was horizontal and the darker checker flag was on the right side... the 1961 valve stem is at 90*, and the 1962 stem is at 270*.
I'm preparing more pictures to add... seems we have a good mix.

[Jack M.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

Several more pictures... some are GM promotional, others are from Corvette News (lower quality).
There could have been a set procedure in place... how often it was followed, is another matter.

[Edward B.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

While we're at it, what's with the center of the wheel cover being painted in body color or in a contrasting color. The photographs appearing in posts #21 and #26 are of what are obviously new GM cars, but I'm not aware that this painting option was ever offered by the factory.

[Gary C.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

Blueprint for the 1969 hubcap. Suspect the hubcap plant didn't care where the spinner was in relation to the valve stem.

Gary
....

[David R.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

While we're at it, what's with the center of the wheel cover being painted in body color or in a contrasting color. The photographs appearing in posts #21 and #26 are of what are obviously new GM cars, but I'm not aware that this painting option was ever offered by the factory.

I would put this issue in the same category as those factory photos of 1956-57 Corvettes with a white hardtop on a darker-colored body. Not available that way from the factory, but there you are.

[David R.]

Re: 61-62 hubcap spinners

I put the issue of the body-colored paint on the center of the hubcaps in the same league as the factory photos of the 1957 Corvette with a white hardtop on a darker-bodied car. Looks great, but not available that way from the factory.