Restoring my car - wheel question

[John S.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

I need something clarified (waiting for Jm to arrive). I have a 67 with a build date of Dec 28 66. by what i am seeing, when I dismount tires mine should be a B code also?

[Timothy B.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

John, This stamping is by the valve stem hole and is easily visable. I think a Dec 66 build would probably have the DC stamp.

[Chris E.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

I need something clarified (waiting for Jm to arrive). I have a 67 with a build date of Dec 28 66. by what i am seeing, when I dismount tires mine should be a B code also?

John, there is an article in the Restorer by Wendel Hans that shows B wheels on cars up through VIN 01596. From there, it is mainly DG wheels until about VIN 13051 when DC takes over. There are only about 20 cars in the 1967 survey results, so the VIN breaks are REALLY generalized.

[Chris E.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

Ok everyone, here are the latest pictures. Here's the summary as I see it.

No difference between the blank and B wheel.

The DG wheel has the KH stamp shifted one spine counter-clockwise towards the GM stamp compared to the other wheel styles.

Blank (maybe is really a B wheel, but the valve stem hole cut out the stamping, as mentioned in an earlier post)



B wheel



DG wheel

[Chris E.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

More information on my wheels.

I've been cleaning them today, and noticed a few things. First, the "B" wheels all seem to have a drip in the paint. I remember reading on the forum where someone described the painting process. The wheels were hung up, were they not? And this could easily lead to drips on the front face of the wheel.

Well, two of the three wheels I've cleaned so far have the drip. The one that doesn't? The DG wheel. Curiously, the DG wheel also does not have a black back side. It is silver throughout. I'm wondering if that DG wheel wasn't a replacement part from a dealer.

Here's a picture of a paint drip on one of the B wheels.

[Warren S.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

Ok guys, I have a question about wheels. I have a very early 67 (#100183). I'm restoring the wheels at this point. Here's what I've got.

One wheel with no stamp.
Three "B" wheels
One "DG" wheel.

The TIM/JG says they should either be DG or DC wheels. Yet the expert midyear guy I'm working with says that really early 67s had "B" wheels. He has enough B wheels for me to complete my set of 5.

I'm nervous about that option because the TIM/JG doesn't say ANYTHING about B wheels. So I'm assuming I'd lose my points there in the hands of a more junior judge. (assuming that the B wheel for early car comment is correct)

What should I do?

Chris,
The thread of Chris LaFrenaye's on Dec. 28 will answer your questions on 67 wheels.
Warren

[Chris E.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

Thanks Warren.

[Peter L.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

Chris - As best you can take pictures of the wheels and the inside stamps and outside valve stem stamps for each wheel and if the "B" wheels are an issue, present your information and if necessary, elevate it up the chain. There is enough information on "B" wheels on early 1967 Corvettes to support your position. So unless you can find a set of DG/DC wheels with production dates of August 1966 for your very early September build 1967, I would suggest that the paint was not even dry on any September build DC wheels that might have arrived in time to be installed on your car. Pete

[Chris E.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

Peter, thanks. I think how I'm going to do it for judging is this.

After further investigation, the "blank" wheel I have has a SLIGHT stamp mark in it, that looks like it might be the bottom half of a B. So, that would mean I have 4 B wheels and one DG. Since the date stamps aren't judged on the main four wheels, I'm just going to leave the four B wheels I have and put them on the car. The DG wheel I have, I'll use as the spare, since that wheel shouldn't have a trim ring, and the date stamp IS judged on that one.

[Mike M.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

Chris, if you have access to 5 "B" wheels, it would be best to us them.
We also typically see the "Schrader" stems and caps on the "B" wheels rather than the "Dill 627's"
HaND

[Peter L.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

Chris - I'm not clear on your comment on "judging the date on the spare" which is going to the DG stamped wheel. If the DG wheel has production date info in the outside face, I would be a later production wheel, perhaps calendar year 1968 or newer; an therefore readily determined by the judges not to be an "original" 67 wheel.

I would suggest either getting another B wheel as Mike had indicated or putting the DG wheel on the car and using a B wheel as the spare.

Pete

[Chris E.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

Mike,
The valve stems are long gone, sorry. I'll have to put new ones on. I can't imagine that will be much if any point deduction.

Peter,
I was just trying to say that the judging manual says 67s should have either DG or DC wheels and makes no mention of B wheels. I know everyone here says that B wheels are widely known as being on early cars, but if I happen to get a judge that doesn't know that, I'll lose points.

Either way, I have a wheel that can be used as the spare and get full points. The only question in my mind right now is which wheel to have in the spare tire tub when I roll onto the judging field.

Chris

[Timothy B.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

Chris, Use the four B wheels and trade the DG (spare) for another B wheel when you find one. Don't worry about the judging manual, you should have B wheels. People have been known to change a original car to suit a incorrect manual.

I think any judge will know about the early wheels and if they don't do as suggested above, (go up the chain)

You may take a point deduct for the DG if it's detected in judging because it's thouight to be a later wheel, remember the date on the DG (1-67). One just sold on ebay for $215 so you should have no problem finding a correct wheel in trade for the DG.

[Chris E.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

Thanks for the advice Tim. Although I think your comment about "any judge" is too strong. At least in our chapter, I think you'd be hard pressed to find more than a couple people that knew about the B wheel for early cars.

[Page C.]

Re: Restoring my car - wheel question

Hi Chris,
I agree with others about the "B" wheels. They will judge OK. The manuals are "Judging Guides". The 67 manual is now in the 4th edition with more revisions to follow. When people start changing out original parts to fit the guides, what you have is a much of cookie cutter cars that fit the guide and the real history is lost forever.
If you are not comfortable with the info from the tech board, sent a note to Nick Culkowski. He is the 1967 team leader. His contact info is on the first page of the Restorer Magazine.
Regards,
Page Campbell