Rally wheel color..silver or black??

[James H.]

I have a 67 and a 68 and am going to be switching them both back to rallies this spring. I've seen many pictures where the rims are painted black. I even recall a picture from my 67s sales brochure a marlboro maroon coupe with black rims beneath their trim rings.
Where 67s or 68s ever painted black from the factory??? And does anyone have pictures of their own cars with black rims?? I'm seriously thinking of doing this for mine.
Thanks,
Jim

[Jack H.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

The wheels were painted black as made by Kelsey Hayes, then shot Argent Silver by Chevrolet at the St. Louis final assy line before going out the door on Corvettes. Your copy of the NCRS judging guide should confirm this (Argent Silver) is what the judges are looking for in terms of factory originality/authenticity...

[John D.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

I wonder why they didn't come to St. Louis already painted by the supplier ?

[Peter L.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

Jim - I agree with Jack on silver, although there have been some discussion(s) that very early 67s could have had black rally wheels but your 67 would have to have a very low S/N and "B" code wheels and some good documentation to support your black wheel color. Pete

[Scott S.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

I'm pretty sure the '67 rally wheels should be black on the backside, Argent Silver on the front, with some Argent Silver overspray through the slots onto the black backside. I think it was in a fairly recent one-page column by John Hinckley in Corvette Enthusiast magazine.

[Chris E.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

Jim - I agree with Jack on silver, although there have been some discussion(s) that very early 67s could have had black rally wheels but your 67 would have to have a very low S/N and "B" code wheels and some good documentation to support your black wheel color. Pete

For what it's worth, my early 67 (car # 183) had silver wheels with a "B" date code.

[Peter L.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

Scott - Yes, on the color sequence and John has commented a time or two on the DB regarding the painting of the 67 Rally wheels.

I guess I should have said "ALL" black Rally wheels would not be expected on a '67 Corvette unless ..........

Pete

[Michael D.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

I wonder why they didn't come to St. Louis already painted by the supplier ?

I'm guessing cost. It was possibly cheaper for GM to paint them than to order them already painted.

[Scott S.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

Scott - Yes, on the color sequence and John has commented a time or two on the DB regarding the painting of the 67 Rally wheels.

I guess I should have said "ALL" black Rally wheels would not be expected on a '67 Corvette unless ..........

Pete

Hi Pete,

I was meaning to be pedantic, I didn't know that the whole wheel wasn't painted Argent silver, just the front, before I read John's article - but I'm still new here!

[Henry S.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

Also been discussion about different shades of argent silver. Which is correct for 67 and who sells the one closest to it?

[Jack H.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

Yes, and the degree of overspray through the front side 'slots' between the rim and center spider will vary with the aggresiveness of the painter. AND, the wheels were suspended/hung by their valve stem holes so runs/sags in the paint (they were pretty common in production) should follow 'gravity' down/away from the valve stem.

But, detailing 'how to' trivia wasn't the focus of the original post in this thread. It was black enamel vs. argent silver for factory correct front side color...

[Michael H.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

Yes, and the degree of overspray through the front side 'slots' between the rim and center spider will vary with the aggresiveness of the painter. AND, the wheels were suspended/hung by their valve stem holes so runs/sags in the paint (they were pretty common in production) should follow 'gravity' down/away from the valve stem.

But, detailing 'how to' trivia wasn't the focus of the original post in this thread. It was black enamel vs. argent silver for factory correct front side color...

I think most of the runs and puddles were created when the bare wheel was dipped in semi flat black at KH.

I don't think the face/color (silver) side was painted by hand at the St Louis plant. I'm not 100% sure but I think the wheel was mounted and spun slowly while mechanically sprayed. (it was for sure in later years) Maybe John Hinckley remembers how this was done in the 60's? (actually, none were sprayed IN the plant. This operation was performed in a separate building behind the Corvette building. All wheel/tire assy's were built in this building and sent to the assembly line in the main building, in the correct order, on an overhead conveyor) )

I doubt any new production 67's were built/shipped with black wheels. The pic's that do show black wheels are pre production, probably several weeks before actual production began.

[Douglas L.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

Silver #41 with black "B" code wheels plus early Red 67 with same

[John H.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

From my "Vintage Tech Bench" column in the September, 2009 issue of "Corvette Enthusiast" magazine:

<<



How The Factory Did It:

After the primer bake cycle, the wheels were transferred to another conveyor for color painting. This overhead conveyor had racks that held a full car set of five wheels; the rack had five rotating spindles mounted so the wheels were tilted back at about a 20



The conveyor then carried the wheels through a bake oven, and continued to the wheel & tire mount/balance area, where the wheels were removed from the rack and loaded on the tire mounting conveyor. >>

[Steven B.]

Re: Rally wheel color..silver or black??

John, did/when was the electrostatic method used?

Thanks!

Steve