More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

[Pancho T.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

Pancho,

The line under the number "6" is there so as not to be confused with the number "9".
My tracing of the number "6" also have a line underneath.

Dave

Dave

I agree.But all of my other wheels with a 6 or even a 9 date do not have the line under it.Just another oddity to go with 59 date stamp

Pancho

[David L.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

Pancho,

I have 3 original 1965-1966 Corvette wheels (15 X 5 1/2 JK) that just have the number "6" (or maybe it's the number "9") without any 2-digit year stamping.

There was not a lot of serious effort put in by those stamping the date codes on the wheels.

Dave

[Wayne M.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

....I have 3 original 1965-1966 Corvette wheels (15 X 5 1/2 JK) that just have the number "6" (or maybe it's the number "9") without any 2-digit year stamping.....

Same here; I have two of those [no evidence of year stamp].

[David L.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

I guess the person that stamped the date codes on the Kelsey-Hayes wheels back in the 1960's took a lot of coffee breaks.

[Dan A.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

Pancho,

I have 3 original 1965-1966 Corvette wheels (15 X 5 1/2 JK) that just have the number "6" (or maybe it's the number "9") without any 2-digit year stamping.

There was not a lot of serious effort put in by those stamping the date codes on the wheels.

Dave

I have at least one maybe two of those and I have seen others as well.

[David L.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

I am always amazed at what will sell as a 63-64 Corvette wheel on Ebay. The wheel that sold on Ebay for $113.99 as a "1965-65 CORVETTE - TIRE RIM (USED/REPAINTED)" is actually a 1974-1990 GM wheel with a "FL" code (GM # 331427 or GM # 9590597) dated April 20th by the valve hole. I emailed the seller during the auction and explained what wheel he actually was selling but I guess he forgot to revise his auction. However, the seller did thank me for my research.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160540048947&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[Doug L.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

I have a "6 59" wheel. I recently bought 5 wheels from another member for my '64 to replace the "8080" wheels that were on the car. All the 'new' wheels are stamped with the appropriate marks. Many of the dates are not distinuguishable but the "6 59" is clear on one wheel. The perhaps odd thing is that the "6" is laying on its back.
Doug

[David L.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

I have a "6 59" wheel. I recently bought 5 wheels from another member for my '64 to replace the "8080" wheels that were on the car. All the 'new' wheels are stamped with the appropriate marks. Many of the dates are not distinuguishable but the "6 59" is clear on one wheel. The perhaps odd thing is that the "6" is laying on its back.
Doug

Doug,

I am glad to see that others have these "6 59" 1963-1964 Corvette wheels. In previous years everyone told me that I had a very rare 15 x 5 1/2 "straight axle" wheel but I always knew I had a 1963-1964 wheel with that was just misstamped.

The month and the year were not stamped in a single operation. It is very common to have the month stamping in a different direction from the year stamping. It is also common to have a missing month stamping or a missing year stamping.

Dave

[Doug L.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

David,
You are the guru on wheels. Tell me if I'm wrong. My '64 had incorrect wheels on it when I bought it. They did not have the "cone" profile as seen on the back of the wheel. The wheels had tires mounted on them until today. When the tires were removed I found that they are 15 x 5-1/2, not 15 x 6 as I originally thought.

Inside the wheel under the tire I found them stamped "15 x 5 1/2 JK". On one of the dog-dish hub cap numbs they are stamped "K1" above "5". There is no small hole on any of the nubs. The center sections are welded to the rims. The wheels have the 2 small nubs at the valve stem holes.

I believe they have to be later than 1964 due to the design. I don't think a wheel for a pre-1963/4 Corvette would be 5-1/2" width. The Adams book on page 265 identifies the 1965 Corvette wheel as having "15 x 5 1/2.65 JK" markings. Mine does not have the "...65" but is the same otherwise. Adam's book does not identify the 1966 steel wheel, only the optional knockoff wheel. In 1967 they seem to have changed to the "rally" design. So my conclusion is that it is either a 1965 or 1966 wheel. Agree?

[Tracy C.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

63/64 and 65/66 steels wheels are 15 X 5.5 wide. All have the two nubs by the valve core stem. 65/66 wheels do NOT have nubs on the spyder that retain a dog dish hubcap.

I suspect you have the 8080 service replacement wheels. These would have all the features of a 63/64 wheel except for a cross section profile very similar to a 65/66 wheel (not conical)

tc

[David L.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

Doug,

First of all I am not "the guru on wheels". I just happen to do a lot of research on 63-64 Corvettes when I owned an "early" 63 split window coupe (VIN #1450) back in the late 1980's.

I tend to agree with Tracy. Back in the late 1980's I bought a NOS 3838080 wheel (made in Dec. 1985 & Jan. 1986) from my local Chevrolet dealer just to see what it was like. I did eventually find several 63-64 Corvette wheels at swap meets as well as a mint 63 wheel at a junk yard near Los Angeles while on vacation.

Enclosed are photos of a sketch that I made of a Feb. 1963 wheel profile as well as a sketch comparing a 3838080 wheel (solid purple line) with a 65-66 Corvette wheel, GM # 3869156, shown as a red dashed line.

I firmly believe that the 3838080 wheel was designed for and originally installed on factory 1966 Chevrolet Police cars. GM # 3838080 first appeared in the 1966 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (effective Oct. 1965).

BTW, If you can find an original 1963 Chevrolet Police car it will have 63 Corvette wheels.

Dave

[Wayne M.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

......Inside the wheel under the tire I found them stamped "15 x 5 1/2 JK". On one of the dog-dish hub cap numbs they are stamped "K1" above "5". There is no small hole on any of the nubs. The center sections are welded to the rims. The wheels have the 2 small nubs at the valve stem holes. ...

Sure sounds like it's the 3869156 wheel, offered as service for the factory installed JK.

See this thread: (I've added a 5th thumnail that I didn't have room for on this previous link).

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...77318&uid=9036

[David L.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

Wayne,

I agree. I missed the "JK". Old age is setting in.

I bought a set of "over the counter" 65-66 Corvette wheels (GM # 3869156) in 1980 but eventually installed them on my 1963 SW coupe when I replaced the tires.

Dave

[Joe L.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

Doug,




BTW, If you can find an original 1963 Chevrolet Police car it will have 63 Corvette wheels.

Dave

Dave-----


...and, some later 1962 Chevrolet police cars used the same wheel as 1957-62 5-1/2" wheel-optioned Corvettes. Finding one of those police cars could be very profitable for someone.

[David L.]

Re: More about 63-64 Corvette steel wheels

Dave-----


...and, some later 1962 Chevrolet police cars used the same wheel as 1957-62 5-1/2" wheel-optioned Corvettes. Finding one of those police cars could be very profitable for someone.

Joe,

I have been to a lot of different junkyards in the last 48 years but have never seen a wrecked police car.

Dave