C-1 Steel wheel question

[Edward J.]

When did GM stop making the wheels with rivits, The reason I am asking is that I have 3 kelsey hayes wheels with a 4/56 date (No rivits). are these wheels for corvette?

[Chris H.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

Per Dale Pearlman riveted wheels were last used in 56 vettes and welded came in sometime during '56 model year. Below is data I collected from owners. The date is the vehicle build date, not the wheel stamping date which is in the tire area and therefore unreadable on the vehicle. And of course I can never be sure if the wheels are original to the vehicle.









Apr-56 Welded


Apr-56 welded


Apr-56 welded


Jul-56 riveted


Nov-56 riveted


Jan-57 welded


Mar-57 welded


Mar-57 riveted-owner not sure wheels are original Apr-57 welded


May-57 welded


May-57 welded


May-57 welded

[Edward J.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

Chris thanks for the info on the wheels.

[Donald H.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

When did GM stop making the wheels with rivits, The reason I am asking is that I have 3 kelsey hayes wheels with a 4/56 date (No rivits). are these wheels for corvette?

It is my understanding that 56 passenger car wheels were the same as Corvette. I bought three wheels in Carlisle at the fall swap meet that the guy said was for a 56 passenger car. They were welded dog bone wheels.

[Chris H.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

53 - 56 shared passenger wheels which were riveted per Nolan. But sometime in 56 welded/dogbone/double humped wheels were used per Pearlman which are the wheels you bought.

In 57 chev passenger went to 14".

[Dan D.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

Yea, bought (5) 56 pass. car wheels. Welded dog bone.
From Corvette Central. Paid a good buck. -Dan-

[Jerry W.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

I purchased ( 4 ) 15 x 5 1956 passenger car wheels last summer for our 62 project because of the nubs needed to hold the hub caps....they are rivited and we decided not to use them because of the chance of air leaks using tubeless tires...paid $200 for them :-(

[Edward M.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

I have the five original wheels from my 1956 Belair, 72K original miles, 3 owner, bought new in the same town where I live, original owner still living.

The original wheels on this August 56 build car are welded dogbone. They are also pristine. Only the spare has any appreciable rust, and it isn't much. Wheels still have the rubber tubing between the center and outer portions of the wheel.

And by the way, it's Dale Pearman, not Pearlman.

[Dan D.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

I would think that you could have brazed up the rivets on the inside of the rim and nobody would be the wiser. But if they are riveted that would not be correct for your car.

For $200 I would say you got a deal. I paid $200 each for mine. And then had them hot tanked, blasted and painted. -Dan-

[Jerry W.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

I didn't want to ruin a matching set of 4 wheels for an earlier model year ( only needed 2 for the 62 ).....i bought 2 repro welded wheels....I had the 56 wheels blasted for $60 and put them in primer....if I drive to Joplin regional rather than riding the Harley i may take them there....not looking to make money on them....just a happy home and cost back.

i'm not advertising here.....just explaining

[Donald H.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

I would think that you could have brazed up the rivets on the inside of the rim and nobody would be the wiser. But if they are riveted that would not be correct for your car.

For $200 I would say you got a deal. I paid $200 each for mine. And then had them hot tanked, blasted and painted. -Dan-

Dan,

Probably a dumb question for you, but why did you have the wheels hot tanked and then blasted? I need mine cleaned up so that I can prime and paint, but I was just going to either blast them myself or have them blasted.

[Alexander C.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

Jul-56 riveted

Nov-56 riveted

Jan-57 welded

Yeah that's interesting because my 2nd week of September 1956 build Corvette with 24K original miles and all 5 of it's original wheels are all welded (I think). Here are pictures of one of mine:

[Chris H.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

Per the 56 JGM the wheels can be either riveted(53-56) or welded(56-62).

However it requires "Correct standard 15X5" wheels have a hub containing a distinct double outer ridge". Or what others called double humps.

I thought the "double hump" was not on riveted wheels. Can the owners of 53-56 vehicles with riveted wheels confirm this double hump? Do the 53-55 JGM's also require the double hump?

photo shows a wheel w/o double hump and the one on right has double hump.

[Chris H.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

Also the Nov 56 build vette in the above list has been confirmed to NOT have original wheels. Here is revised list with Alex wheel included.

Apr-56 Welded
Apr-56 welded
Apr-56 welded
Jul-56 riveted
Sep-56 welded
Jan-57 welded
Mar-57 welded
Mar-57 riveted-owner not sure wheels are original
Apr-57 welded
May-57 welded
May-57 welded
May-57 welded
Jul-57 riveted-sure would like to see the manufacture date on the wheels
Apr-60 welded

[Jerry W.]

Re: C-1 Steel wheel question

not sure what you mean by double hump outer ridge....here is pic of the 56's i purchased