What are these 15 X 5.5 Wheels?

[Steven B.]

[David L.]

Re: What are these 15 X 5.5 Wheels?

It appears that your wheels #3, #4, and #5 are dated March 1963. Do these wheels look like the photo and drawing below?

Photos of your wheels would certainly help.

Dave

[Steven B.]

Re: What are these 15 X 5.5 Wheels?

Dave, that is them! I thought they were Mar '63 but have no idea what they were installed on. All of my books are packed for an upcoming move. I also wondered why the total wheel was silver over a black undercoat. Thanks for the pic. Any idea of current value?

Steve

[David L.]

Re: What are these 15 X 5.5 Wheels?

Dave, that is them! I thought they were Mar '63 but have no idea what they were installed on. All of my books are packed for an upcoming move. I also wondered why the total wheel was silver over a black undercoat. Thanks for the pic. Any idea of current value?

Steve

Steve,

The wheels are 50 years old. I'm sure someone must have repainted them sometime in the last 50 years. The wheels were also used on 1963 Chevrolet Police cars. The wheels are quite rare during these times and the value depends on the condition as well as what someone is willing to pay.

The stampings on your wheel #1 do not make sense. There should be a stamping like the following example of my 1970 Camaro SS350 wheels:
"K-1-0" - ("K" = Kelsey-Hayes; "1" = Romulus, MI; "0" = 1970)
"4 (valve) 15 CL" - ("4" = April, "15" = 15th on the month, "CL" = 14" X 7" JJ, 0.34" offset)

Dave

[Steven B.]

Re: What are these 15 X 5.5 Wheels?

Steve,

The wheels are 50 years old. I'm sure someone must have repainted them sometime in the last 50 years. The wheels were also used on 1963 Chevrolet Police cars. The wheels are quite rare during these times and the value depends on the condition as well as what someone is willing to pay.

The stampings on your wheel #1 do not make sense. There should be a stamping like the following example of my 1970 Camaro SS350 wheels:
"K-1-0" - ("K" = Kelsey-Hayes; "1" = Romulus, MI; "0" = 1970)
"4 (valve) 15 CL" - ("4" = April, "15" = 15th on the month, "CL" = 14" X 7" JJ, 0.34" offset)

Dave

Thanks David. I double checked and the stampings on wheel 1 are correct. All wheels have a light coat of silver over a light coat of black. All paint is very uniform and appears thin. The wheels have few scuff marks and have scuffs where mounted but are very clean as if they were take-offs very shortly after delivery. I will get some pics.

Thanks again!

Steve

[David L.]

Re: What are these 15 X 5.5 Wheels?

All wheels have a light coat of silver over a light coat of black. All paint is very uniform and appears thin.

Steve,

In 1963 when I was 16 years old I remember painting the wheels on my car with red spray paint. I don't think that silver spray paint existed in 1963 but maybe it did.

Dave

[Bruce B.]

Re: What are these 15 X 5.5 Wheels?

Steve,
I just sold 2 wheels 5 1/2" by 15" 1963 Corvette as described above.
Got $300.00 each plus shipping.
Bruce B

[Stuart F.]

Re: What are these 15 X 5.5 Wheels?

There was silver spray can paint in, not only 63, but at least back to 1959. It was the cool thing to paint your rims silver and run around with no hubcaps. I had a black 56 210 post with first with 14" rims (spray painted silver), then chrome reversed 14" with the first 1" walls available. It was a nosed, decked and lowered show car. Usually the silver paint would go dull over a season so you had to repaint them every so often. I had 2 buddies with black 59's also with painted silver rims.

Stu Fox

[David L.]

Re: What are these 15 X 5.5 Wheels?

It was much easier to find 63-64 Corvette wheels back in the 1980's when very few knew how to identify them. I bought a nice pair of them at one of the Carlisle meets for $5 each. While in Los Angeles back in 1987 I stopped at a salvage yard and found one for $20 just before I took my 4 year old son to Disneyland. The internet has really educated the "general Corvette public" which can be a good thing but can also be a bad thing as well.

Dave