Valve stem length-1965

[Eugene B.]

Members,
I have a question regarding the length of valve stems used on 1965 with steel wheels.

TIM & JG states that the valve stem is approximately 1-3/8" long. Quanta catalog states that valve stems used on 1965-66 Corvettes with standard wheels is 2" long.

I have an original '65 steel wheel that has a 2" valve stem installed. Is there consensus among the experts that the '65 TIM & JG are wrong?

Thanks in advance to all who respond.

Regards,
Gene

[Loren L.]

Let's just say that if 1 3/8" was correct

you would have to remove the hubcap to check/fill air.

[Dick W.]

Re: Valve stem length-1965

If you feel that the TIM & JG is in error, send your documentation to the respective team leader listed in the front of the Restorer. This goes for all the manuals.

[Dave F.]

in that case, aren't all sharks...

painted base coat/clear coat?

[Dick W.]

Re: in that case, aren't all sharks...

Only one could wish so. The key word "appears like lacquer"

[Wayne M.]

'66 w/original Firestone goldline on steel rim...

... measures EXACTLY 2.0" from rim steel to end of valve bronze threads (ie. cap removed).

BTW, Gene -- if you have the 5th edition of the '65 TIM & JG, can you do me a favour and advise if "timing cover and timing tab" are mentioned at all ? I would suspect it to be found in Mechanical, perhaps under section 13. THX

[Jack H.]

Re: '66 w/original Firestone goldline on steel rim

The 5th edition of the '65 JG makes no mention of the timing chain cover/tab in Mechanical, Section 13. Plus, I don't see the timing chain cover called out as a line item on the '63-67 Flight Score Sheets...

[Jack H.]

Re: Valve stem length-1965

That's one that's been debated... Cars prior to '65 are known to have used the 'shorty' valve stems and cars after '65 are thought to use the 'long' valve stems (optional wheels excluded). With the 'shorty' valve stems and factory stock, full, wheel covers installed it's a (*&^% to fill the tires with a standard air chuck without touching/scratching the wheel covers!

But, the '65 JG book has always called for the 'shorty' valve stems. This suggests the NTL and his staff know the valve stem transistion didn't happen in MY '65 from examination of unrestored cars, or whatever... You'd have to go to the horse's mouth, Dale Feit, National Team Leader on this one to understand more about why the JG book calls for 'shorty' valve stems!

This one's kind of fuzzy because valve stems are NOT called out in the AIM book making it impossible for us to see the PN change from 'shorty' to 'long' valve stems on a time line. I think this is because the wheels were supplied to GM with valve stems either already installed or packaged with the wheels themselves....

[John H.]

Re: Valve stem length-1965

Jack -

The lack of a part number callout for the valve stem is an error in the A.I.M. - they should show in the UPC 10 section, but they don't. The wheels were received raw, and the assembly plant installed the valve stems after the wheels were painted, using an air-powered "stemmer" tool.

Trivia - the plant didn't use the valve stem; tires were inflated by blowing high-pressure air inbetween the tire bead and the rim. It was entirely possible to inflate, balance, and install a tire/rim assembly with no hole in the wheel for a valve stem at all. When we automated the "stemming" operation and used a light source and photocells to rotationally orient the wheel with the hole in the correct position for the "stemmer" to do its thing, occasionally we'd catch a wheel with no hole. I can remember a phone call from a dealer wanting to know how we got air in a tire when there was no hole or valve stem in the wheel (one got past us, and he got it)

[Loren L.]

'65 #21083 purchased from the orignal

owner's widow with 30K; original spare that had NEVER been on the ground had a 2" stem.

[Jack H.]

Neat!

I always wondered why valve stems weren't called out in the AIM while add-on like balancing weights were...

I guess it'd take someone like Art Armstrong with dwg access to confirm when the valve stem actually changed configuration. Interesting, because except for the number of 'pie wedge' center accents, the '65 wheel cover is identical to the '66 cover.

So, there's gotta be a story out there on why 'shorty' stems are considered correct for '65 but not correct for '66... Thanks, John!

[Wayne M.]

'65 #04835 long stems (B/W pic in June '68)

My first set of wheels. Stems clearly protruding from stock wheelcovers by almost the same length (again) as the cap. Wish I had a 35mm negative scanner to post the shot(s).

Car had 35K miles, was on its second set of rubber (this has always been a mystery to me, what with L79,C.R. M20 and 3.08 posi).

[Floyd #21606]

Re: '65 #21083 purchased from the orignal

My 65 which I have owned since Dec. 1965 and the spare tire has never been on the ground either and it has the 2" stem also.

Floyd
65 Fuelie

[Eugene B.]

Re: Thanks to all!

Gents,
Thanks to each of you who responded. I'm going with 2" valve stems. My existing wheels have short stems in them and require valve stem extensions to air the tires. The short stems were installed in 1970 when the tires were purchased.

Errors in the TIM & JG always amaze me. There are enough Star/Bow Tie cars out there that can be used to answer questions like valve stem length, etc. It seems like once something gets chiseled in a stone TIM, it takes an act of God to get it changed.

Thanks again for the information guys. I appreciate each of you.

Best regards,
Gene