1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

[John D.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

Gary, Scroll down to the bottom of the page to "similiar posts". Poncho, etc posted nice pics of '63 rims.
By now most every judge can easily spot a '63 wheel in a heartbeat. Well maybe not the one in MD though.

[Brian T.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

Wheels are in process, and coming along. You can expect the usual high standards that we maintain!

[Joseph S.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

Brian, I just received a pair of the 65-66 wheels and must tell you, they look great.

[Harry S.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

I just received a set of Brian's 63/64 wheels. The look excellent. The DOT and GM influenced the final wheel. There is a stamp on the inside that I imagine the DOT mandated. A little JB weld and some sanding will magically make it disappear. There is a weld on the inside that I imagine the DOT also demanded. You can add your own date code or KH stamps but since it can't be seen I'd just ignore that. There is no GM stamp on the outside. That can also be added easily. The nubs by the valve stem hole are there.

Summary, Unless you want to pay $2500 for 5 restored wheels Brian's price for 5 being somewhere around $875 is the better deal. Hopefully the $2500 restored set has all the run-out straightened and they all have lug nut holes that are not stretched to big.

Just an FYI..................

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

Slightly OT, but are the '65-66 judges able to detect the 2nd production run 15 x 5_12 JK's produced in the 1984 timeframe (maybe by looking through the wheelcover openings and reading the stamping on the nubs) ? The stampings on either side of the air valve are not visible with a wheel cover in place as long as as this wheel is not used as the spare.

[Bill W.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

Wayne I dont want to hijack a 63/64 post but what is the difference in a late & early 65/66 wheel and when was the change ?

[Bill W.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

John when did the 63/64 wheels have the small hole drilled in the hub bump area ? I restored a 63 Conv. a couple years ago and it had 4 63 wheels and one wheel with a hole . It was a very late 63 vin 20937 (576 from the end ). could it have come with the 64 wheel or do you think it was a replacement ?

[Bob J.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

Where are these new repo wheels made?

[Harry S.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

Where are these new repo wheels made?

I guess JD posted then deleted it??? I read it earlier.

I'll let Brian reveal where they are made as I don't know.

[Mark D.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

If differences are found between the repops and real, hopefully requisite deductions will be made during judging. I applaud anyone making a quality reproduction but, the guys with real components deserve the higher scores.

[Jimmy G.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

Mark and others

The problem with your thought on this is that original parts were made by several vendors sometimes. Even when they were made by one vendor they were made on several different sets of tooling and or production machinery. Therefore even OEM parts will show some minor differences. if a restoration part is within those guidelines we should not take deductions. One of the issue we (I) have in NCRS now is that judges are taking point deductions on parts that fall into the above category. We are even calling original engines as restoration engines in some cases. These cars were made by hourly union wage workers, not skilled craftsman. Our judging expectation and standard is now way beyond the way these cars were ever produced.

[Mark D.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

I respectfully disagree with that argument. It's the NCRS way to research and understand the production differences, you reference. Production variations are typical. A reproduction part made with easily detectable non-typical differences is a whole other animal.

It will, everytime, undermine the standard to knowingly look the other way.

[Timothy B.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

I glanced at what I believe is a set of CSOM west reproduction 65-66 wheels and visually the big difference I saw is the weld attaching the rim to the center section and no GM or KH stamp on the raised spider section. This may be a DOT mandate I don't know but they look like nice reproduction wheels.

So do these judge the same or better than the 65-66 KH wheels I own with riveted attachment points (rim to center). I still can't figure out how that happened, they are stamped GM, no stamps by the valve stem but I just can't remember the date it's been so long since tires were mounted.

[John D.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

My son had a set of 65-66 wheels for sale at Carlisle. He was selling them for a close friend. Price was very fair (not selling parts here )
but no interest except for comments that the repos were a much better deal.
Not saying anything else. Tongue in cheek.
I do not have the wheels anymore as my friend took them back to New York although he said he might pitch them on the way back to his car as he had to carry them two at a time for a long distance.

[Bob J.]

Re: 1963 Steel Rims from Corvette Specialties

If differences are found between the repops and real, hopefully requisite deductions will be made during judging. I applaud anyone making a quality reproduction but, the guys with real components deserve the higher scores.

Mark, I agree 100%.
I guess it is some kind of secret on where these repo wheels are made and nobody wants to post online.
I got 2 PMs saying they are made in CHINA.