63-67 steel wheels

[Geary T.]

I am going to a swap meet this week end and need some schooling on mid year steel wheels. I plan to use 63 hubcaps so the wheels need to have provisions to retain the hub caps. My understanding is that these wheels are 5.5 wide. Other than that I don't know the details of these wheels. I don't need exact date coded wheels just one's that will work with these hubcaps and 4 wheel factory style disc brakes. I don't want aftermarket wheels as I have not had good luck with them. Any pointers or advice welcome.

[Keith B.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

I don’t think 63 steel wheels will clear disk brakes. You should look for 65-66 steel wheels or 67 rally wheels.

[David S.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

65/66 steel wheels are 15x5.5. Originally from Kelsey Hayes. Not sure if they will fit 63 hubcaps but I would assume they will. Also given the configuration of a 67 rally, I don't think a hubcap would fit.

If you don't find what you're looking for at the swap meet, I have a set of 4 original 65/66 steel rims I could sell.

Thanks,
Dave

[Mike M.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

if repo rims will work for you, corvette specialties of Maryland, has the 63-4 and the 65-6 rims for sale. they are 99% exact repo of original Kelley hays rims. the company is online and ads in the driveline. mike

[Don H.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

I used to have '67 rims with '65 hubcap, it worked fine.

[David L.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

if repo rims will work for you, corvette specialties of Maryland, has the 63-4 and the 65-6 rims for sale. they are 99% exact repo of original Kelley hays rims. the company is online and ads in the driveline. mike

Mike,
You say that the repro 65-66 wheel are "99% exact". What is the 1% difference. Years ago I sold all my extra original 65-66 5.5" wheel but I still have the ones on my 66.
Dave

[David L.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

Geary,
Attached is some of my artwork from years gone past. Most 63-64 and 65-66 wheels are stamped "inside" with a month and a year, however, I have had 65-66 wheel stamped with just the month. I even had one 65-65 wheel without any month or year stamping but it has a GM white sticker with "3869156". I guess everyone forgets to finish their job once in awhile. The 65-66 3869156 wheels sold over the counter in 1978 were stamped by the valve hole ( "K 1 8 3" valve hole "16" which translates March 16, 1978). I bought a set of these 65-65 wheels with the valve hole stampings at my local Chevrolet dealership and installed them on my "early" white 63 Split Window Coupe with 63 Corvette wheel covers as shown in the photo in the upper right of this post. Apparently the 63 wheel covers fit just fine on the 65-66 over-the-count wheels.
Dave

[Frank D.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

Mike,
You say that the repro 65-66 wheel are "99% exact". What is the 1% difference. Years ago I sold all my extra original 65-66 5.5" wheel but I still have the ones on my 66.
Dave

I know the 63 repro wheels do't have the "GM" stamped on the front spider as originals do, nobody can see that is missing with the hubcaps on. I can't say if that's the same with the later midyear repro wheels.

[Duke W.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

Before you buy used wheels at a swap meet, check the price of a set of new 6 x 15" x +.030" offset '67 Rally wheels. They might be less, and the extra half inch width is a good thing, and you can mount 215/70R15 tires.

I know for sure that '63 wheel covers work on '68 7 x 15" Rally wheels... don't know for sure if they will fit on '67 versions, but I'd easily make an even odds bet on it.

Duke

[Tracy C.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

Mike,
You say that the repro 65-66 wheel are "99% exact". What is the 1% difference. Years ago I sold all my extra original 65-66 5.5" wheel but I still have the ones on my 66.
Dave

I believe the repops are welded differently where the spyder meets the rim.

[Rick A.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

Mr Crisler is correct

[Geary T.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

Thanks for the replies. I have learned I need 65-66 to clear 4 wheel disc brakes. I still don't know what holds the 63 caps on the wheel (nibs, friction fit ). Could someone speak to that. Also its my understanding that some other vehicles came equipped with the 15x 5.5 wheels other than Corvettes. If so how does one identify those wheels and will they work with the 63 caps.

[Frank D.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

Thanks for the replies. I have learned I need 65-66 to clear 4 wheel disc brakes. I still don't know what holds the 63 caps on the wheel (nibs, friction fit ). Could someone speak to that. Also its my understanding that some other vehicles came equipped with the 15x 5.5 wheels other than Corvettes. If so how does one identify those wheels and will they work with the 63 caps.

Friction fit; the hubcaps have articulated "fingers" around the circumference that grab the wheel..
I also wire my 63 hubcaps on invisibly using stainless steel wire through the wheel attached to the hubcap...you can see that in the pictures.

Call me paranoid but I looked too hard for a pristine set of original (non-frosted) hubcaps...

[David L.]

Re: 63-67 steel wheels

Also its my understanding that some other vehicles came equipped with the 15x 5.5 wheels other than Corvettes. If so how does one identify those wheels and will they work with the 63 caps.

Geary,

According to my 1963 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (Oct. 1962) in Gr. 5.803 GM # 3825686 is listed for the following:
63 POLICE
63 CORVETTE (exc. Knock off wheels)

According to my 1965 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (Oct. 1964) in Gr. 5.803 GM #3839814 is listed for the following:
63 POLICE
63-64 CORVETTE (exc. Knock off wheels)

According to my 1967 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (July 1967) in Gr. 5.803 GM # 3838080 is listed for the following:
57-64 CORVETTE (exc. Knock off wheels)
62-66 POLICE (2nd Design)
My belief is that the 3838080 wheel was an assembly line 1966 POLICE car wheel.....but I may be wrong.

From my scaled drawings posted earlier it appears that the 3838080 MIGHT work with disc brakes...... but maybe not.

According to Chevrolet Parts History for service parts GM # 3825686 was "mixed" with GM # 3834127 in Jan. 1963 with was replaced with GM # 3839814 in Oct. 1963 which was replaced with GM # 3838080 in May 1966.

Note: Apparently GM # 3839814 was only a service wheel for 1964 Corvettes as it is listed in my 1964 Chevrolet Parts Catalog. Years ago I did have a NOS 3839814 wheel (15" X 5.5") dated 3/65 (March 1965). The hub hole measured 2.91" in diameter slightly larger than the 2.783" diameter hub hole on assembly line 1963-1964 wheels and 1965-1966 wheels. The NOS 3839814 wheel also had a small hole (1/4" diameter or so) on one of the 5 "bumps" on the front face of the wheel. I was told by several NCRS members that this was only a service wheel.

Good luck finding a 1963 Chevrolet police car with 15" X 5.5" wheels.

Dave