Ralley Wheel Rim Date

[Paul C.]

I have a January 28, 1971 built car with K 1 0 2 29 AZ rims--all with the same date. That would be Feb 29, 1970 which is not within 6 months. It seems unlikely that they would all have the same date--talked with the owner from 1978 and they came with the car when he bought it. Thoughts?

[Mike E.]

Re: Ralley Wheel Rim Date

VERY unlikely that they came on that car! Probable scenario is that car had custom wheels, new owner didn't like them, knew someone with a 70 who did, and they did a swap. No one can say they didn't come on your car, but rightly so, you'll never get them through judging without a point loss on the spare, which is the only one judged for a date.

[Harmon C.]

Re: Ralley Wheel Rim Date

Paul
The rims you have could be some real rare examples and could do well on E-bay with a few rare signs in red. That date only happens ever four years. If may math is right and Feb. 29th only happens on presidental election years so 1970 would not have had a 29th. Looks like the GM worker who set the date had a bad day.

My friend took a note to the teacher from his dad that said Johney was absent from school Feb.28,29,30 because he was sick so it could have been that GM worker.

[Terry M.]

Re: Ralley Wheel Rim Date

Another scenario is the car came with white walls (or some other tire) and the original owner didn't like/want that style of tire. Dealer has a 1970 still in stock with the desired style of tire -- swap, and the customer is happy. Now flash to 36 years later and us nutsos are checking wheel dates -- tilt!

[Paul C.]

Re: Ralley Wheel Rim Date

I talked to the owner who owned the car from 1978-1989, He sent pictures and it didn't have ralley wheels. Emailed him and he said he got the original ralley wheels when he bought the car and sold them with the car in 1989 but had the mags on the car because he liked them better.

[Paul C.]

Re: Ralley Wheel Rim Date

How do you tell the difference between a rim made on: June 1, 1970 and one made on June 1, 1980? Don't they both have AZ and are 15 x 8.

[Terry M.]

Re: Ralley Wheel Rim Date

The obvious quick answer is that the 1970 will have a green hue to the Argent Silver and the 1980 will not -- but there is more to the story.

Sometime in the '80s the year of manufacture became a two-digit number and that solved the which decade question. I'm not sure that started as early as 1980, but it might have.

I think there is another way, but you will have to check the definitive work by Wendel Hans, Jr. in The Corvette Restorer. It was a 3-part series. I think the answer is a combination of the stamp on the inside of the rim (visible with the tire off) and the stamps on the web of the wheel (the part that the wheel studs go through).

[Harmon C.]

Re: Ralley Wheel Rim Date

Paul
Did you check for sure that thease rims were dated for 2-29-70. A day that never was. In 1970 their were only 28 days in Feburary.

[Paul C.]

Re: Ralley Wheel Rim Date

I realized after I posted that there was no 2/29/1970 but there was a 2/29/1980. It was either mistamped or it might be 1980--but I need to know how to tell the difference between a 1970 rim and a 1980 rim.

[Harmon C.]

Re: Ralley Wheel Rim Date

Paul
My copy of the 80-82 TIM&JG shows that an 80 rim should show K-1-80 a 2 valve stem 3 AZ . For a 1980 Feb.3rd wheel. I think this makes your wheels 1970. A 70 wheel I would think will have a dot like a weld on the outer ring of the wheel. This dot was used when mounting tires.

[Terry M.]

Re: Ralley Wheel Rim Date

Good catch about the dot Lyle, but not all early C3 wheels had the dot. There were a few that were close enough to the spec that no dot was applied. I wish I had thought of that myself.

1970 original wheels had a green cast to the argent paint, but if the wheel has been refinished that clue is gone.

In a PM I referred Paul to a Restorer story by Wendell Hans regarding 1967-1982 Corvette steel wheels. I don't have the date of this printing at hand, but as I recall it was a three-part (or maybe more) story. It was quite comprehensive.