Standard 1959 Corvette Wheels

[Gary C.]

Re: Standard 1959 Corvette Wheels

Aaron,

Your 1959 Corvette birthday is July 22nd, 1959, then it could've very been born with the welded wheels with the stamped 6 59 date code.

As Dan Adie recommended, take good photos of the the logo and date stamp. Have your car Judged with the welded wheels. Show the Judges the photos of the date stamp if they take deductions for the wrong wheels. Afterward your Judging's completed you should share the wheel photos with the National Team Leader.

Or you could share your 1959 Corvette VIN number and the stamped wheel photos with the National Team Leader now.

Posting photos from your phone, you'll have to log in from your phone and upload the photos or share the photos with your PC and upload photos from your PC. Here's the FAQ link on how to post photos. https://www.forums.ncrs.org/faq.php?...faq#faq_photos

Good luck with restoring your 1959 and judging.

Gary
....

[Greg M.]

Re: Standard 1959 Corvette Wheels

I finished my 1960 restoration about one year ago. My 1960 is a May 27, 1960 produced corvette (approximately by the birthday book). My five wheels are all smooth welded with four April 1960 dated wheels and the spare is a February 1960 dated wheel. As suggested, I had pictures of the date codes with me when it was judged at the regional in Newton, Iowa this past May. No deductions or questions, so they judged fine this time. Good luck with your 1959! Greg

[Darryl D.]

Re: Standard 1959 Corvette Wheels

I fully understand wanting to have everything, such as wheels, correctly dated matched as possible. BUT, as an alternative to wheels, as I pointed out above, 55-56 pass car wheels are 100% fully functional for 56-62 Corvettes. One of the important features that is needed for these wheels is the 4 nubs to retain the full wheel cover, which are also on 55-56 pass car wheels. Once the full wheel covers are installed, not dates can be seen. Also, a BIG advantage to using 55-56 pass car wheels is that they are somewhat easier to locate at MUCH cheaper prices.
The first picture shows one of the 4 nubs required to retain a full wheel cover.
The second picture shows a riveted wheel (I have generally found that 55 pass cars have riveted wheels and 56 cars have welded wheels). I THINK, repeat, I THINK 54 pass cars also have the 15x5 riveted wheels with the 4 nubs.
The third picture shows a welded dogbone wheel.
The forth picture shows a 55(left) and 56 pass car wheel. Notice the area around where a small cap (dog dish cap) would fit on the 55 wheel, it is smooth out to where it adjoins the rim. The 56 wheel has an additional ring and this is what will be on Corvette wheels. But as I mentioned, when installed with a full wheel cover, this can not be seen and makes for a fully functional 15x5 wheel at a MUCH cheaper price. Over the years, I have picked up 1 or 2 55-56 pass car wheels at swap meets for $10-30ea.

li

I was surprised this was not brought up much earlier in this thread and is ALL important if you are going to use the original full wheel covers

[Tom P.]

Re: Standard 1959 Corvette Wheels

Darryl,
I am one of the EXTREMELY few that brings up this kind of information------------------------because if it ain't a GENUINE Corvette part, it ain't (well, you know what). NCRS is not as fanatically anal about honest to God, genuine "Corvette" parts as they used to be years ago. And I fully, and completely understand restoring a car to the way it rolled out the back door of the St. Louis plant back in the day. BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT, some parts which are totally, and completely interchangeable between a Chevy and a Corvette in EVERY SINGLE way, EXCEPT a date code or whatever-------------------ESPECIALLY if it cannot be seen unless it is disassembled, is just a little bit much for me to grasp.
An example, a 57 Corvette 548 block is the same as a 57 pass car 548 block----------------the only difference being the stamped code on the right front pad. But, other parts such as heads, intake and exhaust manifolds, water pump, connecting rods, etc, etc, have NO IDENTIFIERS as to whether they came from a pass car or a Vette.
Anyway, GENERALLY SPEAKING, NCRS is not willing (for the most part) to acknowledge any part(s) which are not or were not GENUINE Corvette parts.

[Dan A.]

Re: Standard 1959 Corvette Wheels

I'm posting these for Aaron. Proof positive 15x5K dated 6 59 with fuse welds and no dog bones.

[Dan A.]

Re: Standard 1959 Corvette Wheels

Aaron has stripped the wheels.The year designation is clearer. Second picture confirms that this June 1959 manufactured wheel is fuse welded without dog bones.

[Dan A.]

Re: Standard 1959 Corvette Wheels

Greg McCollough has shared photos of the dates and weld from his '60 that was a one owner car when purchased. Dated 2 60 and 5 60 the model year following Aaron's car it does not have dog bones.