67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

[William B.]

I have a number of different 67 starbursts, there seems to be 3 different finishes on the back and also some of the caps have numbers and some do not.
Question is how are thease judged once they are on the car, most of the differences are not seem once the are pushed on the bolt on wheel.

[Mike M.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

Hi Bill
Looks like someone needs to jump start a response for you.
Correct, the inside is irrelavant, since the centers are not removed for judging.
Judges will evaluate the external visual nuances of Typical Factory Production for configuration, finish, color, installation and color sequence.
Hope this helps
HaND

[William B.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

Thank you for your reply. I still have the question of looking at the back, is there a way to tell if any of mine are origional?
Maybe my question is in vain, if there is no way of knowing by looking at the front.

[Larry M.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

Thank you for your reply. I still have the question of looking at the back, is there a way to tell if any of mine are origional?
Maybe my question is in vain, if there is no way of knowing by looking at the front.

Post the numbers AND any letters that are on the backside of the starbursts and caps. This will tell if original, later GM replacement/issue, or reproduction.

Original starbursts have excellent chrome and definition. The retaining clips are also heat treated. Later replacements and reproductions have poorer chrome plating and are not as sharp. The retaining clips on the reproductions are not heat treated and appear (zinc/tin) plated. They also don't grip as well.

However, from the front side, it is difficult to tell them apart. A judge might infer that if the wheel is original, then the starburst is also.....and if the wheel is reproduction that this also applies to the starburst. This is not always FACT, and can result in incorrect point deductions.....but probably happens occasionally.

I have an old set of reproduction Western Wheel bolt-on wheels on my car, but have original starbursts and caps. I just didn't like the "Made in Korea" logos on the back of the old starburst reproductions, and the chrome plating was poor and was starting to peel and pit.

Larry

[Mark K.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

A late post here, but there are two levels of "originals". GM apparently first produced the 700+ sets for the 67 model year. Then GM produced reproductions in about 1970. Most people consider these to be "originals" in the sense that GM produced them and they have the same look as the wheels produced for 67 production.

The rub is that you cannot tell from the wheels which is from 67 or 70, but you can tell from the starbursts. The 67 starbursts have different stampings on the back side than the later 1970 starbursts.

The 67s have an "hc" stamping. The 70ish starbursts have "pmc" as a stamping on the backside of the starburst. And if it says "made in Korea" then it is clearly a later reproduction.

[Richard S.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

Mark,

Thanks for that great information. I have "Reproductions" on my 67 now.
Last year I found a "Starburst and attached Cap" at a swapmeet in Northern Quebec. This "Starburst" has the "hc" stamping. This "Original Starburst and Cap" IS MUCH HEAVIER than the "Reproduction."

[Larry M.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

A late post here, but there are two levels of "originals". GM apparently first produced the 700+ sets for the 67 model year. Then GM produced reproductions in about 1970. Most people consider these to be "originals" in the sense that GM produced them and they have the same look as the wheels produced for 67 production.

The rub is that you cannot tell from the wheels which is from 67 or 70, but you can tell from the starbursts. The 67 starbursts have different stampings on the back side than the later 1970 starbursts.

The 67s have an "hc" stamping. The 70ish starbursts have "pmc" as a stamping on the backside of the starburst. And if it says "made in Korea" then it is clearly a later reproduction.

Mark:

Agree. The ones I have on my car are the "hc". There is a visible difference between the "hc" and the "pmc" starbursts if you compare them side by side. But both look much better than the reproductions.

Any idea who manufactured the "hc" and the "pmc"??

Larry

[Mark K.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

Mark:

Agree. The ones I have on my car are the "hc". There is a visible difference between the "hc" and the "pmc" starbursts if you compare them side by side. But both look much better than the reproductions.

Any idea who manufactured the "hc" and the "pmc"??

Larry

Larry,

Unfortunately, that is as much information as I have on the starbursts. It is an interesting question though, I've never seen a full list of suppliers that supported the mid-60s production requirements.

Mark

[Rick S.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

Here is a photo of an reproduction (early Western Wheel) and an original 1967 starburst center cap. On the original it has a cone part # of 3910732 and the center cap part # is 3908161, both have "hc" encircled. Would anyone like to pick the original and their reasoning?

[Rick S.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

Here are individual pictures of the same caps. The first one is the cap on left in the previous post and the second one is the one on the right.
Rick

[Mark K.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

Here are individual pictures of the same caps. The first one is the cap on left in the previous post and the second one is the one on the right.
Rick

Rick,

I'll make a guess and say that the original is the one on the right of the first picture and the bottom of the second. My rationale, given that all I have to go on are the pictures you have, is that the red inserts have not faded on the original to the same extent as the repro. My originals apparently have the same bright red color. Also, the outside edge of the starburst (in between the "rays" is dark on the original and light gray on the repro. Again my original is much closer to the darker color.

Of course it would be easier if I saw the backside of the starburst, but that would be too easy - .

Mark

[Rick S.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

Mark,
I was at the Royal Joke Shell station tonight with both center caps for you to check in person, maybe we can get together again for you to check them in person.

Rick

[Mark K.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

Mark,
I was at the Royal Joke Shell station tonight with both center caps for you to check in person, maybe we can get together again for you to check them in person.

Rick

Rick,

Sure I'd like to see the differences up close. I had my ZR-1 out earlier, but with the little bit of rain around 5:00, I put her back in the garage and just spent the evening watching movies with my family.

Maybe tomorrow the weather will be better.

Regards,

Mark

[Larry M.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

Rick,

I'll make a guess and say that the original is the one on the right of the first picture and the bottom of the second. My rationale, given that all I have to go on are the pictures you have, is that the red inserts have not faded on the original to the same extent as the repro. My originals apparently have the same bright red color. Also, the outside edge of the starburst (in between the "rays" is dark on the original and light gray on the repro. Again my original is much closer to the darker color.

Of course it would be easier if I saw the backside of the starburst, but that would be too easy - .

Mark

Agree with Mark....for the same reasons. Also the chrome looks better/heavier on the starburst on the right.

Best to evaluate in person, but based on the photos, I think we can still make out the differences.

Larry

[Rick S.]

Re: 67 Bolt on Starbursts? Judging differences??

Mark & Larry,
Sorry guys, but the original is on the left! The red paint is faded more than the repo too.

Rick