2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

[Rick G.]

In several early GM photos of the 1963 models I have seen cars equipped with two bar knock off wheels. It is my understanding that knock off wheels were never sold and delivered on the 1963 model because of various quality issues. I have also seen many examples of the three bar wheels on later models but never the two bar. Did they ever make it into production in any year? Over the years I have seen several sets for sale and always wondered if these were original GM or reproduction. Thank you in advance.

Rick

[Mike M.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

in the early 1980's, there was a fellow here in Maryland who had a bunch of two bar spinners cast at a local foundry. mike

[Tom H.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

I don't think two bars were ever used in actual production, but there are some out there. I have a friend with a set. He's had them for years. I seem to remember a guy at Bloomington years ago with boxes of them. Might be the guy Mike spoke of ????

I have heard they are the same as Corvair spinners but have never seen enough of them to confirm it. I'd love to learn more about them.

[John D.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

Yeah I heard of that MD in MD. Repeat story: Clem and JD's hangout was Grabiak Chev in New Alexandria, PA. One day Sam Grabiak, Jr came out to the shop and said to me and others. Run outside and look at the truck load of new 63's. So we did to see why Sam was sooo excited. There was a silver 63 coupe with knockoffs from the factory. Sam Jr said the wheels were on hold and not available due to problems yet this one silver car had them. I don't remember if they were two bar or three bar. Reportedly the car was for an executive in Pittsburgh.

[Jim L.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

Rick,

When I lived in SC, back in the '70s, I knew a fellow who had a couple of sets of 2 bar knock-offs. If memory serves, the KO adapters for these wheels were a gear drive configuration as opposed to the pin drive configuration used in production.

Same guy also had a set of 14" KO wheels. What were these for? Who knows.... Corvair maybe?

Bottom line, even if they never made it into production, there are some sets "out there".

Jim

[Chuck W.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

My understanding is that the 2-bars came on some of the pilot line cars.

I bought this set about 15 years ago at Bloomington.

http://ckautollc.phanfare.com/2122242_2278874#imageID=29780859

[Tom P.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

About 1975(????), I took the 56 to a NCCC event in Dallas.
There was a guy there with a 63 (seems like it was red) that had 2bar knockoffs. At the time, I knew very little about knockoffs of any kind, but I recognized that his 2bars were unique. I inquired and was told they were a rare wheel for the 63 only cars.
I never saw a 2bar again until the early 90s.
Personally-------------I LIKE 'UM!

[William C.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

Early Corvairs had a Dayton wire wheel option (rather expensive) that used the same two bar knockoff generally displayed as part of the "two bar corvette" knockoff, lived with a fellow in college that owned a set on a '64 Corvair bought from the GM fleet sale at the Tech Center.

[Michael H.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

In several early GM photos of the 1963 models I have seen cars equipped with two bar knock off wheels. It is my understanding that knock off wheels were never sold and delivered on the 1963 model because of various quality issues. I have also seen many examples of the three bar wheels on later models but never the two bar. Did they ever make it into production in any year? Over the years I have seen several sets for sale and always wondered if these were original GM or reproduction. Thank you in advance.

Rick

The very first spinner (nut) for early 63 was a three bar. Now, before the arguement starts, this early design was a bit different than the later 63 and 64-66 spinner. It appeared on prototype wheels/cars starting in mid summer 1962.
Because of production difficulties and a change in the design, the 1st design three bar was held up for several months. In it's place, the 2 bar nut was borrowed from the Corvair and fitted with a different center cap for Corvette.

No one knows how many 63's left the St Louis assembly plant with KO wheels. (here comes another arguement) Also unknown is, if they had two or three bar spinners.

[Tom H.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

The very first spinner (nut) for early 63 was a three bar. Now, before the arguement starts, this early design was a bit different than the later 63 and 64-66 spinner. It appeared on prototype wheels/cars staryting in mid summer 1962.
Because of production difficulties and a change in the design, the 1st design three bar was held up for several months. In it's place, the 2 bar nut was borrowed from the Corvair and fitted with a different center cap for Corvette.

No one knows how many 63's left the St Louis assembly plant with KO wheels. (here comes another arguement) Also unknown is, if they had two or three bar spinners.

Seems to me I remember a post you made a while back showing your old 63 in the snow with 2 bars on it. Wasn't that you ??

[Wayne M.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

No one knows how many 63's left the St Louis assembly plant with KO wheels. (here comes another arguement) Also unknown is, if they had two or three bar spinners.

What does the '63 AIM show for P48 ? I notice that the '63-only nut assys Gr 5.871 #3819543-4 [left-right w/knock-off wheels] show in my P&A books (I have '65 thru '70) as a service item. Different part # for the '64-66s.

[John D.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

Waiting for a 63 guru here to post nice pic of his 63 with two bars on it. Course on the other hand it's too early. Sorry. I shoulda known.

[Clark K.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

According to Noland Adams' The Complete Corvette Restoration & Technical Guide - Vol. 2, page 156: "...early prototypes had two-bar knock-offs, and the three pilot line cars prepared for the fall 1962 shows in Turin, Paris, and London were so equipped.". Under two photos of '63 cars on page 157: "...Chevrolet promoted the P48 wheels...in its publicity photographs but never officially delivered any cars wth the wheels.".

So, in my opinion, any '63 Sting Ray with knock-off wheels and two-bar spinners would be a recreation of the cars at the fall '62 European car shows.

[Joseph T.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

According to Noland Adams' The Complete Corvette Restoration & Technical Guide - Vol. 2, page 156: "...early prototypes had two-bar knock-offs, and the three pilot line cars prepared for the fall 1962 shows in Turin, Paris, and London were so equipped.". Under two photos of '63 cars on page 157: "...Chevrolet promoted the P48 wheels...in its publicity photographs but never officially delivered any cars wth the wheels.".

So, in my opinion, any '63 Sting Ray with knock-off wheels and two-bar spinners would be a recreation of the cars at the fall '62 European car shows.

The magazine cover cars introducing the 1963 Corvettes showed two bar spinners...and members pointed out the other pilot line features or styling car features of those cars photographed.

Bill Lacy and I interviewed the Chief Inspector of the Corvette Plant many years ago who was in that job when Bunky Knudsen came to the plant to review the 1963 Corvette pilot line cars.

You wouldn't believe the stories he told about on the spot changes that Knudsen demanded. He even asked us to turn off the video camera and this was 20+ years after he retired.

I have that interview on tape but have not viewed it in many years.

Joe Trybulec

[Michael H.]

Re: 2 Bar Knock Off Wheels?

According to Noland Adams' The Complete Corvette Restoration & Technical Guide - Vol. 2, page 156: "...early prototypes had two-bar knock-offs..

I think you're refering to pilot line cars, not prototypes.

But... even earlier cars had three bar nuts, as mentioned in my previous post. These cars were built in Michigan, not at the St Louis plant. The three bar was the first design used on the prototype cars.
I don't know if any of these early three bars made it to the pilot line.