65-66 wheels

[Gary B.]

I have searched the forum on these wheels and did not really find an answer to my question.

I have bought a set of four steel wheels. Two are dated 11-65 and are welded. The other two are dated 12 and has either a 6 or 9? These two wheels also are riveted. Are these what are refered to as the 8080 over the counter wheels?

They both look identical from the front side, no nubs on the center piece, two nubs by the valve stem. Profile of the rim is identical, for disc brakes. Really pretty much identical other than it's riveted.

Just wondering what it really is?

Gary B

[David L.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

Gary,

I have owned at least a dozen or more 1965-1966 Corvette (15 X 5 1/2 JK w/Kelsey-Hayes logo) wheels with "GM" stamped on the front in the past 30 years. While I was in Los Angeles in 1987 I bought a 1965 Corvette wheel dated "12 64" in very good condition that was riveted instead of welded. I remember that there was some kind of thin rubberized sealer on the inside covering the rivets. I sold it sometime in the 1990's.

I also have three 1965-1966 Corvette with with just the number "6" (or possibly "9") without any year stamping.

The 8080 wheels are noticeably different when compared with a 1965-1966 Corvette wheel and look like they will work with disc brakes but I never tried to put one on a Corvette w/disc brakes. The 8080 wheels are replacement wheels for 1963-1964 Corvettes (drum brakes).

I believe that all 4 of your wheels are 1965-1966 Corvette wheels. I also believe that your riveted wheels were made in December 1964 ("12 6?", probably "12 64"). The date code stampings on these wheels were sometimes "hit or miss".

Dave

[Timothy B.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

Gary,

I have four of these rivited rims also, they are the same as the welded wheel in all other aspects except the rivets.

The welded/rivited rims are the same part #, I can't explain the rivets verses the welded style except to say we discussed this some time ago in the archives and memory tells me most people report the welded style on there cars.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

.... Are these what are refered to as the 8080 over the counter wheels?

They both look identical from the front side, no nubs on the center piece, two nubs by the valve stem. Profile of the rim is identical, for disc brakes. Really pretty much identical other than it's riveted...

Here's a shot of an 8080 currently on eBay (GM sticker still on); seller doesn't mention rivets, and pics don't show. Stamped 15_1/2 K (not JK).

X-section profile looks a lot more like a '65-6 JK rim than a '63-4 K rim, to me anyway.

[Timothy B.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

Wayne,

You 8080 picture shows the extra step in the back side of the rim that hits the disc caliper. The regular 65-66 rim does not have this step as I am sure you already know.

The J and JK according to John Hinckley has something to do with the safety bead. My 63 rims are stamped 15 x 5 1/2 K.

[Edward M.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

Here are a couple of previous threads on the subject

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=57860

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=68590

[Ray K.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

Gary

The wheels that are referred to as 8080 wheels are for drum brake applications, the part number being 3838080 and listed for 57-64 Corvette.
The disc brake wheel is #3869156 for 65-66 Corvettes.

Ray

[David L.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

The wheels that are referred to as 8080 wheels are for drum brake applications, the part number being 3838080 and listed for 57-64 Corvette.
The disc brake wheel is #3869156 for 65-66 Corvettes.

The 3838080 wheel did not exist in October 1965 or previously as per my 1966 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (effective Oct. 1965). The 3838080 wheel is a replacement wheel for the 1957-1962 and 1963-1964 Corvettes. I believe that the 3838080 wheel might have been original equipment on 1966 Chevrolet Police cars as the part number first appears in my 1967 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (effective April 1967). The 3838080 wheel is listed for the 57-64 Corvette and 62-66 Police (2nd design).

Dave

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

. .... I believe that the 3838080 wheel might have been original equipment on 1966 Chevrolet Police cars as the part number first appears in my 1967 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (effective April 1967). The 3838080 wheel is listed for the 57-64 Corvette and 62-66 Police (2nd design).....

Dave --- also a little earlier; the "8080" appears in my '67 Chassis P&A30 [Oct 1st 1966 revision], and the parts history shows 3838080 replaces factory '63-4 #3839814 on 5-66.

[David L.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

Dave --- also a little earlier; the "8080" appears in my '67 Chassis P&A30 [Oct 1st 1966 revision], and the parts history shows 3838080 replaces factory '63-4 #3839814 on 5-66.

Wayne,

The 3839814 wheel was APPARENTLY also a replacement wheel for the 1963-1964 Corvette wheel, GM # 3825686 as shown in my 1963 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (effective Oct. 1962), even though the 3839814 wheel appears in my 1964 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (effective Oct. 1963). Many believe that the 3839814 was a service wheel as it has a slightly larger hub hole (2 29/32" dia.) as well a small hole in one of the "bumps" on the front face of the wheel. I have always thought that the 3839814 wheel was used late in the 1964 production. I have had 1964 Corvette wheels with "1 64" and "2 64" dates with the 2 25/32" hub hole (just like the 1963 wheels) and no small hole. I have also had 1964 wheels with the 2 29/32" hub hole and the small hole dated "6 64" (or "9 64"???) as well a one that was NOS with a "3 65" date code along with a 3839814 GM white label.

According to the 1963 assembly manual 3825686 was replaced by 3834127 on 8/29/62. GM 3834127 is shown in the 1964 assembly manual without any changes.

According to Chevrolet Parts History 3825686 was replaced (the term "MIX" is actually used) with 3834127 in January 1963 which then replaced (the term "USE" is used which is normal) with 3839814 in October 1963.

Dave

[Ray K.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

Wayne, David, all

It seems to me that we all agree that the #3838080 wheel is a replacement wheel, and I located in my history section that it did indeed replace 3839814 in 5-66. The fact remains that this a drum brake wheel and would not be correct for 65-66 with disc brakes and I doubt if it will bolt on without interference with the caliper housing.

Ray

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

Wayne, David, all

It seems to me that we all agree that the #3838080 wheel is a replacement wheel, and I located in my history section that it did indeed replace 3839814 in 5-66. The fact remains that this a drum brake wheel and would not be correct for 65-66 with disc brakes and I doubt if it will bolt on without interference with the caliper housing. ....

In the interests of science, looks like I'm gonna have to visit the local Corvette shop, borrow one of the 8080's they have, and take comparison pics side-by-side with my 65-dated JK's, then (attempt to ) install / rotate bare rim on the front wheel of a '65 with calipers.

I'm not disagreeing with anybody's interference claims; it's just that I'd like to prove for myself and DB members what is correct.

[David L.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

Wayne,

My guess is that 3838080 wheel will not fit properly on a 65 or 66 Corvette w/disc brakes.

I have never understood why GM used the 3838080 wheel for a replacement for the 63-64 Corvette wheel when the 65-66 Corvette wheel would have made more sense. When I owned a 63 Split Window Coupe from 1987 to 1990 I used the "over the counter" 65-66 Corvette wheels, GM # 3869156. I actually bought the wheels in March 1980. The wheels were shipped from Progress and Winks of Bensalem, PA, to Dobles Chevrolet in Manchester, NH. The wheels were stamped "K 1 8" and " 3 16" by the valve hole (March 16, 1978) as well as "K-1-8", "B 17" (Feb. 17, 1978???) and "15 X 5 1/2 JK" on the inner rim part.

The 3825686, 3839814, 3838080, and 3869156 wheels all are 15" in diameter, 5 1/2" in width, and have an offset of 0.44". All have a hub hole diameter of 2.783" (or about 2 25/32") EXCEPT the 3838080 wheel which is 2 29/32". The 3869156 wheel is the only wheel that could be substituted for the other three.

BTW, "Chevrolet by the Numbers 1965-1969" on page 319 lists a 15 X 5 1/2K wheel for a 1966 "Passenger Police-Light" model. This must be the 3838080 wheel. Nothing is list in 1965 for a police car.

Dave

[Bill M.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

I have never understood why GM used the 3838080 wheel for a replacement for the 63-64 Corvette wheel when the 65-66 Corvette wheel would have made more sense.
Dave

Dave:

I see the 8080 is used as a replacement for the '57-'62 5.5 wheel ('72 parts book). The larger pilot dia. is required for the C1.

Maybe the tiny volume for just the '57-'62 5.5 wheel wouldn't justify keeping a wheel available. By adding '63-'64 the volume would justify the 8080 which would work for both?

Bill

[David L.]

Re: 65-66 wheels

Dave:

I see the 8080 is used as a replacement for the '57-'62 5.5 wheel ('72 parts book). The larger pilot dia. is required for the C1.

Maybe the tiny volume for just the '57-'62 5.5 wheel wouldn't justify keeping a wheel available. By adding '63-'64 the volume would justify the 8080 which would work for both?

Bill

Bill,

CORRECTION: The 3839814 wheel has a 2 29/32" hub hole, NOT the 3838080 wheel as I previously stated.
Sorry for the error.

The 3839814 wheel also served as a replacement for the 57-62 Corvettes as shown in my 1966 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (effective Oct. 1965) which makes sense because it has the larger 2 29/32" hub hole. GM # 3839814 replaced GM # 3748348 in August 1965 as per Chevrolet Parts History.

The 3825686, 3838080, and 3869156 wheels have a 2 25/32" hub hole.

BTW, I have read about 57-62 Corvette owners who have had trouble putting the 3838080 wheels on their cars because the hub holes were too small.

Dave