66 Hub cap spinner checkered flag

[Edward S.]

Why do the 1966 hub cap spinners checkered flag start with either white or black in the upper corner? Does this coincide with the VIN number like the flag on the fuel filler door? The tech/ judging manual just says it will be one way or the other. Does any body know why! I also looked in the archives and did not see it addressed. Thanks for any responses.

[David L.]

Re: 66 Hub cap spinner checkered flag

The 65-66 and 67 Corvette horn caps are the same deal.
Back in the early 1980's I bought 4 NOS 67 Corvette horn caps (GM # 3899365 which replaced GM # 3859799 in Dec. 1966) at the Carlisle, PA, swap meet for $10 ($2.50 each cap). UNFORTUNATELY, the reason why the caps were so cheap is that each cap was taken apart. The 3 "rivets" (not really rivets) on each cap were partially drilled out to remove the plastic emblem. I assume the previous owner bought the 4 caps for the black plastic emblem to install on 1965 or 1966 Corvette wheel covers. The upper left corner on these emblems are white and were made sometime after December 1966.

Revised @ 3:32 PM

Dave

[Edward S.]

Re: 66 Hub cap spinner checkered flag

Dave, I still don't get it. Why the black and white? December 1966 would be for a 1967 right? My question is about "66". Ed

[David L.]

Re: 66 Hub cap spinner checkered flag

Ed,

Somewhere in my garage attic I have a box with original 1966 Corvette wheel cover spinners which are in poor condition. When I get a chance I will dig them out.

You are correct. The disassembled NOS 3899365 horn cap in my photo is correct for a 67 Corvette. The cap is about 0.08" thinner then the 65-66 cap.

Dave

[Michael H.]

Re: 66 Hub cap spinner checkered flag

Why do the 1966 hub cap spinners checkered flag start with either white or black in the upper corner? Does this coincide with the VIN number like the flag on the fuel filler door? The tech/ judging manual just says it will be one way or the other. Does any body know why! I also looked in the archives and did not see it addressed. Thanks for any responses.

Edward,

Going back to the 70's, every original 65-66 horn cap flag that I have seen had a black upper square. I think the flag for the hub cap center was the same.

The same black upper square was common for early 67 horn caps but it seems that at some point during the 67 model run, flags with the opposite pattern began to appear.
Also, not long after the change for 67 production, the caps in service seemed to come in mixed for several years before eventually becoming almost all white upper square.

I have no idea why the change, although I doubt it was intentional. It may have been a change in suppliers and the original print didn't specify a specific color pattern.

[David L.]

Re: 66 Hub cap spinner checkered flag

Michael,

Pictured below is the NOS 3859799 1965-1966 Corvette horn cap (now about 30 years old) that I bought at the Carlisle, PA, swap meet in the early 1980's. This cap has the white square in the upper left corner and was probably made in late 1966 as GM # 3859799 was discontinued and replaced with GM # 3899365 in Dec. 1966. I do not think that repro 1965-1966 Corvette horn caps were available in the early 1980's as the 1967 Corvette horn cap (GM # 3899365) was still available over the counter until Nov. 1984 when it was discontinued and replaced with GM # 3957946. The plastic part on this 3859799 cap looks identical to the plastic part on my NOS 3899365 caps. I have never really looked at the reproduction 1965-1966 caps.

Dave

[Michael H.]

Re: 66 Hub cap spinner checkered flag

Michael,

Pictured below is the NOS 3859799 1965-1966 Corvette horn cap (now about 30 years old) that I bought at the Carlisle, PA, swap meet in the early 1980's. This cap has the white square in the upper left corner and was probably made in late 1966 as GM # 3859799 was discontinued and replaced with GM # 3899365 in Dec. 1966. I do not think that repro 1965-1966 Corvette horn caps were available in the early 1980's as the 1967 Corvette horn cap (GM # 3899365) was still available over the counter until Nov. 1984 when it was discontinued and replaced with GM # 3957946. The plastic part on this 3859799 cap looks identical to the plastic part on my NOS 3899365 caps. I have never really looked at the reproduction 1965-1966 caps.

Dave

Dave,

Possible that this was the last of the 65-66 caps, made for service just about the time that the 67 caps changed to the design with the upper square in white.

[David L.]

Re: 66 Hub cap spinner checkered flag

Dave,

Possible that this was the last of the 65-66 caps, made for service just about the time that the 67 caps changed to the design with the upper square in white.

Michael,

I tend to agree with you.

Dave

[Ronald L.]

Re: 66 Hub cap spinner checkered flag

So what is the real story on the cross flags for the 1966 hub caps?

Real 66 with real caps = white and 1980 purchased service parts with white upper corner of the flag.

But the service parts were missing one key detail often over looked.

[David L.]

Re: 66 Hub cap spinner checkered flag

Pictured below is a set of original 1966 wheel cover spinners in rough condition that I bought for research purposes for $1 each at the swap meet in Rhinebeck, NY, last Spring. The upper left corner of the checkered flag is white on all of them. The casting numbers on the back side are "ASSY 3876544", "3876545", and "GENERAL ???????" in very small letters. The backing plates are missing on 3 of the spinners.

The 3 5/8" dia. chrome plated spacer rings (not pictured) have a "3876548" casting number on the inside.

Dave

[Matt L.]

Re: 66 Hub cap spinner checkered flag

here is a pic of mine. however, i did look at an early 66 car with the flag starting as black. but i dont have a pic of that. it was a real survivor with really low miles also.and also a pic of my horn button. i hope this helps in some way.
take care,
matt66 vette exhaust clamps 773.jpg66 vette exhaust clamps 924.jpg