C1 Wheel cover options.

[Walter F.]

I have ssen some old route 66 Episodes and some of the Corvettes seem to have real wirewheels or wirewheel hub caps. Was this a dealer/ factory option since Chevrolet supplied the cars for the TV show?

[Steven B.]

Re: C1 Wheel cover options.

I have ssen some old route 66 Episodes and some of the Corvettes seem to have real wirewheels or wirewheel hub caps. Was this a dealer/ factory option since Chevrolet supplied the cars for the TV show?

Walter, a few years ago at Amelia Island I spoke with George Barris who was judging a friend's car. I told George years before I read/heard that he did the wheels on the first couple of years of Route 66. He affirmed that he did. He put Dayton wires on the '60 and '61 and on the '62 he put chrome wheels with chrome hubs/knockoffs (not real ones). These did not come from Chevy or dealers. He said he was asked to "dress up" the Corvettes without spending much money. He said he could not customize them like he wanted due to cost so wheels were selected as easy and less expensive. I know some dealers (2 I dealt with) would order wheels but the ones used on the show were not factory available. Then later there was Bob Wingate's and earlier the SR's of '56. Steve

[Gary C.]

Re: C1 Wheel cover options.

Walter,

Yes, Chevy dealers sold optional wire wheels. I have a set of Dayton wire wheels I took off of a 1961 many moons ago. They're painted silver. Never took the paint off to see if they were chromed or not.

When I came back from SE Asia in 1961 - I knew someone who bought a new Corvair and another person that bought a new Corvette, both bought chrome Dayton wire wheels that were installed by the dealer.

Gary
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1961 Dayton Wire Wheelsv1 (Large).jpg1961 Dayton Wire Wheelsv2.jpg

[Steven B.]

Re: C1 Wheel cover options.

Gary is correct. Note I was only referring to the Barris Route 66 cars. The Corvair could be ordered with real wire wheels. As an example in 1964 the RPO was P45. Later wheel covers were offered as RPO P02 (number sound familiar?) I checked out chrome Daytons through Hefner Chevrolet (now Kelly Chevrolet) in Ft. Wayne, IN in 1965. They said they would order them for me, 5 wheels, 4 knock off adapters, and 4 knock offs for $199 and some cents. I just did not have the $$$ at the time so I bought a spare pair of round mufflers instead. Still have 'em in the boxes. I do not know what the Dayton mark up was through the dealer versus direct from Xenia, Ohio. I had a Dayton price list in the day but do not know where it is now. The dealers I dealt with then would order about anything from anyone. They were very easy to work with. Gary, I bet the '61 looked great with the Daytons! What color was the car and which engine? Steve

'62-'64 RPO P45 Corvair optional wire wheel:

[Gary C.]

Re: C1 Wheel cover options.

Steve,

IIRC in 1962 Corvair wire wheels became a factory option?

The '61 that had the wire wheels was a basket case in primer with no engine.

Gary
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[Steven B.]

Re: C1 Wheel cover options.

Gary, I believe '62 is correct. I saw a couple back in the day. Both were Spyders. Steve

[Ian G.]

Re: C1 Wheel cover options.

Hey Gary, Were the Dayton wire wheels typical 15x5 or 15x5.5 or something else (if you have any idea?)

[Gary C.]

Re: C1 Wheel cover options.

Ian,

Mine are 15x5 and so were the ones the guy I knew back in 1961 that bought the new Corvette with the dealer installed wire wheels.

Gary
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