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Did any of the C1's ever come with bolt on chrome wire wheels as an option? I have a set which I acquired years ago from off a C3 at the time. They are 4 3/4 bolt pattern with a large snap on center cap. Have always been curious as to what they were originally on.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
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No Vettes came with wires, but it was trendy to put old Buick wires from the 50's on early cars. Post some pics up so we can see what they are. I've been looking for a set for my 62 if you're not going to use them, and they are what I'm looking for.
Dayton Wire Wheels were a very popular ad on for solid axle Corvettes. A Forum member often posts pictures from the 60's, of his (and I think his fathers too) 61-62 Vettes, with Dayton Wires. Chevrolet also used them on various show cars, such as the XP-700 (later redesigned as the Mako Shark I, which used Daytons too), and also installed them on a 56 Corvette they modified for Prince Bertil of Sweden. One of the Vettes used in the Route 66 TV show, had Daytons on it too. The Dayton's were true knock-offs.
The wheels you have sound like Tru-Spoke wire wheels, that where popular in the 70's and 80's. Tru-Spoke started out making a modern version of the early 50's Buick Roadmaster wires, which had exposed lug nuts. Later, Tru-Spoke made other design wires, including some with a large center cap, that covered the lug nuts. This sounds like the wheels you have.
Post a picture, and someone here will be able to identify what you have.
GM offered accessory KH wire wheels for early 53-55 Corvettes , All supercharged 53-54 Corvettes of the past are shown with wire wheels, pic. Taken in 53, many dealers in 53 displayed a Corvette having wire wheels on thier show room. 76 Union add shows a 55 having them on. Center pic is a original used wheel ,the center cap is like no others. Even in 55 GM offered SS wire wheel hup caps. They are rare and even today some people have them installed on thier Corvette 53 to 55 was the years it wire wheels were offered . No other year Corvette was by GM. There not recognized as a opion.They were dealer installed
Anyone could or can go directly to Dayton Wire wheel company and buy them......like I did.......I became a dealer and I was selling them while going to college.......
I will post pics when I can get to where I have the wheels stored. Thanks for all your replies. I know they are not Tru-Spoke. The snap on centers which cover the lug nuts are large in diameter like the early T-Bird wires were. The center caps are smooth with what appears to be 64 corvette spinners attached to the centers. My guess has always been vintage wheels (Buick?). I ran them on my 32 Ford Sedan. (GM front discs and Vette Rear)
No Vettes came with wires, but it was trendy to put old Buick wires from the 50's on early cars. Post some pics up so we can see what they are. I've been looking for a set for my 62 if you're not going to use them, and they are what I'm looking for.
I have 3 wheels that look exactly like the Daytons (1 was stolen) that only need the Bowtie or GM ctr caps (currently they have Cadillac caps). Very good condition and I do know where you can get the 4th one. If you're interested and want to see a pic, please email hawnheck@yahoo.com, as I'm still learning to navigate in here. Will let them go, as is, for $150.00 plus shipping for the 3 (4 caps included).
Interesting look. ??? part rally wheel maybe? Any details? :
Back in the 70s I had a 64 Corvair Spyder with 13" wire wheel covers. I had 8" rally wheels on the Vette at the time and wanted a different look so I removed the wire centers from the Corvair wheel covers and popped them into the wide rally rings and installed them on the Rally wheels on the Vette. I thought they looked pretty cool and got a lot of inquisitive comments on them. Oh I also picked up some Corvette hub cap spinners and put them on the wire wheel covers as they were the same as the Corvair spinners only now they were inscribed with "Corvette" instead of Chevrolet. I've still got them stashed away somewhere.
There were Dealerships that would customized the new cars!
And some offered them on dealership showroom stockers! It would probably be listed on the Purchase Receipt from the original dealership, but definitely didn't ship from the plant with any!
GM offered accessory KH wire wheels for early 53-55 Corvettes , All supercharged 53-54 Corvettes of the past are shown with wire wheels, pic. Taken in 53, many dealers in 53 displayed a Corvette having wire wheels on thier show room. 76 Union add shows a 55 having them on. Center pic is a original used wheel ,the center cap is like no others. Even in 55 GM offered SS wire wheel hup caps. They are rare and even today some people have them installed on thier Corvette 53 to 55 was the years it wire wheels were offered . No other year Corvette was by GM. There not recognized as a opion.They were dealer installed
Many dealers installed the GM accessory wire wheels on Corvettes in their show room and ALL supercharged 53 and 54's I've seen also all had them installed .
1955 ONLY hub caps
Last edited by 1955 copper; Feb 23, 2015 at 01:04 PM.
You might want to start a new thread as this one is 8 years old. Those wheels are not real wire wheels...they're called "basket wires". They're a solid chrome wheel with a wire mesh basket installed in the center.
C1 Wire Wheels?
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