karkrafter

I really don't like having knock -offs on my '66.


Strongly considering putting steel wheels and covers on.


I've read quite a few threads here and I think I'm getting the gist of it all but would like a bit of clarification.


I'm cheap...there I said it. I really don't want or need to pony up $600-$1000 for a set of genie wheels..


Going to run 215 70 15's with 66 wheel covers.


I'm worried about back space and caliper clearance on what ever cheap wheel I find...


Wheel vintiques makes a series 62 wheel than some places say fits and others say it won't. They are cheap..anybody have any experience with them?


I see numerous repops out there and really don't want to spend $150 a pop for a freaking steel wheel.


How about 15x6 Rallys? Are the all the same? [all fit] what about Did I see some 15x5 rallys on ebay?


1968 wheels 15x7...do they fit? Do they look funny because they are wider?


On the wheel covers....are they raw stainless steel of chrome plated? Anybody have experience with buffing them to remove scratches?


Thanks to all for your anticipated help

vark_wso

15x6 Rally's will work if they are DC, YS, FI, DG stamp code adjacent valve stem hole. (The rarely seen stamp DF -- for Z28 Camero -- will not work on the rear wheels due to 4+" backspacing). Full '66 wheel covers will fit readily.

Here is example of 15x6, DC stamp, 215/70-R15 Michelin, on my '66.

JohnZ

Corvette Specialties Manufacturing makes an exact reproduction '65-'66 steel wheel that will pass judging for $599 per car set.

ILBMF

That's not a bad deal, but he said he doesn't want to spend $150 a pop for a steel wheel. I say ''Get your wallet out, it's not that bad!''

rayvaflav

15X7 rallyes, though not correct are attainable at around $200 a set. The '66 caps will fit, just be sure to paint 'em black.



Ray (going back to knock-offs, because they are one of the most beautiful OM wheels ever equipped on a '60's GT car)

Chambered

Stock GM 15x6" later disc brake wheels fit perfectly on this 1966 customer of mine (see photos). The guy converted to GM disc brakes, & the 15x5.5" Vette wheels did not clear these calipers.

karkrafter

Hmmm by later model you mean.....????

J.Moore

Any GM stock 15x6 steel wheel that was on a disc brake car. Usually fronts with disc brakes but I think all 4 off the same car would work. I found a set of 4 - 15x6 GM stock steel wheels off an Oldsmobile full size that fit and clear my 65 4 wheel disc car. Found them in a salvage yard still on the Olds. I paid $100 for the set of 4. If I remember correctly these were on a full size Olds Delta 88. Late 70's early 80's car.



Actually I bought 5, one for the spare and use the longer tub bolts. Fits fine.

Chambered

Agreed - mid 70's to mid 80's wheels. They are getting much harder to find though - any RWD wheels are getting scarce. 60's-70's GM dog-dish caps fit on these (10" ID).

itsforfun

If you are using 215 70 15's, a wider rim will keep the tire from "ballooning" at the sidewalls My '66 has 8" GM rally wheels and 215 70 15. They fill the wheel well up nicely and caps work great.

karkrafter

I own a crap ton of 15x7 and 15x8 rallys....they gotta look funny with wheelcovers on 'em...no?

bradc6

My 66 had 67 rally wheels with hubcaps. Once the hubcaps are on you can't really tell what is behind them.

I have since replaced them with knock offs.

karkrafter

Those are 6 inch wheels...7 or 8 inch HAVE to put the tire in a funny spot compared to a narrower wheel..




Anybody know anything about restoring 66 wheelcovers?

J.Moore

That's why I looked for 6 inch rims. Originals were 5.5 inch. I had a set of 7 inch ralleys with the slot holes but sold them to a friend for his Nova. I wanted to stay close to the 5.5 rim. The extra 1/2 inch you never notice. P205 75R15 radial tires fit great on my 6 inch wheels. No rubbing and easy steering with non power steering.

As far as wheel cover restore, I did mine. Found a decent set at a swap meet. Not dented or mangled up at all. Just needed cleaned up with gentle sos pad and water and repainted the grey between the holes with the grey painted ring around the outer portion. Bought new center spinners, the black with the bowtie and assembled them. Wasn't a bad job at all. Used some sort of self etching primer before paint so bond would be good and after 20 years they still look good.

Restoring a set of 66's should be basically the same job. Find the right grey paint though. The suppliers sell it.

Nowhere Man

Stay with the A-body GM cars. Most of the larger B body cars have a larger hub and diffreant lug pattern

856666

The original 15 x 5.5 rims were replaced with 15 x 7 rally's by the PO of my 66' - Original hub caps were installed over them with no issues

What I noticed is the tire (205 x 75) is very close and sometimes rubs the E brake bracket on the inside of the trailing arm.

My suggestion is use 15 x 6 like this - Wheel Vintiques 30 Series Corvette Rallye Silver Wheels 30-5634032

I don't know that this will work but I plan to order one and try it.

Phil

larrywalk

I used 15 x 7 rims with 4 1/4" back spacing on my '65 with 215-70-15 tires. They worked fine - the only mod was to relocate the emergency brake cable bracket to on top of the trailing arms. With the '66 hub caps, they are better looking than the narrow 5.5" steel rims. These rims were from mid-70s GM intermediate cars with the 4 3/4" bolt pattern.

As an added benefit, the car's handling was better on these 7" wide rims than with knock-off wheels having narrower 6" rims using the same set of tires.