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If you are talking about the "dog dish" hubcaps that were installed in lieu of full wheel covers, they were part of the RPO 276 5.5" wide wheel option. Those wheels would not accept the full wheel covers. AFAIK the option was available without restriction. Most C1s that were ordered with the HD brake and suspension options were likely ordered with 276, too, but having the wide base wheels does not necessarily mean FI or any HD options.
If you are talking about the "dog dish" hubcaps that were installed in lieu of full wheel covers, they were part of the RPO 276 5.5" wide wheel option. Those wheels would not accept the full wheel covers. AFAIK the option was available without restriction. Most C1s that were ordered with the HD brake and suspension options were likely ordered with 276, too, but having the wide base wheels does not necessarily mean FI or any HD options.
Duke
That has also been my understanding. RPO276 was exactly that--------------------AN OPTION, and NOT specifically tied to any other option or equipment.
MOST LIKELY, IF, repeat, IF the 5.5in wide wheels had had the 4 nubs for retaining full wheel covers, then the early Corvettes would have had full wheel covers.
It seems kind of strange that when Chevrolet went to 14in wheels in 57 (on pass cars), the 14in wheels had the 4 nubs for retaining the 14in full wheel covers, but the 15x5.5in wheels did not have the nubs.
Personally, I prefer the dog dish caps on most cars. I like the image of a more plain, hi-perf car. Of course, I also like the things that go with that image, PLUS some creature comfort features such a air cond, PS PB and nice tunes-----------------------------but in a plain jane image. For example, I'd rather have a plain 2dr post Biscayne (with a 409/4sp/posi/black tires/dog dish caps and air cond) rather than an Impala SS with those features.
I did this with my one owner Cutlass (dog dish caps) and I though the Olds community was going to tar and feather me, so I went back to the Olds sport wheels. Oh well-----------
Interesting. So you could get the wide wheel option without opting for big brakes. Thanks.
Yes, but this would only have been for 57-62 models. Since there was no 15x5.5 wheel until 1957, then ALLLLLLLLLLLL 53-56 Corvettes would ONLY have had the full wheel covers (and yes, yes, yes, I know, the VERY EARLY 53 Corvettes had the moon disc type caps).
I more or less cloned my 56 into an "Airbox" car and went with wider wheels without nubs and 56 dogdish caps.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared))
2019 C1 of Year Finalist (track prepared)
And of course there were three versions for Corvettes, '57s (like Tom's), '58s, and '59-'62s. Used ones are available on eBay, though they usually need some restoration. If you get some, be careful when you put them on. They're easy to dent.
Option list shows 5.5 inch wide wheels with center caps (dog dish) to be a no cost option. You took the full wheel covers or dog dish caps. An either or choice as I understand it. Shop manual also says one could go up two tire sizes on the wide wheels although they came with standard 6.70 tires.
In 1960 I bought a new Corvette with the following options:
RPO 276 wheels, including small hubcaps
RPO 686 metallic brakes (NOT HEAVY DUTY)
RPO 290 white walls
Also, for all years, both pass cars and Corvettes (of the same year model) used the same dogdish caps. Thus, for example, if a person wanted dogdish caps for a 60 Vette, DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT say you are shopping for a Corvette, say that you want them for a 60 full size Chevy, such as a 4dr Biscayne. You might check the 58-64 sections of Chevytalk.
Forget finding any (cheap) 57 dogdish caps. The 57 Chevy people also consider them to be like gold!!!
That has also been my understanding. RPO276 was exactly that--------------------AN OPTION, and NOT specifically tied to any other option or equipment.
MOST LIKELY, IF, repeat, IF the 5.5in wide wheels had had the 4 nubs for retaining full wheel covers, then the early Corvettes would have had full wheel covers.
It seems kind of strange that when Chevrolet went to 14in wheels in 57 (on pass cars), the 14in wheels had the 4 nubs for retaining the 14in full wheel covers, but the 15x5.5in wheels did not have the nubs.
Personally, I prefer the dog dish caps on most cars. I like the image of a more plain, hi-perf car. Of course, I also like the things that go with that image, PLUS some creature comfort features such a air cond, PS PB and nice tunes-----------------------------but in a plain jane image. For example, I'd rather have a plain 2dr post Biscayne (with a 409/4sp/posi/black tires/dog dish caps and air cond) rather than an Impala SS with those features.
I did this with my one owner Cutlass (dog dish caps) and I though the Olds community was going to tar and feather me, so I went back to the Olds sport wheels. Oh well-----------
Tom - It's always been my understanding that the RPO 276 wheels were "off-the-shelf" parts that were used on some Chevy truck models. Is that correct?
In 1960 I bought a new Corvette with the following options:
RPO 276 wheels, including small hubcaps
RPO 686 metallic brakes (NOT HEAVY DUTY)
RPO 290 white walls
Interesting... I didn't know you could get whites with the RPO 276 wheels, and I don't recall ever seeing the combination.
Tom - It's always been my understanding that the RPO 276 wheels were "off-the-shelf" parts that were used on some Chevy truck models. Is that correct?
Are they riveted or welded?
Duke
I've never seen the 15x5.5 wheels used on a truck, so I can't respond to that.
BUT, as you mentioned, they were an "off the shelf" item at one time. Back in the day, no one gave a second thought to buying a large quantity of, and hoarding 15x5.5 wheels---------------------DAMN, if we had only known!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As far as I know, all 15x5.5 wheels were riveted.
Interesting... I didn't know you could get whites with the RPO 276 wheels, and I don't recall ever seeing the combination.
Duke
Yes, WW could be ordered with the 5.5 wheels. BUUUUUUUUUUT, most of the cars that got 5.5 wheels were FI and were more or less minimally optioned cars with the desire for limited or all out competition use. Thus, MOST cars ordered with 5.5 wheels did get black wall tires. But WW tires were available with 5.5 wheels.
For sure, my 56 is a fake Airbox clone, but I do not, and never have been financially capable of buying a real Airbox car. I personally just like the hi-perf image of dogdish caps and wide wheels, so that is what suits my fancy.
The Corvette I referenced in post #11 above was ordered for stock by one of the most aggressive Corvette dealers in Ma at the time, Walker Motor Sales in Palmer. Besides the equipment I have already noted it also came with:
101 Heater
102 Radio
107 Pk brake alarm
108 Courtesy light
109 Windshield washer
121 Temp cont fan]
262 Sun visors
419 Hard top
440 Black & silver paint
469C 270HP engine
675 Posi rear
685 4 speed
so it was far from a "stripped" go fast model, just about everything except power windows ,power top and powerglide !
Option list shows 5.5 inch wide wheels with center caps (dog dish) to be a no cost option. You took the full wheel covers or dog dish caps. An either or choice as I understand it.
RPO 276 was an no cost option for the model years 1958 thru 1962. It was a $15,10 charge for the 1957 model year.
If you are saying a new car buyer had the choice of the full wheel disc or the poverty (also known as dog dish) caps with the wide wheel option RPO 276 that is incorrect.
The Corvette wide wheel did not have the 4 retention bumps on the outer part of the hoop which are what kept the full wheel disc on. Without these bumps the full wheel discs pop off with the first corner, pot hole or simply passing over a curb leaving a parking lot. Simply because wheels flex.
It is thought that Chevy did not have a 5.5 inch hoop in use at the time so Kelsey Hayes used a Ford 5.5 inch hoop with a Chevy spyder (center) that would accommodate rivet attachment to the hoop (rim). Or this combination necessitated rivet attachment. These centers were from a base Chevrolet that came with the 3 center bumps to retain the base equipment hub cap. They were named hub caps because they covered the hub and not the whole face of the wheel. The common wide spread use of the name hub cap in reference to a full wheel disc is technically a misnomer stemming from those unacquainted with accurate nomenclature. But language is a living thing and such thinks are susceptible to evolution. Some of it from mis-use. If one looks back to the very early days of the automobile one can see where the term hub cap came from and that that's all they did in the beginning.
Last edited by Rumblegutz; 02-11-2019 at 10:53 PM.
02-10-2019, 11:33 AM
