1980 15" alloy wheels
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,136
Likes: 8
From: Chichester, UK
1980 15" alloy wheels
Hi
One of my wheels is damaged so I am looking for a replacement.
I found this alloy wheel however,
From the front this wheel looks the same as my original wheel, but from the back the wheel is different.
Can you tell me why? Is it a repro?
Original wheel
Possible replacement
One of my wheels is damaged so I am looking for a replacement.
I found this alloy wheel however,
From the front this wheel looks the same as my original wheel, but from the back the wheel is different.
Can you tell me why? Is it a repro?
Original wheel
Possible replacement
Last edited by C3Paul; Jul 17, 2009 at 06:45 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
GM went to a few different vendors for the alloy wheels on the C3's. Here are some pictures of the early wheels while they still had the black centers and black painted slots. (1973 through about 1977)
This wheel has the rectangular slots (trapezoidal spoke) while the wheel below has a trapezoidal slot (rectangular spoke). The wheel above is a Western Wheel, and is made in the USA. The wheel below is a Kelsey Hayes and is made in Mexico.
Here is what these wheels look like (respectively) on the back side...
Western Wheel...
Kelsey Hayes...
Notice that both wheels are partially painted black on the backsides from about mid-wheel through the wheel center. In this case even the insides of the slots are painted black.
In any case the factory wheels are all very good wheels. As long as you get the same slot shape as you already have, they should look just fine. Dimensionally they are all the same.
Good luck... GUSTO
This wheel has the rectangular slots (trapezoidal spoke) while the wheel below has a trapezoidal slot (rectangular spoke). The wheel above is a Western Wheel, and is made in the USA. The wheel below is a Kelsey Hayes and is made in Mexico.
Here is what these wheels look like (respectively) on the back side...
Western Wheel...
Kelsey Hayes...
Notice that both wheels are partially painted black on the backsides from about mid-wheel through the wheel center. In this case even the insides of the slots are painted black.
In any case the factory wheels are all very good wheels. As long as you get the same slot shape as you already have, they should look just fine. Dimensionally they are all the same.
Good luck... GUSTO
