Need help in identifying alloy wheels on an '86 Convertible
 

Good afternoon to one and all:
I recently purchased a 1986 Corvette Convertible and it has a set of 4
16 x 10 alloy wheels. I have been trying in earnest to find center caps for these wheels, but so far, no luck. (Photos of car and wheels attached).

The wheels have 5 drilled and tapped holes which I am certain are for the center caps. The issue stems from the fact that theses holes (measured from the center of one to the center of an adjacent hole) is 1 7/8". I have been able to find many options that have 2 1/8" or 2 1/4" spacing, but not 1 7/8".

The wheels have no identifying markings as to who the manufacturer was, and the person who owned the car prior to my purchasing it passed away over two years ago, leaving no documentation.

I would appreciate any assistance. (I have also included a photo of the "stop-gap" temporary center caps that I have fabricated. (Crude, but functional).

Thanks in advance for your comments.
Dave Kalling (dkalling@sbcglobal.net)

Dymag maybe?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dymag-Wheels-/161121252099?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Wheels&vxp=mtr&hash=item2583933303&nma=true&si=1PmKltFzx1ZFZ50aslgs2pmAVyg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557#ht_130wt_880

The Dymag Wheels in the add posted have no center cap holes drilled in them. I don't believe the OP has Dymag's although they do look close

I would say the Dymag wheel is a match (but without physical inspection) and it is possible that the previous owner had the center cap mounting holes added or purchased them that way. Though the original poster noted the PO has passed away, I wonder if he may have left behind any receipts for work he had done or items he purchased for the car. Are there any family members who could be contacted?

I agree that the Dymag wheels certainly do look like a match with of course the exception of the drilled holes for the center caps. I will check into this further, and thanks for the responses.

The relatives..wife, son and daughter of the PO do not have any documentation as to who did what work on the car, and have only been able to tell me that it was purchased in Las Vegas. They do not know however, if it was purchased equipped as it is now, or if the PO did any work on it.

Thanks again for your responses.
Dave K

I think the early dymags used standard snap in caps so there would have been no reason to ruin a set of valuable rims?

Your thought process is correct but keep in mind some one would have to know what those wheels are to realize their value. Taking into consideration the overall some what rough finish the average person would have no clue what they are worth. The thinking might be since they are not polished or chrome what's the big deal if I drill holes for center caps (that I can't find ones to fit)?

I believe I'd just find a snap-in center cap and get the wheels refinished and move on. Those 5 holes that you see I believe have been present on many wheels (BMW for one) and not used at all.

OP - you mentioned initially that they were actually "threaded" - did they actually have a spec "machine screw thread"? What was the spec?

A couple questions though, 1. what is the diameter of the wheel center bore (back-side), 2. what is the diameter of the face bore and the bore seems to be "stepped" - what is the depth of the step and the total bore? Looks like 2 turned into 4!

How did you determine they're actually 10" wheels? A 9" wheel would measure 10" "total wheel width" and a 10" wheel would measure 11" "total wheel width".

if they are not dymags, they are a pretty good knockoff - too bad someone drilled and tapped the wheels for those ugly center caps. good thing is that mistake can be reversed and the wheels restored to original. for center caps, i'd try a stock snap-in cap.

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Dymag-Wheels-...tMQ~~60_57.JPG http://forums.corvetteforum.com/atta...logo-decal.jpg

Wonder if the PO's family has any photos of this car. Most people take photos of their car and there may be some clues if they do have any photos.

Good luck with your mystery.

Wheel dimensions and threaded holes...
 

I am actively trying to find center caps that fit, but due to the "odd" dimensions of the center hole, I have been unsuccessful so far. The center hole at the FRONT-SIDE of the cap measures approx. 2 3/8 - 2 7/16 inch and I am making the assumption that the Snap-In type of caps would be put on from the front side. I have found caps that are "just slightly too small" and they of course fall right out, and also one set supposedly for a 1990 (on ebay) that were just slightly too large.

When I measured the wheel itself, the width was between 9.5" and 10", so perhaps the wheels are actually 16 x 9.5".

I have come across an Ecklers ad for part number (39532) which is advertised for a 1987 Callaway 16" wheel, and have sent a message to them asking for the measurement across the clips.

I also have sent a message to the ebay poster that had the set of 4 of the Dymag wheels listed, but that ad expired well over a year ago, and I do not know if he will receive the message.

I am open to all ideas.

Thanks to all for the responses.

Dave K.

I believe that it's likely these are Dymag BUT you offer up no specific dimensions to confirm them from. The 5 threaded provisions I believe were for "cooling hat provisions" for maybe the competition version of this early wheel. If there's tires on them there's not a particularly easy way to measure but there are wheel calipers that could get very close.

You can't approximate dimensions if you're looking to ID these. Since there's tires mounted you could use another "approximation" that could help considerably. Take one tire and wheel and have it weighed on some very accurate scales. Deduct the advertised weight of the tire from that value and then it could be compared to some approximate aluminum wheel weights. These if Dymag should be of considerably less weight.

Contact "Indianavette" and he I believe has weights and some snapshots of the originals.

Several Dymags had cooling hats mounted, which those holes could have been for that purpose -

The MYSTERY may be resolved...
 

As it turns out, I have had correspondence with a wheel reseller (on eBay of all places) and he recognizes the wheels. They are Dymags for sure, and the reason the holes are there is not for center caps.

This set of wheels must have come off a Callaway SCCA challenge car because the holes are for metal cooling ducts that were added. He goes on to say that "these are very rare and very cool". He suggested that I put some nice fasteners in those holes. (I will probably just use some metric Socket Head stainless steel screws to replace the metric Hex Head that I have used to mount my home-made center caps).

What I am now looking for are 1987 caps, that are argent gray in color and possibly also the matching argent grey lug not covers. After measuring all of the surfaces (disregarding the holes of course) the wheels appear to be able to use standard 1987 caps with measurements of 3" across the front, 1/8" cap thickness, 7/16" depth for the clips, and a clip to clip outside edge measurement of 2 3/8". (I have spotted a few already on eBay).

Thanks again to everyone for their input.https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ies/yesnod.gif
Regards....Dave K.