Rally wheels

[Big_Al]

I came across a set of rally wheels at a garage sale with markings I can't decode. The seller stated they came off a first gen Camaro but couldn't say which year. There are no stampings around the valve hole or rim, only on the raised nubs between lug holes facing outward. K-1-9 on one and an H above GM on the other.

I understand some '67's weren't dated but these are 15x7 wheels, too big to be from a '67.

Any ideas to what these came off of?

Al

[tom]

My 15 x 7's came from a 70 something Monte, but they were on the car when I bought it.
Dated k 1 7 and k 1 8 one side of valve stem 17 FW other side. Had to wire brush through paint to read the numbers.

[Big_Al]

Does yours have any codes near the lug holes? I didn't have a wire brush with me (I doubt he would have let me, they are in very good shape) to check for numbers at the valve hole. My eyes aren't as sharp as they once were but I couldn't detect even the slightest hint of a number anywhere else.

Al

[jdv69z]

Here's the markings near the lug nut holes on a YJ rally wheel from May 1969. Is that what you are seeing? The wheel code and build date would be near the valve stem hole as stated earlier.

Jimmy V

[Big_Al]

Jimmy V,

It's similar; the letter/number combo is all in a straight line with hyphens between: K-1-9. The other nub is stamped with an H centered over GM.
I looked very closely and could not detect any numbers around the valve stem hole.

Al
                                                                                                                                                     

[crobjones2]

All the K-1-9 indicates that the wheel was manufactured by Kelsey Hayes Plant#1 1969

With the trim ring off, next to the valve stem, there should be a code similar to K19 # (stem) ## AA - where the # represents the date of manufacture and the AA represents the model of the wheel

[Big_Al]

Well, a 1969 manufacture fits with his statement of them coming from a first generation Camaro.

Are there any exceptions to marked codes by the valve stem hole or rim? Should the code be on the outside of the wheel? I gave all four wheels a good inspection, inside and out and could only find marks near the lug holes. All four were marked the same.

Al

[68Zproject]

Weren't 69 Z28 wheels the only Camaro ones to be 15x7?

[tom]

For 69 I believe you are right. Later they may have been used on other cars. There should be a two letter code by the valve stem, that tells what they were made for.

[tom]

My interchange book shows 15 x 7 Rallye for:
68,69 Camaro with 4 wheel disk
69 z-28
70-74 Monte Carlo
73-74 chevelle

[Big_Al]

It seems that without any code by the valve stem hole this is as close as I can get to solving the mystery of which car these came from.....

Could these be repros? They are in very good shape....

Thanks for your help everyone.

Al

[jdv69z]

Are there tires mounted on them currently? There are also stamped marking visible with the tires removed on original rally wheels. If you can check out Colvin's CBTN books, all this is explained and shown in photos.

Jimmy V.

[Big_Al]

No tires, caps, or trim rings are on the wheels now, scratches from them are present. No other codes that I could see, inside or out. Unfortunately, I don't have Alan's CBTN.

I don't have any knowledge of reproduction rally wheels; maybe that's what they are.

Al

[tom]

Could they be over the counter replacement wheels?

[Big_Al]

I guess that's possible. If the K-1-9 date code is correct they would have to have been special ordered from the Kelsey factory, perhaps by the original owner of the car. I imagine if the dealer ordered them they would come from GM and have the code stamp. An owner placed order by size and bolt pattern only may explain why the usage code is missing.

What I need is a former Kelsey Hayes employee to shed some light on the mystery!!

Al

[tom]

Since the wheels normally came with a two letter designation identifying what they were made for, but several vehicles used the same size. I would think if the dealer carried replacement wheels they would be lacking that code. If the wheels cme from the local parts department the two letter code might not be there. This is pure guesswork, perhaps somebody can confirm this was or was nor possible.

[vtfb68]

What does the rear of the wheels look like? Can you post a picture of the back? Factory wheels have a nice press/spotweld look as opposed to welded beads, If so.... the centers could be GM, the rim aftermarket.
  VT

[Big_Al]

I didn't have a camera with me, but did see the factory twin oval spot-welds. Definitely not aftermarket welded rims.

Al