Im looking for something like this to put on my 68 gs. Does anybody have a set for sale w the caps? Im hoping for driver quality 15 in. Full complete set a plus.... Wheels tires and caps. Also willing to ship. Please help me out. Thank you. Chicago area
Bill, The steelies were used on a variety of cars from the '70's through the '90's. Maybe take this list to your local salvage yard?
Also, 15" tires/rims were never available for the 68 cars. You will need to replace the speedo gear in the trans to compensate for the taller tires. The sleeve may also need replaced, depending on the gear you need. Duane
Duane, you’re likely to know the answer. In the parts book I see a 15x6 (pn 3990502) available in ‘68 and ‘69, and the part number carries forward as a Chevy Monte Carlo wheel (and backward to the early 442). Can you shed light on it? Patrick
Patrick, I do not believe that the 68-69 Buick A-bodies had any type of optional 15" rim. From what I remember that did not start until the 1970 production year. Now that is not to say they were not available on other makes of GM cars, just not Buicks. I will check the availability in the 68 & 69 Assembly manuals when I get home. Those are the books that tell the true story of what was available, and not a parts book. A lot of time parts books will tell you what will fit on the cars, (and that was with what was currently in their GM Parts inventory AT THAT TIME ), they will not tell you what was original to the cars. Don't even get me started on this. I did an entire article about this called "NOS Parts, the Agony Continues." Where it showed a few examples of incredibly incorrect parts. Parts books are just that, books that show parts that will fit the cars, and keep them on the road. That was their only purpose. They were not to be used to ID correct parts for our cars. Sometimes they do, but a lot of times they don't. PS, you want to have some fun, look up the part number for an a-body Buick car frame. Depending on the year book you have, they list a frame for the 70-72 cars, and when you check the part number it comes up as a 68 frame. Obviously that was what they had in stock at the time, and even though they would fit under a 70-72 car they certainly are not the same. Duane
OK, I just spent 2 hours going through all the different Wholesale Car Order Forms and Assembly manuals for all the various 68 and 69 Buick A-bodies, and none of them were ever available with 15" tires/rims. I already knew this, but checked everything again. Duane
Sorry if I caused you the trouble. I guess my question was/is the items that couldn’t be ordered on a car but were available from the dealer and have part numbers that make them ‘correct’ (like the ‘68 Ram Air kit (1394349) that Frank McIntyre repros. Patrick Oh, and I’d like to read the article-where can I find it?
We used to put those wheels on cars we were sending to the scrap yard back in the day. Now everyone wants them! I was able to score a set of 15" steel wheels off a 74 Cutlass last year that a friend of mine was parting out. I think they were code AE They are getting really hard to find these days. The Parts Place repro's them. I think they're $110 each
Ok stupid question then...im assuming that all the steel wheels from the gm line with a 5.75 bolt pattern all look the same and will fit the buick dog dishes? Thats what i seem to be understanding from the suggestions. I just dont want to get something and spend the money on the dishes and then they dont fit, or im at a cruise and some buick guy says lol nice chevy wheels....i would just die
"I guess my question was/is the items that couldn’t be ordered on a car but were available from the dealer and have part numbers that make them ‘correct’ (like the ‘68 Ram Air kit" That is a very good question, I don't think it has ever come up on the GSCA or BPG show field that I can remember. I don't know what they do in the BCA or AACA. Personally I would want to take a point off or two if I saw a GSX with a tissue dispenser, or a compass. We generally draw the line with factory available options. A case in point would be with rear spoilers on the 71-72 GS Coupes. If the car was built in Flint we would probably allow it, as long as it had a low body number for the 71 cars, however if it was a 71-72 Non-Flint car, then points would be deducted, as it was not a factory option for those cars. Just like what the OP is asking for here. If his 68 was on the show field with 14" rims and Dog Dishes, that would be acceptable, but 15" rims would pull a deduction. Duane
Patrick, Try this link. Duane http://www.buickperformanceclub.com/NOSParts.htm ..........and sorry to take this thread so off topic. Ya know, us old guys like to ramble on.
Just to be clear, are you looking for a set of wheels that would have been available from the factory so you don't lose judging points, which seems to be the direction this thread is taking, or are you just looking for a set of wheels because you are after the sleeper look? If it's just the sleeper look you're after, your options are much better. 14x6, 14x7, 15x6, 15x7 in factory wheels, or aftermarket 15x8 rear for a more custom fit. I have a set on my `65 that are 15x8 rear with a 5 1/2" backspace and the fronts are 15x6 with a 3 1/2" backspace and they fit the car perfectly with 275/60 on the rear and 215/70 fronts. Wheel Vintiques will pretty much build you whatever you want.
Both the BCA and AACA allow factory approved accessories that were available as long as you would have proper documentation of the item being available as a factory approved accessory for the year of the car, this goes for all top awards in both clubs. These items are shown in both the Buick accessories pamphlet given to the customer at time of order and delivery and also found in the back of the large selling manual and parts books. , They have Buick group and part numbers, installation times, etc. Many of the accessory items were available ordering from the factory or if you didn't originally order the item were available as an accessory which such as floor mats for an example. Often when customers order their new Buicks they ordered the accessories at the same time the car was ordered and the dealer would install the Buick provided and authorized accessories prior to customer pickup. I kind of had to chuckle with your comment on seeing a compass or a tissue dispenser in a GSX, well you do have to remember they were Buick's and regardless of their performance capabilities or image, many where sold to regular Buick customers who wanted the same toys as they could get on any other Buick, we aren't talking poor people buying Chevy's. If the wife wanted a tissue dispenser you can bet she got it.
