What year Skylark/GS had a painted rally wheel with a beauty ring and a ribbed center cap? Or did they? I have one that was in the trunk of my 70 when I got it. Bob H.
My '68 California GS came with painted wheels and trim rings. The caps were long gone, so I don't know if they were ribbed.
I think they were ribbed with red centers. I have a set on my sporty and will be posting pics tomorrow. I'll be selling those to put my 15 inch ralleys on
No, He's serious... There was a rarely chosen option, V7, rpo code PA? (can't read the last digit). The body color painted 14" rim, with chrome trim ring and a Buick center cap. It looks kinda between a olds ralley and chevy ss wheel. It was a step above the base painted black wheel, but lower than the chrome plated wheels, V2. One member on here had a set custom remade into 15 inch wheels.
>>That member is me:laugh: The Buick super sport wheel that I have (looks a bit like an Olds wheel) was available from 1971-early 1972. As Bob mentioned his was a painted rally wheel with the ribbed '70 style center cap I mentioned the 1970 Buick super sport wheel which is what his wheel sounds like.
Alrighty then I thought you were yankin my chain.:laugh: I'll post a picture of said wheel for better info. Bob H.
That is a 1970 Buick Super Sport Rally wheel It was the most inexpensive way into a rally wheel for a BUICK GS in 1970 Basically a 14 x6 chrome rally wheel that was painted and not chromed with a tim ring.
Yes this was the V7 Super Sport Wheel for 1969-70. In addition to countless Skylarks, they were installed on 5824 GSs in 1969, and 6457 GSs in 1970. As I recall, the V7 option was changed for 1971 and 1972. A similar wheel option was available in 1968, and I think were referred to as V6 Rallye Wheels. There are date codes on the back side of these rims, so you could probably determine if this one is original to your car.
Correct, except the V6 Rallye Wheels offered in 67/68 were the Chevy style with the Buick derby caps (see my GS below with them). If you wanted rallye style wheels on disc brake cars in '67/68, this was your only choice. The chrome rims would not fit over the double piston disc brake calipers. There is a mystery wheel from '68, it looks like the '69-70 Super Sport wheel except the center is chrome, not painted. They came on many "68 GS cars but there was not an option code for them. My '68 GS has them and I have the build sheet that calls out the rim and trim ring part number but my GS was ordered with the V2 Chrome plated wheel option ( I have the original order form). I have not been able to verify this but what I have been told is that there was a shortage of chrome outer rims so Buick used the chrome centers with a trim ring as a replacement for some period of time in the '68 model year.
I believe the wheel on your extremely nice '68 GS is what Buick called a "steel rally wheel". Wheel = 3918078 All Chrome cover and retainer ring ( center cap ) = 1383608 Trim Ring = 1383607 Says available on '68 GS 400, GS 350, Sportwagon, Special Deluxe, Skylark and Skylark Custom. (You probably already knew this Mike, I was just practicing) :TU:
Interesting, the '68 GS wholesale order form shows option "V6" (N66) as "rallye wheels" and besides the chrome plated wheels this was the only other "rallye" style available. That is why I have always called them "rallye wheels". The order form does state that the chrome plated wheel "V2" was available "with drum brakes only". So you either had to get hub caps, or the "V6" option rallye wheels if you got disc brakes. If you ever come across any info on the wheels that are chrome plated in the center, painted rim with a trim ring (like my car came with) please forward that info to me. I have not been able to find anything out in print about them except the part numbers associated with them.
Well Mike...since you asked, here's the rest..... 1968 had a 1st and 2nd Type ( later years the word was changed to Design ).... 1st Type- Without Disc Brakes (opt J52), 14 x 6 "Chrome in Rim Area" part #1384134 Buick Engineering stated in May 1967 that this was a "Chrome" wheel. 2nd Type- Without Disc Brakes, 14 x 6 "Stainless Trim Ring on Rim" part #1387787 The 2nd Type #1387787 was changed to a #1236969 in Oct 1977. #1236969 is the 14 x 6 Chrome Rallye Wheel for the '71 & '72 models of which had no trim ring and was Discont. in the mid 80s. 1st Type #1384134 remained until its Dicont. in the early 80s. Brain Lock.....if I find more I'll let you know.
Yes. I think if you look closely you will find that the 00 is actually a 6.0 to indicate application code. Also stamped there should be, in smaller numbers/letters, M# (#1-4) over a 9. This would indicate the Motor Wheel plant and calendar year (1969) the wheel was assembled. So the stampings would decode December 12, 1969 as the day the wheel was assembled. I can not say with absolute certainty, but I am willing to go out on a limb and say it is original to your car.
