Customs Buick Rallye Wheels Photo Thread

If you have any pictures of 60's customs sporting Buick Rallye wheels post them here. I've been looking at different options for my '60 Pontiac that would've been used on a mild custom/early lowrider of the era. Often I see the Supremes, Cragars, Skylarks, true spokes, and chrome reverse wheels, but not Rallye wheels as frequent. In my eyes they're one of the better looking factory wheels.

Bill Ganahl's Riviera

 

Kevin's Anderson's Riviera

 

Richard Zocchi's Buick Wildcat, paint by Winfield, lifts by Hines

 

I picked up a set over the weekend

 

All those look like Magnum 500s from Kelsey Hayes.... Their were a few different styles for GM, Ford, Chrysler and Acme (AMC) Motors....

 

My current project:

 

@El Hueso like Deuces said those don't look like they are Buick Rallys. The two pieces of the Buick wheels were welded together on the front and smoothed out to make it look like a one piece wheel those look like they are distinctively two pieces. Similar look but not actual Buick wheels. There is lots of information on Buick Rally wheel on the AACA forum.

 

They were off of a 1976 Buick and came with Buick center caps. They are a 15" rim, with a 5x5 bolt pattern. From what I understand the number code is on the inside of the rim and can't be seen when they are still mounted on the tire. These are all still mounted on the tires so I can't ID them that way but I'm confident that they are "5th Design" Buick Rallye wheels.

From the AACA Forum:

1st Design (1964 Wildcat): It can be used on other full-sized Buicks from 1964 and earlier years that have a 3 1/2 inch wheel hub diameters.

2nd Design (1965 Wildcat and Riviera): Unique to 1965, but can be used on other 1965 full-sized Buicks. Since to only difference in design #2 from design #1 is the register ring, if you remove the register ring then it can be used on all other full-sized Buicks that design #1 can be used.

3rd Design (1966-1967 Wildcat and Riviera without disc brakes): Can be used on same cars as design #2, but has a 2 1/8" center cap hole. (Designs #1 and #2 have a 2" center cap hole)

4th Design (1967-1970 Wildcat and Riviera, 1970 LeSabre): Can be used on same cars as design #2 and 1967-1970 full-sized cars with disc brakes. It has the 2 3/4" register ring and 2 1/8" center cap hole.

5th Design (1971-1973 Centurion, 1971-1978 Riviera, 1971-1985 LeSabre, 1973-1984 Electra): Can be usd on full-sized cars from 1971-1987 except the 4 3/4 inch B.C. LeSabres and Electras. No register ring, and back to 2" center cap hole.

6th Design (1980-1987 LeSabre and Electra): Can be used on 1971-1987 full-sized Buicks if tire to fender clearances are adequate. They are an inch wider at 15x7.

 

The Riv wheels are some of the most interesting wheels ever made, lots of little differences between the years and a really weird construction. I've even seen one that I think was a replacement wheel that had the disc brake rim but the larger valve stem hole like a '64. They get easily confused with the Skylark rally and Magnum 500s as they are very similar looking but are a completely different wheel.

 

On my car trailer! Look a lot better than plain steel wheels.

 

Ain‘t they called „road wheels“? I may be wrong. I have them on my 65 Riviera . I could not imagine anything classier on it

 

With all respect to all those other Kool rides, those early Rivieras really were, and are something.

 

Actually they look like Magnum 500's that mated with Keystone Klassics.

 

My 64 Wildcat had them too, that was a fun car.

 

The Buick wheels look good, but for a Pontiac it's hard to beat the factory 8 lug wheels.

 

I thought Buick referred to them as Formula Five wheels in the literature. They appear to incorporate elements from few different factory and aftermarket wheels, but they are great looking wheels, especially with silver painted recesses. They are a great choice when you are stuck with a 5x5" bolt pattern.

Just saw this one yesterday:

 

Hello,

What you describe as Buick Rallye wheels is another name for Buick Wildcat sedan steel rims from the 1962-65 Buick rims timeline. Our dad had a set on his new 1963 Buick Wildcat sedan. it was a sporty version of the big Buick line, but had two doors and wanted to be considered in competition to all of the other two door GM sedans of the day. Bucket seats, tach on the center console, floor shifter, two doors and the spiffy shiny rims.

Here is how my 58 Impala looked as a senior in high school into the summer. A set of Chevy beauty trim rings with small center hub caps. Photos from a school newspaper article in 1962. The look started when a friend gave me the center hubcaps.

In the late 62-63 era, I saved up enough to get my hands on a set of 5 Buick Skylark Wire Wheels. We tried putting them on our dad’s 57 Buick, but he did not like the wire wheels due to problems with balance, alignment and air leaks. So, we had a machine shop alter the Chevy hubs and axles to fit to the Buick bolt pattern. Now, it was a super fast cruiser and teenage car. (300hp+Racer Brown Cam/Lifter Kit, modified heads, C&O Stick Hydro + Positraction)
Thanks to @themoose for creating what was lost…
After the Buick Skylark Wire Wheels got stolen, we looked at Wildcat chrome rims at the Buick dealer’s parts department. (We knew the look of the Wildcat rims as our dad had his new 63 Buick Wildcat sedan as his daily driver, with those rims. The Wildcat Sedan did not last long, as our dad saw the new Riveria from Buick and traded in his Wildcat to the same dealer for the new stylish Riviera.)

A possible choice had to be made as each day was costing me an impound lot fee. So, it was mandatory to get a choice of wheels selected, mounted and that my impala could be driven home.

I was with my friend in his 57 Chevy Bel Air Hardtop and we were pressed for making a decision due to the Impala sitting in the LB Police impound yard without any rims or tires. We had the tires at his garage, but needed to have the rims. So, Wildcat shiny rims or black steel Buick rims?

Since my insurance company already sent me the healthy check, even the new American Racing Equipment 5 Spokes that were just created for the street usage was considered. But again, our lives were moving on and the time spent cruising around was going to be somewhat limited. Our long distance surf road trips were taking a forefront and now, a newly formed desert racing on modified motorcycles was taking up some time in our back yard garage builds.(plus, college classes were intense)
American Racing 5 spokes was a choice
But, since those shiny Buick Wildcat rims were sitting in the local dealer’s parts department, it was a difficult choice. Have another flash of custom hot rod sedan or ???

Jnaki

This is how we saw the 58 Impala in 1965 when we drove away after selling it. Black paint on all rims from the Buick dealer’s parts bin shelves. The friend who bought it knew that the black rims were Buick bolt patterns, not a Chevy pattern. The Impala was the only one around with Black Buick steel rims, now, as it was the only 58 Impala in So Cal with Buick Skylark Wire Wheels back then. Also, it could have been the only Impala with a set of Buick bolt pattern Wildcat rims.
My friend who eventually bought the sedan, had gone cruising/racing in the Impala with me many times and knew the power behind the looks. So, he was talking about getting a set of the newly advertised American Racing Equipment 5 spokes when we said our goodbyes... The 1957 to 1965 was an interesting old hot rod adventure that ended up not what I expected during high school cruising/racing days. YRMV