I use them all the time. I just got 5 from a guy this weekend. They are getting harder to get. But when I need some I just place an add on Craigslist saying: WANTED DEAD or ALIVE 15" GM PLAIN STEEL WHEELS 4-3/4" B.P. and they litterally come to me! I have them made into 14" wide wheels for my slicks or other Gasser buddies.
Bonneville is full size, and full size B-O-P GM cars are 5x5 all the way up to 1977. After 1977 you have some cars in the full size range with 4 3/4, and some with 5. Only mid-size and smaller B-O-P cars got the 4 3/4 pattern prior to 1977 - LeMans, Cutlass, Skylark, etc. 1977-1981 Catalina, LeSabre, and possibly 88 are considered light-duty full size and get the smaller pattern; after 1981 they play more games with what model name was on what platform, but they're not super common in junkyards here now anymore anyways to have to worry too much. I should add it's not that hard to find a used set and the you-pick places here get $10 a shot, good tires or bad... some of them run half-price specials at that, so it's possible to get three sets for the price of any one new one people have mentioned.
I have been looking for a set for a while and cannot find any either. Does anyone know if the new sets from Coker or Rally will still fit on front disc set up? I wanted to put disc kit on front of my 54 chevy and kit maker says I will need different backspacing for rims??
Found these. http://www.originalwheels.com/chevrolet-wheels/caprice1977rims.php Wheel Part Number: #950 1977-1990 Chevrolet Caprice Size: 15" x 7", 5 Lug, 4.75" Bolt Pattern Finish: Painted Description: Factory Original Steel Rim Our Inventory Price: $75 Each $75 Each Call To Order (800) 826-5880
Craigslist is an excellent source for these wheels at $20.00 and down each! Put a "wanted" ad in the parts section on friday and a guy brought 5 of them to me on saturday, COST $70.00 for ALL 5!
Tried post that last week on Houston Craigslist. Not one response. You luck is inspiring, however. I will keep trying. They may be thin on the ground down here. I check Craigslist all the time.
Not to bring a tear to your eye "Zeke" but I get them pretty much as I need them. Then I have the centers cut out of them and welded into wider hoops to make 14" wide wheels for the rear of my Nova Wagon. I have them painted the color of my wagon and mount my slicks on them for that '60s nostalgic look when I race. You can see some pictures of my car at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH for the Pinks All Out event. Just Google "Pinks Norwalk 2010" there are plenty of great pics including some of the Rebel Reaper '41 Willys.
I used THIS to search in Missouri and found a bunch of 15x6 and 15x7s for the above application. Use a 1980 Caprice for the vehicle.
The 54-56 wheels have the curved look to the vents around the inside perimeter of the rim, The vents on the later model wheels are sorta squared and folded over (looks nasty with a dog dish cap IMHO). There were wheels produced after 56 for corvettes and other special applications (cabs, cop cars, etc), but are next to impossible to find or in the case of corvette wheels, impossible to afford. The centers for the 54-56 wheels were manufacture by three different companies, Kelsey- Hayes, Motor Wheel, and Norris Technologies. Bear in mind, the vents do differ slightly from on manufacturer to the other. The earlier wheels generally conflict with disc brake calipers, the later wheels do not as these cars came with disc standard or at least as an option. I 'm using the early style wheels on the coupe with 54 dog dish caps. I have (2) original 15" X 5" rims for the rear to run 8.20-15's, and am having Rally America build (2) for the front using original centers with a new 15" X 4 1/2" hoops and a 2 5/8" backspacing to get the wheel to work with Buick finned drums and run 5.60-15's. Stock early backspacing is 3 5/8" and will not clear the drum or leave enough of the fins showing for my taste. I can't say if the new O.E. style wheels will work with disc or not, but they do have the original looking vents.
Aftermarket wheels have dual bolt patterns a lot, I got these with whitewalls, they are 5x4-1/2 and 5x4-3/4, they cleaned up good.
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