1962 Lesabre

[Guest dmarch]

I am in the process of restoring a 1962 Lesabre. I am not sure what I should do for rims. I want it to look original but yet sharp. What should I do? Where can I find the wheels/rims that I need?

[Steve Braverman]

If you want it to look original, then keep it original.

[Dave@Moon]

First of all, I strongly suggest you join the Buick Club of America if you haven't already. They are the ultimate source of information on all things Buick, especially "where do get..." type questions.

Secondly <span style="text-decoration: underline">no</span> 1962 car "looks original" if it isn't. There were no mag wheel options for Buick in 1962, and the car wasn't designed with them in mind. <span style="text-decoration: underline">Any</span> form of custom wheel will look "busy" on one of these cars. Later in the 1960s there were "Riveria Mags" available, and the cars were a little plainer and smoother looking to allow the wheels to attract attention.

Original wheels and wheel covers are not too hard to find for these cars, unless you're looking for perfect NOS wheel covers which can get pricy (but nothing like custom wheels! ). A little work in prep and paint (and sometimes plastic center replacement) can avoid the need for perfect wheel covers, however.

The BCA's links page is loaded with parts suppliers (new and used) who can help you find the wheels and wheel covers you need, and any supplies or centers to go with them.

[Guest BJM]

Yes Dave is correct. 62 Buicks came only with steel wheels, properly painted - and hub caps. Of ocurse you can put any number of aftermarket rims on a 62 Buick that look great but decrease it's appeal to collectors if/when you go to sell it.

So do this if you want to add aftermarket rims. Restore the original wheels (sandblast / epoxy primer /paint) and get a set of 4-5 wheel covers (easily obtainable in driver to show quality) THEN get the set of wheels you want and when it comes time to sell you will have both sets.

[rocketraider]

I'm trying to remember if Buick was using 15" wheels in 62? I know Pontiac and Oldsmobile used 14" wheels and large 14" tires are getting tough to find except in pricey reproductions, which I have heard pro and con on.

Then again large 15" passenger car tires ain't common any more either.

Was the Buick Road Wheel was available for 1962 Wildcats?

[Centurion]

One option would be to seek out a set of the flashier "Super Deluxe" 1962 Wheelcovers that were standard on the '62 Wildcat and Electra 225 full-size Buicks. This style would have been an available option on your LeSabre.

Buick always stayed with 15-inch wheels on its full-size cars during the 1957 - 1967 era, when most other automakers went to 14-inch wheels.

The beautiful Buick chrome-plated road wheels were first offered on the 1964 Wildcat, so are not technically correct on the '62 models.

My recommendation is to find a nice set of 1962 Buick full-size wheelcovers -- either the LeSabre's Deluxe wheelcover or the beautiful Super Deluxe Wildcat/Electra 225 wheelcover. Personally, I do not like the chrome-plate wheels on the pre-1964 Buicks.

[Guest Skyking]

Here's the look I gave my '62 Invicta........<span style="font-weight: bold">hubcaps <span style="font-style: italic">just </span> didn't do it!</span>

They are Riviera mags with after market knockoffs. In the center of the knockoff I placed Tri-Shield emblems that I bought from a dealership. They stick on. Been on the car almost 20 years.

[Dynaflash8]

The Electra hubcaps had chrome pot metal bolt on fins and would look pretty good. I had a 62 Invicta convertible that I put those on. But, in general, the '62 hubcaps are not that good looking. My biggest problem with the '62 was that with the Dynaflow transmission it sucked so much gas I couldn't afford it even when gas was $1 a gallon. I traded it for a '49 Super sedan and money

[bullheimer]

i'll sell you these. yeah i know this is an old thread. just want to hear why somebody had to cut out the centers of my wheels.  sky king that vert is the same color as my original color. maybe you can see some of it on the hood in my pic.  i wondered what it would look like origianal color. now i know.

Edited August 26, 2015 by bullheimer (see edit history)

[Guest AlCapone]

Natural equals as it came from the factory.... Case closed ! Wayne

[60FlatTop]

A '62 full sized Buick is a pretty good looking car. And the factory wheel covers are nice looking. A natural look is when your eye moves across the whole entity of the car without being draw to something that disrupts the flow; like odd wheels, weird tutone paint, a big rust whole, or rusty bumpers.

Bumping it up to an Electra wheel cover is a nice touch.

 

Spend a little time on Craigslist. I bet the most frequently asked question is "Do you have the correct wheels?"

Bernie

[Guest Skyking]

i'll sell you these. yeah i know this is an old thread. just want to hear why somebody had to cut out the centers of my wheels.  sky king that vert is the same color as my original color. maybe you can see some of it on the hood in my pic.  i wondered what it would look like origianal color. now i know.

 

Wow, yes this is an old thread.  It's called Glacier blue.  I get a lot of compliments on the wheels.  Yes, they are not original to the car but the driver isn't either.  The originals were ugly!

[auburnseeker]

Wheels are the least of a concern and the easiest thing to change on a car especially regular production cars.  I would put on it what you like as long as it isn't a set of cragars.  I can't tell you how cheap that makes any nice car appear to me.  Probably because every hack job hot rod or custom has had them on it at some point so my mind automatically makes me think here is another. 

Sometimes I've been wrong but it always took a second look to make me realize the car was actually nicely done.  What is the fascination with Cragar wheels and  late 50's to early 60's cars?

I think any number of nice wheel combinations and even hubcap options like a different year deluxe cap can look great.  As mentioned pick up an original set some day and find a good set of stock caps then you will have them when you sell it.

[joe_padavano]

i'll sell you these. yeah i know this is an old thread. just want to hear why somebody had to cut out the centers of my wheels.  sky king that vert is the same color as my original color. maybe you can see some of it on the hood in my pic.  i wondered what it would look like origianal color. now i know.

Are you looking for original or custom wheels?  Your question over on Hotrodders.com sounded like you wanted aftermarket.  Don't expect to find repro wheels for this car - it's over half a century old and not popular to restore.  Good used or NOS are your only options if you want original.  Write a search script for ebay and Craigslist and check it daily.  Check the appropriate Buick (and Olds) sites for classifieds.  This is how I found the rare original 15" wheels for my 1962 F-85.

[Larry W]

FWIW, I know that I may be in the minority but I've always liked the smal diameter dog dish, aka button ,aka poverty hubcaps. Quite common on Fords and Chevys, but quite rare on just about everything else especially full size GMs. Except maybe '59-'62 Olds.

[60FlatTop]

Well, if it's just a Chevy it doesn't make much difference.

Actually, I took them off a couple of weeks ago and went back to the stock wheels. I didn't care for them that much, they were only modification, and the offset wasn't quite right. I just thought I'd try reliving that Cragar dream of the '60's. It was reversible. I guess I can say I'm running 17X8.5 reversed rims.

Bernie

[Guest]

I'm trying to remember if Buick was using 15" wheels in 62? I know Pontiac and Oldsmobile used 14" wheels and large 14" tires are getting tough to find except in pricey reproductions, which I have heard pro and con on.

Then again large 15" passenger car tires ain't common any more either.

Was the Buick Road Wheel was available for 1962 Wildcats?

Pontiac had a 15" wheel option from at least 1959 to when 15" wheels became standard again in the big cars in the late 60's, however a wheel cover for those wheels was not offered only a hub cap or more commonly known as a poverty cap. Those 15" wheels came standard on Police and Taxi vehicles but could be ordered on any full size Pontiac. The wheels also came with the optional finned drums. These finned drums are NOT to be confused with the eight lug steel wheel and aluminum finned drum with steel liners.

Also, FYI the 1961-1963 Tempest "Y" body ALL used 15" wheels unlike the Olds F-85 and Buick Special of those years that used 13" wheels.

Edited August 26, 2015 by helfen (see edit history)

[Guest]

Here's the look I gave my '62 Invicta........<span style="font-weight: bold">hubcaps <span style="font-style: italic">just </span> didn't do it!</span>

They are Riviera mags with after market knockoffs. In the center of the knockoff I placed Tri-Shield emblems that I bought from a dealership. They stick on. Been on the car almost 20 years.

That is what I would do. They look great!! and when it comes time to put your car in a show you can put on the original wheel, tire, and wheel cover so you can show it in a stock category.

I must confess though, I could have sworn Buick Wildcats used those wheels too. For some reason I thought they were called wildcat wheels.

[Guest]

Here is a 64 Wildcat with factory Wildcat or Riviera wheels;

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Buick-Wildcat-64-advertisment.jpg

[joe_padavano]

Also, FYI the 1961-1963 Tempest "Y" body ALL used 15" wheels unlike the Olds F-85 and Buick Special of those years that used 13" wheels.

 

The Tempest of those years also used a 5 x 4.5" bolt pattern that won't fit the 4 x 4.5" pattern on the Olds and Buick, so those wheels don't do me any good.

[rocketraider]

FWIW, I know that I may be in the minority but I've always liked the smal diameter dog dish, aka button ,aka poverty hubcaps. Quite common on Fords and Chevys, but quite rare on just about everything else especially full size GMs. Except maybe '59-'62 Olds.

And for some unexplainable reason the 59-62 Olds dogbowls looked "right" on those years and upscale instead of cheap. Even on Ninety Eights. I think it was the fancy design trim rings Olds used, though the hubcaps themselves were also highly detailed instead of just looking like something to cover the lugnuts.

[Guest]

The Tempest of those years also used a 5 x 4.5" bolt pattern that won't fit the 4 x 4.5" pattern on the Olds and Buick, so those wheels don't do me any good.

You took my statement out of context. I was referring to the statement " I know Pontiac and Oldsmobile used 14" wheels and large 14" tires are getting tough to find except in pricey reproductions, which I have heard pro and con on"

My point was full size Pontiac's had the option of 15" wheels and 15" wheels were standard on 61-63 Tempest.

[joe_padavano]

You took my statement out of context. I was referring to the statement " I know Pontiac and Oldsmobile used 14" wheels and large 14" tires are getting tough to find except in pricey reproductions, which I have heard pro and con on"

My point was full size Pontiac's had the option of 15" wheels and 15" wheels were standard on 61-63 Tempest.

 

OK, thanks.

[D Yaros]

And for some unexplainable reason the 59-62 Olds dogbowls looked "right" on those years and upscale instead of cheap. Even on Ninety Eights. I think it was the fancy design trim rings Olds used, though the hubcaps themselves were also highly detailed instead of just looking like something to cover the lugnuts.

Sort of like these?

[Guest]

Sort of like these?

Wheel Resto 3.JPG

I was surprised to find these on a Olds 98. I thought they came with a full wheel cover. see the link

http://assets.hemmings.com/uimage/43328367-770-0.jpg?rev=1

[Guest Skyking]

Everyone used those trim rings on their cars back in the sixties with spider hubcaps.  They had such a nice look!!

[Guest]

Everyone used those trim rings on their cars back in the sixties with spider hubcaps.  They had such a nice look!!

What I remember back then, and now at Olds shows are these two wheel covers on 62's FYI poverty caps were called that for a reason;

http://www.hubcaps.org/hubcaps/oldsmobile/oldsmobile-classic-hubcaps-ols62.jpg

http://www.hubcaps.org/hubcaps/oldsmobile/oldsmobile-classic-hubcaps-ols62s.jpg

Edited August 28, 2015 by helfen (see edit history)

[Guest Skyking]

Everyone used those trim rings on their cars back in the sixties with spider hubcaps.  They had such a nice look!!

 

I don't have a photo of the spider caps but they were the small (dog dish style) with a chrome outer edge, chrome fake lug nuts and chrome cone center with a black background.  I haven't seen one in years. Those along with the Olds beauty rings were quite the look......

[rocketraider]

Sort of like these?

Wheel Resto 3.JPG

Yes!!

The dogbowl was standard on everything except Starfire thru 1962. Trim rings optional and expected. The deluxe full-size cover in Don's post was extra cost and such a PITA to deal with I don't think I'd want them on a 62. The 63 spinners are beautiful too but every bit as aggravating as the others that attached with those spring clips.

[Larry W]

The mention of those annoying clips reminds of the time that my dad took his '57 Olds to the local Goodyear garage for it's first set of replacement tires. Apparently it was at the change of shift, and the mechanic who removed the wheels had left, and another was tasked with re installation. When trying to replace the hubcaps, he didn't know what held them on, and hollered over his shoulder, " hey, how do you get these things to stay on"? He became quite embarrassed when a six year old boy (me) walked over and demonstrated to him proper hubcap installation.