Sport Disc wheels. What do they sell for?

[Guest Parm]

I am curious as to what a nice set of Oldsmobile Sport Disc wheels (from the early to mid-1960's) sell for?

Please know I am not currently in the market for these. But, I absolutely love how they look and would like to know how much one should expect to pay for these.

Thanks in advance for any and all input.

[rocketraider]

A beautiful set of 1965 Custom Sport Wheel Disc caps, centers and wheels went for about $300 on e-bay a month or so ago. I find the caps and centers often at swap meets, and own about a dozen myself, but they are no good without the special wheels. My research shows they were used only on Oldsmobiles with no interchange between Cad and Buick.

The wheels and the bolt-on sections are identical for 1964 and 1965 (the only two years they were offered). I believe Scott mentioned one reason why in another thread- too many were being ruined by tire shops and service stations who didn't know they were bolted to the steel wheel and tried to pry them off which resulted in breaking a chunk out of the edge. They also gained a reputation for being hard to balance, but I think that was due mostly to the balance clips on the inner edge would fall off. A good tire man with an on-car balancer didn't have any trouble. Modern computerised balancing equipment would be even easier.

There are three different center caps depending on year and carline. 1964 Starfires and Jetstar Is used a 2-bar spinner with the three-pointed Rocket lucite emblem as used 1962-64. 1964 88s and Ninety Eights including the 98 Custom Sport Coupe used a dished center with a larger version of the 3-point Rocket center. All 1965 cars used a 2-bar spinner cap with the 1965-later version of the Rocket.

Now if you really want to see how these things can accent an Oldsmobile's appearance, you need to see a 1964 Ninety Eight Holiday Sedan with them.

Just curious- have you ever seen the 1971-72 Super Stock IV Polycast wheels, or the 1977-79 PO5 chrome wheel option? Both really set off a 1970s big Olds.

My own thought is that Oldsmobile's bottom line wheel treatments were almost always very plain if not downright homely, but the higher line wheelcovers were usually quite striking.

[Guest]

A friend of mine bougth those $300 Ebay wheels, and I went with him to pick them up (they were reasonably local). I don't think he would mind my saying that they were not quite as nice in person as they looked in the auction pics. Still, I think they were a steal! I know someone else with those "polycast" wheels on his 1965 Starfire, and even though they are not correct, they look very sharp. The polycast wheels actually resemble the backside of the 65-65 aluminum covers.

Rocketraider, I am pretty sure that the 1964-65 Riverias were available with a bolt-on wheelcover setup that used the same special rims as the Oldes.

[Guest Parm]

I think I remember a few months ago that someone mentioned a real nice set could cost $1,000. Does that sound reasonable?

[66400]

The Buicks used 15" wheels instead of 14" wheels used by Olds. Henry

[Guest]

Henry, thanks for ths scoop on the Buick wheels...

Parm, a couple years ago I talked to a guy name of Chris Brown (I think) who owned a Starfire "farm" in Oregon (name of Becky's Starfires). I cannot find the contact info, but at the time he quoted me a price of $800 for the rims and covers. At the time I thought it was crazy, but that was before I realized what rare, beautiful and unusual Olds parts can go for.

[rocketraider]

I also remember seeing that ad in Hemmings and thinking it was crazy. That was until I found out how hard it is to find those wheels. I found two nice sets of 65s at Spring Charlotte this year- without wheels. Both vendors said "They gotta have special wheels? Wish I'd known that in the junkyard."

I remember my surprise when trying to put the first set of CS caps I bought on my blue 64. Whatever I tried, the caps set out from the rim about 2". I had the idea that I could bolt them onto the existing lugnuts.

<span style="font-weight: bold">WRONG!!</span> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/icons/mad.gif" alt="" />

[rocketraider]

Re SSIV- Olds adapted the design from a late 60s Motor Wheel Company design that for whatever reason, never took off. The MWC wheel had the vented 8-slot polyurethane face bonded to a steel wheel and the entire center cone was also polyurethane. The MWC wheel used a small round red center cap much like mid 70s Ford sport wheels used. Olds used a diecast chrome center cone with Rocket, that bolted onto the wheel from the back side.

I have a pic of the MWC wheel in an old Popular Mechanics somewhere, and have seen a pair in Ford/Mopar bolt pattern at Spring Carlisle several years ago.

These wheels are heavy, which probably had something to do with why they weren't popular when introduced by MWC.

Heavy or not, they sure did make a difference on my Regency. Not "year-correct", but they look like something Oldsmobile's flagship should wear and lightened the appearance of that monster car considerably. Kinda like the difference in a pair of brogans and a pair of dancing shoes!

[Guest]

Yep I bought those Ebay covers....While Im satisfied with them the pictures made em look nos...I didnt ask questions because honestly I didnt think Id get em for my bid....The trouble with them is the guy painted the cast aluminium looking areas bright silver...It gives them a non correct look...Also some of the spinners where pitted pretty good and the plastic emblems kinda foggy....But I did get the wheels...Ya gotta ask questions always for Ebay deals!