Seafoam65 Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 For several years, I had been trying to put together an extremely nice set of factory wire wheel covers for my 65 Riviera. My car has nice factory chrome wheels with whitewall radials mounted, but I wanted to mount up the correct bias plies on painted rims with wire wheel covers for when I show the car at the Buick Club National point judging so I don't lose any points on the tires. For a long time I bought used ones that looked nice in the pictures but were all beat up and pitted in real life. This year my luck turned and I found 1 NOS one for 250.00. Then another NOS in the box turned up for 200.00. Last month 2 NOS in the box wheel covers showed up for 200.00 for the pair! I now have 4 perfect nos wire wheel covers for a lot less money than I spent buying crappy used ones that I was assured looked very nice when they did not! The weird thing is that for five years I never could find even one NOS one for sale.....perhaps the virus is causing people to sell their stashes to make ends meet? 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 (edited) Or maybe they are just cleaning out the stuff they no longer need. I know I have lots of parts I will never use or need, it is just getting organized, taking the pictures and putting them on some sales site. I have a set of NOS Chevy 14" wire wheel covers that someone could use..... I'm not selling the NOS Corvair/Nova 13" wires. Edited July 24, 2020 by Barney Eaton (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 Seafoam, Happy to learn to got what you wanted. Nothing like having a good auto part delivered as described. Turbinator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PWB Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 That’s incredible. So tell us where you found these gems. Congratulations ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 20 minutes ago, PWB said: That’s incredible. So tell us where you found these gems. Congratulations ! They all showed up on ebay......and all with a buy it now price. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PWB Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 Post up some pics when you get time please. 🤪 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivman Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 17 hours ago, Seafoam65 said: For several years, I had been trying to put together an extremely nice set of factory wire wheel covers for my 65 Riviera. My car has nice factory chrome wheels with whitewall radials mounted, but I wanted to mount up the correct bias plies on painted rims with wire wheel covers for when I show the car at the Buick Club National point judging so I don't lose any points on the tires. For a long time I bought used ones that looked nice in the pictures but were all beat up and pitted in real life. This year my luck turned and I found 1 NOS one for 250.00. Then another NOS in the box turned up for 200.00. Last month 2 NOS in the box wheel covers showed up for 200.00 for the pair! I now have 4 perfect nos wire wheel covers for a lot less money than I spent buying crappy used ones that I was assured looked very nice when they did not! The weird thing is that for five years I never could find even one NOS one for sale.....perhaps the virus is causing people to sell their stashes to make ends meet? Great find! No doubt a better price than we had talked about a while back. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buickneem Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 Nice find! You literally bought the last two about 2 minutes before I was going to buy them. I was so disappointed at the time. But somehow by an amazing stoke of luck 4 NOS (still in the box!) showed up on ebay the very next day. And this time I didn't hesitate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Buick Riviera Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 Yes, pictures please ! And congrats 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buickneem Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buickneem Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 Now I just have to find some steel wheels for these to go on. Anyone know of a good source for some steel wheels? And what's the factory correct size for a 65 Riviera? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buickneem Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 No. Same screen name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 1 hour ago, Buickneem said: Now I just have to find some steel wheels for these to go on. Anyone know of a good source for some steel wheels? And what's the factory correct size for a 65 Riviera? All Buick wheels fitted to a full sized body will be the same. There are no specific Riviera wheels. They are 15 x 6 with a 5 on 5 bolt pattern and have a lip around the center hole. The wheels from 1965 through 1970 +/- are the same. The < 65 wheels have a larger center hole and there is no lip around the center whole. There may be some 5.5" wide wheels out there but originally they came with a smaller tire. Buick wheels have a bump between each bolt hole. That bump is there to make room for the rivet that holds the brake drum to the hub. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrownedRiv Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 I had a near mint set of these wheek covers that got ruined from Superstorm Sandy. Lost so much due to the damn salt water... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XframeFX Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 Sorry to hear of what Sandy did to your wheel covers DrownedRiv. Hopefully the rest of your Riv was unscathed. Saltwater washed off immediately should cause minimal damage? Keeping a car outside, you take a chance with the elements. Keeping it inside, there's fire. I don't believe in car lifts or even jack stands. A 30 lb fire extinguisher in the corner of the garage and wheels that are ready to roll on my project. I even have fire & theft on my project. Not much good without an appraisal, but I have it. Thanks for posting those images. Good to see you and Winston lucked-out! I have a set for my '63 that appears identical except for the Tri-Shield centers. They have been in my basement for 40 years. So, even though they are not NOS, 3 appear perfect to me! The 4th? Well, have to remove it from the wheel to notice blemishes. I too am challenged for steel wheels. I have 2 each 15X6 and 2 of the 15X5.5 wheels John B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrownedRiv Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 Thanks John. Long story, but my Riv got it pretty bad, and currently in the midst of a resurectuon (4yrs and counting). As far as the stock steel wheels, seems like they are harder to find then Rallys or Wheel Covers! Lol Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 I have always been watching for a set of NOS wheels for my '64 Riviera, not aggressively, but they have never turned up. The wire wheel covers have been my favorite so if I reach a point where I can't get four straight original rims I would probably put the wheel covers on a set of these and have some choice in width: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 To mount those wheels, you'll first have to remove the rivets from the brake drums. Chevy truck wheels work. Some of their Rallye wheels were 15 x 10. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelman Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 Word of warning, Chevy truck wheels will not fit 63-64s without a spacer. Center hole is too small. If buying original Buick wheels, check the center hole diameter if you are trying to fit a 63 or 64. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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