71GS Posted April 28, 2021 Share Posted April 28, 2021 I feel like I hit the lottery this weekend. I’ve been keeping an eye out for a set of these for my 65, but never expected this. They were stored, properly, since new. Never mounted and covered in a cosmoline type stuff. Cleaned one up tonight and am just amazed by them. Thought I’d share some pics. 🤯 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted April 28, 2021 Share Posted April 28, 2021 The Holy Grail jackpot. WOW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted April 28, 2021 Share Posted April 28, 2021 I will say outstanding over the top acquisition. The “ R” logo would look super duper. I’ll show what they would like. I have the R’s Turbinator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted April 28, 2021 Author Share Posted April 28, 2021 6 hours ago, RivNut said: The Holy Grail jackpot. WOW! Ed, I know. It’s crazy. I still can’t believe it. 👍 4 hours ago, Turbinator said: will say outstanding over the top acquisition. The “ R” logo would look super duper. I’ll show what they would like. I have the R’s Thanks turbinator, your reading my mind with the R centers. I believe these are smaller in diameter that the turbine centers. What is the diameter of your centers? thank you Brian I don’t know who’s car this is but it is beautiful and definitely inspired my search for these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billbuickgs Posted April 28, 2021 Share Posted April 28, 2021 WOW , I guess you will be eating bologna sandwiches for awhile !!! Very Very nice ! Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted April 28, 2021 Share Posted April 28, 2021 1 hour ago, 71GS said: believe these are smaller in diameter that the turbine center 71GS, I have R centers ( NORS) that go in the wire wheel covers. The wire wheel covers measure 1 13/16” to 1 7/8” in diameter. I did not use a caliper, but I’m pretty good with a measuring tape. see if this helps. turbinator 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted April 28, 2021 Share Posted April 28, 2021 (edited) Wheel Vintiques reproduces these wheels if anybody wants to put some on their Riviera. The cost on them is 855.00 per wheel. Visually I don't see any difference between them and the wheels pictured above. The black 65 Riviera pictured above belongs to a gentleman named Richard Rowlands and the wheels on that car are reproductions from Tru-spoke. I just checked Tru-spoke's website and they sell these wheels for 675.00 each, so that would be the way to go. I don't see any visual difference between the Tru-spoke wheels and the Wheel Vintiques wheels when looking at the pictures. Correction: I read further on the Tru-spoke website and the 675.00 apiece wheels have chrome spokes, not stainless steel like the Wheel Vintique wheels. Tru-spoke offers stainless spokes at 200.00 per wheel additional cost, which makes the Wheel Vintiques wheel the better value if you go with stainless spokes, however unlike Wheel Vintiques, Tru-spoke makes these wheels in a lot of different diameters and widths, while the wheel vintiques wheels are only available in 15x6. For example they offer these wheels in 17 inch diameters. Edited April 28, 2021 by Seafoam65 (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1953mack Posted April 28, 2021 Share Posted April 28, 2021 10 hours ago, 71GS said: Is this supposed to be a "what is wrong with this picture" puzzle? Anybody willing to let everyone know what they think is the correct answer vs. what I'm thinking? Nice find but 1953-1954 Buick Skylark owners nowadays find that running the required inner tubes with these wheels are a PITA. Al Malachowski BCA #8965 "500 Miles West of Flint" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Curran Posted April 28, 2021 Share Posted April 28, 2021 31 minutes ago, 1953mack said: Is this supposed to be a "what is wrong with this picture" puzzle? Anybody willing to let everyone know what they think is the correct answer vs. what I'm thinking? Nice find but 1953-1954 Buick Skylark owners nowadays find that running the required inner tubes with these wheels are a PITA. Al Malachowski BCA #8965 "500 Miles West of Flint" Didn't the originals state the year, make and model in the center? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted April 28, 2021 Share Posted April 28, 2021 It appears from the photos that these wheels are Kelsey Hayes with the number 54 stamped in them which might mean 1954? According to Al's post these wheels require inner tubes, whereas the repros are a tubeless design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted April 28, 2021 Author Share Posted April 28, 2021 I don’t know who’s car this is but it is beautiful and definitely inspired my search for these. 22 minutes ago, Seafoam65 said: It appears from the photos that these wheels are Kelsey Hayes with the number 54 stamped in them which might mean 1954? According to Al's post these wheels require inner tubes, whereas the repros are a tubeless design. Correct, they are all stamped 2/54 and 3/54. Meaning February and March 54. And yes, best to run tubes over trying to seal them in my opinion. I’m no expert on the center emblem, but believe I’ve read the 53’s (6.5” wide) had the word skylark in the center gold area and the 54 and later did not. Bob, I’ll check the diameter on these and let you know. thanks all, Brian 1 hour ago, 1953mack said: Is this supposed to be a "what is wrong with this picture" puzzle? Anybody willing to let everyone know what they think is the correct answer vs. what I'm thinking? Al, my best guess is that the center emblem are clocked incorrectly on all but the center wheel? I already fixed that one when I took that picture. 😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjp69 Posted April 28, 2021 Share Posted April 28, 2021 Nice Score Brian, those will look fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted April 28, 2021 Author Share Posted April 28, 2021 7 minutes ago, cjp69 said: Nice Score Brian, those will look fantastic! Thanks Chris! 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drhach Posted April 28, 2021 Share Posted April 28, 2021 Do those wheels ever need to be trued? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted April 29, 2021 Author Share Posted April 29, 2021 8 hours ago, drhach said: Do those wheels ever need to be trued? I would think it’s safe to say any vintage wire wheel could need to be trued at some point. I live near Dayton wire wheel co and stopped in today and spoke to them. They can handle anything related to a wire wheel. They can restore any vintage wheel in addition to the new wheels they offer. I do believe their new wheels claim to never need truing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Balzer Posted April 29, 2021 Share Posted April 29, 2021 I can't believe the price of $855 per rim. That is crazy money. I bought chrome wire wheels for my Jaguar XKE (and trust me when I say "Jaguar" on the part add$ to the co$t) and paid $375 each. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted April 29, 2021 Author Share Posted April 29, 2021 7 hours ago, Craig Balzer said: I can't believe the price of $855 per rim. That is crazy money. I bought chrome wire wheels for my Jaguar XKE (and trust me when I say "Jaguar" on the part add$ to the co$t) and paid $375 each. I agree, and that is why I hadn’t bought the reproductions. I also didn’t want a rough set and have to have them restored. Dayton gets $750 a piece to restore them. I got a great deal on these. 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted April 29, 2021 Share Posted April 29, 2021 23 hours ago, 71GS said: Ed, I know. It’s crazy. I still can’t believe it. 👍 Thanks turbinator, your reading my mind with the R centers. I believe these are smaller in diameter that the turbine centers. What is the diameter of your centers? thank you Brian I don’t know who’s car this is but it is beautiful and definitely inspired my search for these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted April 29, 2021 Author Share Posted April 29, 2021 Looks awesome Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted April 29, 2021 Share Posted April 29, 2021 12 minutes ago, 71GS said: Looks awesome Bob. Thank you. Looks like our cars are sorta like cousins! I bought some 1” and 1 1/2” drop coil springs from Coil Spring Specialty in Kansas. I’m most satisfied with the 1.5” in the rear and hopefully one inch the front. I installed the rear coil springs myself. The installation on the rear was hard for me. A helper would have come in real handy. I’m having a shop put in my front coils. Sometimes I have to admit my limitations. Turbinator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted April 29, 2021 Author Share Posted April 29, 2021 Good call. Springs can be dangerous without the right tools. I had mine done by a shop also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1953mack Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 (edited) ● My answer to what’s wrong with the picture puzzle above is NINE items. In addition to 71GS’s catch of the four hubcap emblems not being clocked correctly, add five more for the incorrect orientation of the two-eared hubcaps not being clocked with the tire’s valve stem holes in the wire wheels. The ears should be pointing to the 9:00 and 3:00 positions when the white segment of the red/white/blue emblem is on top and the tire’s valve stem is at the 12:00 position — same location as on a 1953 Buick V-8 wheel cover. Buick engineers got it right in 1953 a la Henry Ford’s idea. (Let’s hear it now from all the 1954-1955 whiners!) Pics from the internet . . . MORE CORRECTIONS/CLARIFICATIONS TO INFO ALREADY POSTED ABOVE ● It’s not a “best to run tubes over trying to seal them” choice. The OEM 40-spoke 1953 KELSEY-HAYES (K-H) 6.5”-wide and the 1954 6.0”-wide Buick Skylark wire wheels were designed and built to run a bias-ply tire with an inner tube before Buick started providing tubeless tires as standard equipment on 1955 Buicks; they do not have the safety beads. 1955 Buick buyers who purchased the factory wire wheel option received inner tubes with their wire wheels. Running bias tires without inner tubes or radial tires with or without inner tubes on original 1953-1954 Buick K-H wire wheels, sealed or not, is asking for nothing but problems. Check with your auto insurance agent. ● Both the 1953 and 1954 Buick Skylarks were provided with the 2”-diameter gold-plated and then tri-color painted hubcap emblems that had SKYLARK stamped in them. The SKYLARK letters were painted black. All other selected 1954-1955 Buick models received the plain (no SKYLARK lettering) emblem when buyers purchased the optional set of five wire wheels and five hubcaps. ● In the picture of the black Riviera in a post above, if those wire wheels are repops, they would be 40-spoke 6”-wide WHEEL VINTIQUES (WV) wire wheels. WV does not make a 6.5" 40-spoke Skylark style wire wheel. In the picture of the red Riviera in a post above, the wire wheel shown appears to be a 56-spoke TRUESPOKE (TS) wire wheel. TS does not make a 40-spoke Buick Skylark style wire wheel — only 50 or 56 spokes. They advertise rebuilding K-H wheels only. ● Buick suggested checking for radial and lateral run-out before a different tire is mounted on the wire wheel. ● The stronger polished stainless steel spokes and nipples are preferred over the OEM K-H carbon-steel chrome-plated spokes. ● The two obvious differences that can be detected when comparing a WV wire wheel with a K-H wire wheel with mounted tires on both of them are: the .453"-diameter tire’s valve stem hole on the WV wheel is smaller in diameter than the .625"-diameter hole in the K-H wheel and you can see and feel the stamped indentations for the safety beads on the WV's exterior rim flats (like below the valve stem hole). Once you remove the tires, you should be able to measure and spot numerous other visual differences between the two wheels including the rim profiles (J and L style) and the 3/8” shorter flange-to-flange dimension on the WV wire wheel height. Al Malachowski BCA #8965 “500 Miles West of Flint” Edited May 18, 2021 by 1953mack (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted May 6, 2021 Author Share Posted May 6, 2021 3 minutes ago, 1953mack said: ● My answer to what’s wrong with the picture puzzle above is NINE items. In addition to 71GS’s catch of the four hubcap emblems not being clocked correctly, add five more for the incorrect orientation of the two-eared hubcaps not being clocked with the tire’s valve stem holes in the wire wheels. The ears should be pointing to the 9:00 and 3:00 positions when the white segment of the red/white/blue emblem is on top and the tire’s valve stem is at the 12:00 position — same location as on a 1953 Buick V-8 wheel cover. Buick engineers got it right in 1953 a la Henry Ford’s idea. (Let’s now hear it from the 1954-1955 whiners!) Pics from the internet . . . MORE CORRECTIONS/CLARIFICATIONS TO INFO ALREADY POSTED ABOVE ● It’s not a “best to run tubes over trying to seal them” choice. The OEM 40-spoke 1953 KELSEY-HAYES (K-H) 6.5”-wide and the 1954 6.0”-wide Buick Skylark wire wheels were designed and built to run a bias-ply tire with an inner tube before Buick started providing tubeless tires as standard equipment on 1955 Buicks; they do not have the safety beads. 1955 Buick buyers who purchased the factory wire wheel option received inner tubes with their wire wheels. Running bias or radial tires without inner tubes on original 1953-1954 Buick K-H wire wheels, sealed or not, is asking for nothing but problems. Check with your auto insurer. ● Both the 1953 and 1954 Buick Skylarks were provided with the 2”-diameter gold-plated and then tri-color painted hubcap emblems that had SKYLARK stamped in them. The SKYLARK letters were painted black. All other selected 1954-1955 Buick models received the plain emblem when buyers purchased the optional set of five wire wheels and five hubcaps. ● In the picture of the black Riviera in a post above, if those wire wheels are repops, they would be 40-spoke 6”-wide WHEELS VINTIQUE (WV) wire wheels. WV does not make a 6.5" 40-spoke Skylark style wire wheel. In the picture of the red Riviera in a post above, the wire wheel shown appears to be a 56-spoke TRUESPOKE wire wheel. TS does not make a 40-spoke Buick Skylark style wire wheel. Their wire wheels are either 50 or 56 spokes. They advertise rebuilding K-H wheels only. ● Buick suggested checking for radial and lateral runout before a different tire is mounted on the wire wheel. ● The stronger polished stainless steel spokes and nipples are preferred over the OEM K-H carbon-steel chrome-plated spokes. ● The two obvious differences that can be detected when comparing a WV wire wheel with a K-H wire wheel with mounted tires on both of them are: the tire’s valve stem hole on the WV wheel (.453” diameter) is smaller in diameter than the K-H hole (.625”) and you can see and feel the stamped indentations for the safety beads on the WV's exterior rim flats (like below the valve stem hole). Once you remove the tires, you should be able to measure and spot numerous other visual differences between the two wheels including the rim profiles and the 3/8” shorter flange height on the WV wire wheel. Al Malachowski BCA #8965 “500 Miles West of Flint” Al, thank you for that information! I’ll definitely get them clocked correctly 😉 I have tubes in hand and dropped the wheels this morning at Dayton wire wheels for a check out before moving forward. Really appreciate the insight and knowledge. Brian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted May 14, 2021 Author Share Posted May 14, 2021 Skylarks mounted up for the first time in 67 years. Love em. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted May 14, 2021 Author Share Posted May 14, 2021 Trimmed down some wildcat emblems from Mitch Romanowski for the centers. I didn’t know these were available and , are my favorite Buick emblem. Want to thank turbinator Bob For his time as we exchanged several emails bouncing ideas back and forth before I knew these existed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted May 14, 2021 Share Posted May 14, 2021 AWESOME! NOT criticizing your choice because I`m also a Wcat guy and love the cats head, but I`m curious...why a Wildcat emblem? Obviously your car, your choice, but just an FYI...the same emblems for a Riviera, which are intended for the `66 - `70 chrome wheel fluted cone center caps, are available from Cars too. Again, AWESOME look on your Riv! Tom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted May 14, 2021 Author Share Posted May 14, 2021 6 minutes ago, 1965rivgs said: AWESOME! NOT criticizing your choice because I`m also a Wcat guy and love the cats head, but I`m curious...why a Wildcat emblem? Obviously your car, your choice, but just an FYI...the same emblems for a Riviera, which are intended for the `66 - `70 chrome wheel fluted cone center caps, are available from Cars too. Again, AWESOME look on your Riv! Tom Hi Tom. Thanks. I just love that emblem. My thought is that it kind of represents Buick performance/engines Overall, not just the Wildcat cars, which i also love. I just dig it better than the R emblem. thanks for the nice comments 👍 Brian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnulfo de l.a. Posted May 14, 2021 Share Posted May 14, 2021 Beautiful car! Dig the stance. Is it lowered? What size tire? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted May 14, 2021 Author Share Posted May 14, 2021 1 hour ago, arnulfo de l.a. said: Beautiful car! Dig the stance. Is it lowered? What size tire? Thanks Thank you. 2” jamco springs, came down closer to 3” from where it was. 215/75/15👍 Rides great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XframeFX Posted May 15, 2021 Share Posted May 15, 2021 Brian, would 225-75R 15 tires clash/rub with those springs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted May 15, 2021 Share Posted May 15, 2021 14 hours ago, 71GS said: Hi Tom. Thanks. I just love that emblem. My thought is that it kind of represents Buick performance/engines Overall, not just the Wildcat cars, which i also love. I just dig it better than the R emblem. thanks for the nice comments 👍 Brian Understood...I have some engine plant newsletters and an original wildcat cardboard display from the Flint engine plant. When I get home I`ll try to dig the stuff out and post pics. The Wildcat nomenclature was consistently applied to the powerplants in many, many cases. Spent some time looking over an experimental 455 big block with Denny Manner today...cool stuff! Tom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted May 15, 2021 Author Share Posted May 15, 2021 58 minutes ago, 1965rivgs said: Understood...I have some engine plant newsletters and an original wildcat cardboard display from the Flint engine plant. When I get home I`ll try to dig the stuff out and post pics. The Wildcat nomenclature was consistently applied to the powerplants in many, many cases. Spent some time looking over an experimental 455 big block with Denny Manner today...cool stuff! Tom Tom, that sounds very cool, definitely post some pics when you can. What a wealth of knowledge Denny is! Met him a few times and he’s just a super guy. Surprised he’s not at the GS nats in Bowling Green this week. thanks again and take care Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted May 15, 2021 Author Share Posted May 15, 2021 1 hour ago, XframeFX said: Brian, would 225-75R 15 tires clash/rub with those springs? Not 100% positive but that’s not a lot wider. Should have no issues in back. I think 225’s will rub the frame at full lock. I’d personally stick to the 215 in front. A friend of mine runs a 215/70/15 which is a bit shorter on his bagged 65 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted May 15, 2021 Share Posted May 15, 2021 5 hours ago, 71GS said: Tom, that sounds very cool, definitely post some pics when you can. What a wealth of knowledge Denny is! Met him a few times and he’s just a super guy. Surprised he’s not at the GS nats in Bowling Green this week. thanks again and take care Brian We ARE both at the GS Nationals! Lol... Tom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted May 15, 2021 Author Share Posted May 15, 2021 2 hours ago, 1965rivgs said: We ARE both at the GS Nationals! Lol... Tom 🤣🤣awesome. Wish I was there. Couldn’t make it this year. Would have loved to see the gsx reunion. Keep an eye out for my buddy Steve Schlater’s light green 72. Runs 10.70’s. Have fun 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjp69 Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 Looks great Brian! Didn't know Steve was your buddy. I have admired that car for years, super clean! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjp69 Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 Your car looks fantastic with the new wheels!!!!!!!!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted May 16, 2021 Author Share Posted May 16, 2021 28 minutes ago, cjp69 said: Looks great Brian! Didn't know Steve was your buddy. I have admired that car for years, super clean! Hey Chris, Yes, his stuff is impeccable. He’s originally from Dayton and a group of us went to the nats for years together. He’s in Toledo now but we keep in touch. Thanks on the wheels. I’m loving them. Brian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Absolutely beautiful Brian! I want those wheels ! 😀 KReed ROA 14549 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71GS Posted May 18, 2021 Author Share Posted May 18, 2021 5 hours ago, kreed said: Absolutely beautiful Brian! I want those wheels ! 😀 KReed ROA 14549 Thanks Ken, I really think they look great on these first gen Rivs. hope your doing well. Brian 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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