blseals

All,

I've been reading up on Kelsey-Hayes rally wheels and the manufacturing / date codes on the 15X8 wheels used on 1969-1982 Corvettes.

It would appear that there's some overlap in the codes making it difficult (maybe impossible?) to determine the actual manufacturing dates on some wheels.

Based on information I've read, the manufacturing / date codes are as follows:

K-1-Y M <hole> D AZ

where:

K - manufacturer (Kelsey-Hayes)
1 - manufacturing plant (Romulus, MI)
Y - last digit of year
M - one or two digit month (1 thorugh 12) for month of year
D - one or two digit day (1 through 31) of month
AZ - 15X8 wheel used from 1969 through 1982

The problem comes in for wheels with the following codes:

K-1-8 8 through K-1-8 12 -- could be either Aug thru Dec 1968 or 1978
K-1-9 1 through K-1-9 12 -- could be either Jan thru Dec 1969 or 1979
K-1-0 1 through K-1-0 12 -- could be either Jan thru Dec 1970 or 1980
K-1-1 1 through K-1-1 12 -- could be either Jan thru Dec 1971 or 1981
K-1-2 1 through K-1-2 10 -- could be either Jan thru Oct 1972 or 1982

I've read that, assuming the wheels have original paint, the argent silver used on 1968-1970 wheels had a greenish hue.

I've also been told that later year Rally wheels had a 2 digit year (to eliminate the duplication) but my 1979 Corvette with a body drop date of B19 (Sep 19 1978) that has factory original rallys with a date code of K-1-8 8 <hole> 31 AZ which is Aug 31 1978. However, if I didn't know the wheels were original to the car and simply saw the wheel by itself, how would I know that it was either a 1968 or 1978 wheel (given that I couldn't verify that it had original greenish hue paint which would give it away as a 1968 wheel).

My feeling is that neither Kelsey-Hayes nor Chevrolet gave any thought to this enigma in the date codes and simply pressed on stamping the wheels with date codes as they always had.

Any one have any thoughts, ideas or conclusive examples either way?

Thanks...

KO68

The 1968 corvette wheel was a 7" rim with an "AG" code on the rim.

blseals

Correct, but the rally wheels made during the time period of Aug thru Dec 1968 would have been for the 1969 Corvette which was a 15X8 wheel and thus coded AZ.

That's why the list I posted only shows K-1-8 8 thru K-1-8 12 as a potential problem because wheels made from Aug 1967 thru Jul 1968 would have been coded AG and there would be no conflict for those dates.

That is, K-1-8-1 <hole> D AG where D is the day of the month would clearly be a wheel made in Jan 1968 and K-1-8-1 <hole> D AZ would clearly be a wheel made in Jan 1978.

Thanks...

BenUK

Don't wish to hijack your thread, blseals, but do you or anybody else know of a source for these date codes for the K-H aluminium Vette wheels? Would be interested to decode the numbers on my own wheels...

Duke94

Does this help?

blseals

No worries at all. I'm also interested in gathering information on the aluminum alloy wheels.

I've got two sets of the alloy wheels but they are in the attic so I'll need some time to get to them but will post the numbers as soon as I can.

My "Chevrolet 1953 thru 1982 Corvette Parts and Illustration Catalog" lists a part number of 14009704 for "76-78 Alum Wheel (YJ8) wheel 15 X 8.00)" with a price of $189.00.

However, I don't think that part number that's on my wheels (but I'm going from memory here and it's been a while since I've seen my aluminum alloy wheels).

Thanks...

blseals

Some good information. Thanks.

May I ask what book it's from?

Thanks...

Duke94

"Corvette by the Numbers" by Alan L. Colvin

BenUK

Cool. In that case, hope you don't mind if I post the codes off my alloy wheels to kick-start the investigation:
MEXICO <hole> KELSEY <hole> HAYES <hole> K-H301008 <hole> 5JJx8.00 <hole> 363765 <hole> 2

Stamped (not cast) into the indentations on the mounting surface are the following three sets:
SE2
PF2
300 047

If you'd rather keep this out of this thread for the moment, blseals, let me know and I'll edit this out. No prob.

blseals

I dug one wheel out of the attic this evening.

MADEIN <hole> MEXICO <hole> KELSEY <hole> HAYES <hole> AW <hole> H3010 <hole> JJ X 8 <hole> 14008687

Cast into the indentations on the mounting surface:
18EE58 where the Es are actually backwards
2 where the 2 is backwards
S where the S is backwards
S170

Stamped into one indentation on the mounting surface:
F170

This could be even more challenging than the rally wheels...

I'll try to get to one of the wheels from my second set tomorrow night and post the numbers from it.

Thanks...

vette6473

Appreciate this post greatly as it allowed me to decipher my wheels on my 73. They are matching 15x8 originals produced 22 Sep 72 that have the greenish hue to them. When I bought argent paint, I was surprised how different it was and stopped. My 73 has wheels made in 72 with the greenish tinted silver paint-gray paint so I will restore them that way...just looks much more correct and quality. The original paint also had a bit of clear in it versus the aftermarket argent spray which is dull and cheap looking, not lasting. Thought I would share in case there are others that have a 72 or 73 as well and noticed this. Thanks again friend!

Easy Mike

B19 means only that your Corvette passed the station on the assembly line where the trim tag was attached on that date. At that point, it was not a completed car.

Actual body drop for your car may have occurred on B19, but could also have occurred the next working day (B20), or even second working day after that if there was a weekend or a holiday in between.

FYI: The Parts and Illustration Catalogue can, and does, contain service replacement part numbers for lots of things.
An example could be the aluminum wheels you cite.

Mike7143

I'm hoping this is a cut and dry answer... All four wheels have the exact same code.
I assume this means October 24, 1975? and therefore not original on my 72?