<VV> Definitive Word on Painted Wheels...

[Robert Marlow, Vairtec Corp.]

... comes from Corvair historian Dave Newell, writing in the SFBA 
newsletter in February, 1979 [Readers' Digest version]:

On 1960-64 Monzas and 1962-64 Spyders, full wheel covers were standard, as 
opposed to the 500/700 models which were equipped with small hub caps.  For 
this reason, when the Monzas and Spyders were ordered from the factory with 
WHITEWALL TIRES, black wheels were supplied.  If blackwall tires were 
specified on the order, even a Monza or Spyder came with body color wheels, 
just as did the 500/700 cars, even though they had the full wheel 
covers.  This was done to give more contrast with blackwalls, and to avoid 
the possibility of a double stripe appearance with whitewalls.

On 1960 500/700 cars, body color wheels were the only ones to be had.  On 
1961-64 500/700 cars, you still got body color wheels with the small 
hubcaps and blackwalls, and with full wheel covers and 
blackwalls.  However, if you ordered full wheel covers and whitewalls from 
the factory on a 1961-64 500/700, the wheels were black.  "From the 
factory" is an important point, because if the wheel covers were installed 
as a dealer option it is likely that the wheels would remain body color, 
not be repainted black by the dealer.

On 1965-69 Monzas and 1965-66 Corsas, the wheels were always black, 
regardless of whitewall or blackwall.  Full wheel covers were standard on 
these models.

On 1965-69 500s, wheels were body color with the standard small hub caps, 
with or without whitewalls.  With factory-installed full wheel covers, the 
wheels were black, whitewall or not.  However, once again the possibility 
exists for dealer-installed full wheel covers on a 500 that came from the 
factory with body color wheels.

On Greenbriers and Corvair 95 trucks, the story is completely 
different.  Tire choice made no difference concerning wheel color.  What 
did affect the wheel color was the TWO-TONE.  On all these models, 1961-65, 
if there was no two-tone, the wheels were black.  If there was a FACTORY 
two-tone, the wheels were the main body color.

The only factory-available two-tone was the contrasting stripe in the 
indented cover around the midsection of the body.  On all colors other than 
white, the only available stripe was white; on white vehicles ordered with 
the factory two-tone, the contrasting stripe was red.  And on these 
vehicles appeared the only exception to the wheel color policy:  On white 
vehicles ordered with the factory two-tone, the wheels were painted the 
contrasting color, which was red.

Robert W. Marlow
Vairtec@optonline.net