<VV> Kelsey-Hayes Wheels

[airvair]

At the time, the K-H wires were the most expensive option available,
even surpassing a/c in price. Add a set to a Spyder or a/c car and you
could probably have bought a Corvette instead.

Also, as is pointed out, they require tubes, correct maintenance, and
add unsprung weight like crazy, and it all adds up to gross
impracticability. Which is why they didn't sell very many sets, despite
their dynamite looks.

At the time, we in Friends of Corvair (Don Schneider's local club)
kidded him about how he was trying to corner the market, as he managed
to collect 10 full sets, most of them of show quality. At least half of
the sets went onto various show cars that he built, and he even modified
one or two sets of adapters for 5 lug use on lates, before concluding
that it was better to convert the late hubs over to 4 studs. He even
found that '65-6 horn button inserts could be used as centers in the
knock-off nuts, and modified about two sets with Corsa inserts for use
on Corsa show cars.

Which is about the only thing K-H wires are good for - show cars.

BTW, over the years, I've seen any number of pieces and partial sets for
sale in swap meets. I always thought that if someone with deep pockets
were to buy up all the partial sets, they could assemble who knows how
many more full sets. And/or offer replacement parts for those already
out there. And no, I don't have deep enough pockets for such a venture.
It's just my idle thinking....

-Mark

Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per wrote:
> 
> I heard that there were about 300 Corvairs, 1962-1964, that went for the
> $495 option on a $2,500 car.
> 
> I'm not certain of the price as new, but it was "up there" by 1960's
> standards.
> 
> Dave should know this bit of info - Dave are you there ?
> 
> Back about 1985, I wrote to Kelsey Hayes for design specs etc, which they
> didn't have, but he did add that he had a "bunch of them" in a back room,
> and "Do you want them ?"
> 
> So, "Uh... Yes." and I got them NOS.
> 
> I sold them for about the "new" price, just to be "authentic" about it.
> 
> I know one set was modified (I didn't get the adapters) to fit Don
> Schneider's "Black Widow Corsa" and I think another set went on the white
> counterpart to that car.
> 
> I had a set for my 1962 Lakewood, which I ran at Lime Rock with them, and
> that is definitely something that you DO NOT WANT TO DO !!!!! It was like
> having sandbags on all four corners (at least in part due to it being a
> wagon, but mostly those wheels !)
> 
> http://www.yourbuyersinn.com/1962LakewoodWWs.JPG
> 
> There were two kind of spinner inserts too.  I believe that the early
> (1962-63) version has a burnished, almost purple, insert with a Chevy "V"
> shaped emblem on it, while the later (1964 ?) was "spun" aluminum inserts
> with a Chevy bowtie, which is the more common version that I've seen.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <TimogensTurbo at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: <VV> Kelsey-Hayes Wheels
> 
> > In a message dated 9/18/2006 7:45:56 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
> > john at nfdc.net
> > writes:
> >
> >> Does anyone know how many Kelsey -Hayes wheels were produced for the
> >> 13"-4
> >> lug early Corvairs?  Also, were they a $300.00 option as I have heard?  I
> >> have a set of 4 with spinners plus an extra wheel w/o the hub and
> >> spinner.  I
> >> just want to know how rare an option I have.
> >>
> > ================================================
> > Let's put it this way....almost every meet I go to I see a 65-6 Corsa
> > Turbo
> > vert..supposedly real rare......
> >
> > I've only seen a few dozen real K-H  wires in 40 yrs......why they go for
> > $2000+
> >
> > Matt Nall
> > stocker, mod, v8, turbo, boat, Sandcar
> > ALLVAIR!
> > Timogen was a softy!