<VV> Kelsey-Hayes Wheels

Thu Sep 21 22:50:20 EDT 2006

As long as you keep them on the correct side so that they remain 
"self-tightening" there should be no problem, except maybe requiring tubes, 
and inner tube liners to protect the tube ?

I wonder, could the inside of the wire wheel be sprayed with gunk to seal it 
?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eric S. Eberhard" <flash at vicsmba.com>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2006 2:06 PM
Subject: Re: <VV> Kelsey-Hayes Wheels

> My daily driver is a 62 sedan with (fairly poor) K-H wheels.  I have had 
> them for years and 20k miles ... never a problem.  No leaks.  No need to 
> true them.  My wife's wagon which is driven fairly often has a nice set, 
> same thing, never a problem.
>
> In general I have found all the rumors about them being a problem are 
> unfounded.
>
> At 05:40 AM 9/19/2006, you wrote:
>>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!
>>
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