1966 W 30

[AMANOCC]

I was at a car show today and came across this w-30 car. I had seen it a time or two, this time I got a chance to talk to the owner, great guy. Super rare 1 of 54 factory built cars. I asked about the wide 15 inch wheels, he wasn't sure about the width, but he did say they came with the car as a dealer installed option?

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2016/04/full-2082-42736-img_4005.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2016/04/full-2082-42737-img_4007.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2016/04/full-2082-42738-img_4008.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2016/04/full-2082-42739-img_4013.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2016/04/full-2082-42740-img_4016.jpg

[Don_Lightfoot]

Those are really cool Alec. I came across one a few years ago that was White with Red interior, no radio, heater delete and HD frame. Made to Rock & Roll

[Bill Pritchard]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AMANOCC</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I asked about the wide 15 inch wheels, he wasn't sure about the width, but he did say they came with the car as a dealer installed option?
</div></div>

Very cool car, but I would be seriously skeptical of those wheels being a dealer installed option. IMO, they are odd looking....way too much 'reverse'.

[novadude]

Agree. I don't think reversed wheels were ever a factory option on any GM car.

[DW31S]

Never seen or heard of one with 15&quot; wheels. While I'm an advocate of &quot;never say never&quot; because I've personally seen, sold and had stuff that wasn't &quot;officially&quot; available, I've not ever seen a '66 W-30 with factory installed 15&quot; wheels.

[olredalert]

----I have a 67 W30 and have researched these cars extensively. I have never seen any mention of a 15 inch deep reverse wheel option. Didn't happen! Beautiful car, however.......Bill S

[bigsixman]

I am pretty sure that the 15&quot; wheels were added by someone during the restoration. I am unaware of any 15&quot; wheel option for the 442 in 1966. Olds had a 14&quot; chrome wheel option in 1965 for the cutlass, but those wheels were not reversed either.

The car is gorgeous and that is how they looked back in the day. 8 of the original 54 1966 W-30 cars were sold in the Minneapolis/St. Paul dealer network.

[EZ Nova]

Nice neat car. I didn't even know of W-30's that old.

As for the wheels, why NOT be a dealer installed option? It might not have been and actual OLDSMOBILE option, just something the guy seen at the dealership and wanted them had the dealership put them on? I have done this with wheel on cars and trucks quite a few times. Hell a buddy of mine bought a 350 4sp Iroc. Wheels were stolen the night before he was to pick up the car, so he talked to the dealership and had them put the money towards Centerlines. So he actually got Centerlines from the dealership and not the factory chrome 5 spokes.

[Astock]

Bill,
Did you see the one Vanke had around 1978 with 2,500 miles. Orig. red paint like new. He took me for a ride, and drove it like a little old lady. The whole ride, I'm thinking he's going to lay them down any second. He never did. Man, that was a big let down.

[442w30]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EZ Nova</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
As for the wheels, why NOT be a dealer installed option? It might not have been and actual OLDSMOBILE option, just something the guy seen at the dealership and wanted them had the dealership put them on? </div></div>

If it were a Chevy, wouldn't you demand to know what was available and have documentation from a selling dealership?

So why is it so easy to believe this story for an Olds?

Nope, I don't have the answer, but I remember this olds from '97 or so and it had the same set-up. I doubt something like this was available but am not privy to '66s as much as Paul Martin - perhaps he'll see this and can chime in?

[novadude]

Dealer install doesn't seem likely either (in my opinion). Nobody WANTED to run painted steel wheels and dog dish caps back in the day. That is a modern day thing. If someone was going to have the dealer install wheels in '66, it would have been chrome reverse, Cragar, Torque thrust, or something similar. Dog dish caps and painted wheels were what your Grandma had on the Biscayne she drove to church.

[EZ Nova]

Really? Look at old race car picture, Color Me Gone for example. ALL seem to have BIG painted wheels on the back???

Not saying for sure that is what happened, just saying it could be possible to be DEALER INSTALLED

[442w30]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EZ Nova</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Really? Look at old race car picture, Color Me Gone for example. ALL seem to have BIG painted wheels on the back??? </div></div>

You're comparing a factory race car (on the track, no less) with a pedestrian Oldsmobile that GM sold to some racers to prep.

[novadude]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EZ Nova</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Really? Look at old race car picture, Color Me Gone for example. ALL seem to have BIG painted wheels on the back???

Not saying for sure that is what happened, just saying it could be possible to be DEALER INSTALLED </div></div>

Yeah.... and they all had mag wheels up front. The rear wheels on drag cars in the period were more about function and not appearance. They were cheap from junkyards (Steel wheels, or steel wheel centers fit to larger hoops) and they worked. Some street guys emulated the look, but not with stock hubcaps installed.

I'll maintain the dog dish caps weren't &quot;cool&quot; back then, and I can't think of any good reason why someone would pay good money to have the dealer install larger CUSTOM painted wheels and stock caps. These weren't from the GM parts bin. No one would pay extra for new steel wheels and run stock caps in 1966. Just my opinion, though.

[Bill Pritchard]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EZ Nova</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Really? Look at old race car picture, Color Me Gone for example. ALL seem to have BIG painted wheels on the back</div></div>

Correct, and most of them had a couple contrasting color pie-shaped wedges painted on them. The reason for this was so that an observer (i.e., friend or pit crew) could easily see how far the tires spun after leaving the line. And you should also be able to notice on the old race car pictures that they all had narrow wheels and tires up front, to reduce rolling resistance. Wheels on the front of the subject car look to be at least 8&quot; wide and substantially 'reversed', which combined with bias-ply tires of the day, would be a real handful to drive on most roads.

No one is saying it's impossible for the wheels to be a dealer installed item, but based on knowledge of practices back in 1966, it is highly unlikely.

[AMANOCC]

The owner stated, &quot;over the counter&quot; when referring to the wheels, however he bought the car in 1994 and he claimed they where on it when he got it. Owner got the car out of New Jersey.

[earntaz]

Back in the day didn't GM station wagons come equiped w/wider wheels including more positive offset? TAZ

[mssl72]

In '66 full size Chevy wagons came with 14x6 JK coded wheels instead of the standard 14x5. The 14x6 were also part of the F41 option on the rest of the full size line. I'm not sure of the offset on those off the top of my head.

[black69]

If those were factory wheels, I would believe they would have stamps in them (likely kelsey hayes) and a date. No point speculating without checking for the stamps in the inside of the rim.

[olredalert]

----C-mon guys, they arent a factory option, period. Not that hard to figure out. Has anyone ever seen wheels like that on any 67 on down GM muscle car,,,or wagon for that matter. The owner has an absolutely beautiful car and I like the wheels. They actually fill out the Cutlass wheel wells better than the smaller 14s. But,,,,they never came delivered on that car......Bill S

[427TJ]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bill Pritchard</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AMANOCC</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I asked about the wide 15 inch wheels, he wasn't sure about the width, but he did say they came with the car as a dealer installed option?
</div></div>

Very cool car, but I would be seriously skeptical of those wheels being a dealer installed option. IMO, they are odd looking....way too much 'reverse'. </div></div>

Someone wanted to sex-up the plain-Jane appearance of the car. Cool car for sure.

[427TJ]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: olredalert</div><div class="ubbcode-body">----C-mon guys, they arent a factory option, period. Not that hard to figure out. Has anyone ever seen wheels like that on any 67 on down GM muscle car,,,or wagon for that matter. The owner has an absolutely beautiful car and I like the wheels. They actually fill out the Cutlass wheel wells better than the smaller 14s. But,,,,they never came delivered on that car......Bill S </div></div>

&quot;C'mon guys.&quot; Well said! At most this '66 had 14x6s stock and the wider ones were added later. Stockton Wheel probably. Same thing happens to '67 Camaros. They get spoilers bolted on and then the &quot;factory stock&quot; claims only make it worse.

[The Dude]

Option P28 7.75 x 15 Blackwall tires and 15 inch wheels.

Not saying those wheels are original but 15 inch wheels were optional.