'66 K20 Wheels & Hubcaps question

[Clanky]

Hello,
I recently found my dream truck, a '66 Chevy K20. This truck has 17" wheels with the 4 nubs. Do these sound like the stock wheels? I'm keeping my truck bone stock and I'll of course have to have hubcaps. Did these 17" wheels come with hubcaps? From my measurement they would be right about 11-3/4" in diameter. Do any of you guys with these wheels have hubcaps on them? Are they 11-3/4" in diameter? They sound huge.
I've seen a few posts where guys mention 19.5" wheels. Were these an option? I'm guessing they are pretty hard to come by these days and high dollar? Man, I bet they look awesome. If anyone has a truck with these behemoth wheels please post a photo.
Thanks much,
Karl

[aerotruk63]

The hubcaps for the C20/C30 single wheel had an interior dimension of 8 7/8". The wheels would have clips for retaining the cap. The hubcaps had the same exterior dimension as the C10 version. They came with a painted finish or Chrome.

OEM4ME has the 19.5" wheels on one of his trucks. Looks great.



Link to page to use magnifier:
https://plus.google.com/photos/11384...17762774560215

[sodly]

66 K20 would not have come from the factory with hubcaps.

[Clanky]

sodly,
Nice truck! So then would the wheels have been black or painted the same color as the truck? I'm assuming black since mine are black and I'm pretty sure the original tires are still on it. I guess hubcaps were a dealer add-on option for the '66 K20 or do guys just add hubcaps to their trucks?
The photo of the blue truck, are those 19.5"wheels? Are 19.5" wheels rarer than another Lambrecht Chevrolet? Man, that truck gives me goosebumps. That is how my truck will end up, stock, as it should be.
You don't happen to have a spare 1966 '20' fender emblem do you? I'm missing one side.
Thanks much,
Karl

[sodly]

Wheels were black on solid-color trucks and body color on two-tone trucks. You can, and people do, put caps on K20s but they did not come that way. Yes, these appear to be 19.5" wheels and yes they are tough to find. Too bad this one isn't in a factory color. Seems weird to me to go to all the trouble of doing a stock restoration and then fudge on the color!

[Clanky]

Hey Todd,
Thanks for the info. Were the 19.5" solid wheels as opposed to split rim? Since they weren't made to have hub caps, do they have the nubs? I just want to be able to identify one if I see it. There is a 60's salvage yard in a mountain town not too awful far from me that I am going to go shopping at.
So I would assume any truck that was equipped with Std. trim would be a solid color with black wheels, would that be correct?
Thanks again,
Karl

[sodly]

19.5s were one-piece wheels with hubcap clips... no nubs.

[Clanky]

Hey Todd,
I came across a guy that has 4ea 19.5" x 5.5" wheels 8-6-1/2 with clips. A little pricey for me at $250 per + $35 shipping. He also has 4ea 19.5" x 5.5" with nubs and 2ea 19.5" x 7". Interested? Let me know and I'll PM you the info.
Karl

[oem4me]

Some pics for you.

First, our 1966 Custom Camper with the early design 19.5's.
Then the later (correct for '66) style wheel. Notice the distinctive cone shaped center. Both designs have clips for 8-7/8" ring hubcaps.

[Clanky]

Hey OEM4me,
Nice truck and thanks much for that photo of the wheel, that is a huge help in shopping our desert junkyards. My goal is to keep my truck as original as possible. I was pretty excited to find this stock '66 K20 and I'm pretty sure it has the original 17" wheels. I really like the look of those bodacious 19.5" wheels though, so I must have some. But man, they seem crazy expensive, that's why I'm hoping I can get lucky and find some from someone that just looks at them as just wheels.
Really nice truck you have there. Wow. Do you know, when a guy bought a new '66, were the 19.5s a dealer add-on?
Thanks again,
Karl

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by Clanky

This truck has 17" wheels with the 4 nubs. Do these sound like the stock wheels?

There's a group of us that love to answer factory questions, and many have already chimed in with accurate info. I will add on. Your wheels: They are not period wheels, they are off a newer truck. Nub wheels did not exist till 1969 model year for 3/4 tons. All '60-'66 3/4 tons came with clip style wheels. A 16" wheel measures approx. 17" across. Hubcaps: '62-'66 Chevy 4x4's did not come with hubcaps as standard equipment, however that wouldn't prevent me from adding them on as a period accessory (dealer add on). Wheel color depends on if truck is painted a solid color or was tu toned, does not depend on trim level. 19.5" wheels were optional, but rarely ordered on pickups, so they are very hard to find. Your chance are much better finding them on 1960's bread trucks ( step van type vehicle). Here is a '66 K 20 for reference. A "Custom" does not include a chrome front bumper.A chrome front bumper was a separate option. Optional side mirrors are painted white, this style was not offered in stainless or chrome. Wheels on this K 20 are optional 17" 3 piece lock ring wheels, and of course, no hubcaps.

[Clanky]

factorystock,
Thanks much for that info. I'm building my knowledge base and your response is a big help. Well I'm bummed that I don't have original wheels, but sure glad to find out that I don't have the original wheels. I know of a couple of New Mexico dry salvage yards with old stuff that I'll have to do some shopping.
On the two-tone trucks, does that mean the cab roof? Does that constitute a two-toned truck? On the side molding the truck in the photo has, was that part of the 'Custom' option, adding chrome? Like the back of cab trim, around the glass, stuff like that? Could a truck have the side molding but not be two-tone? Or did they go hand in hand since its white in the middle of the trim on the bed?
On the bed wood, would the wood have been painted black along with the strips?
Thanks again,
Karl

[60-66]

Heres a factory K20 in the two tone Custom . This is 100% original paint . I added the hubcaps though.This truck has the original 16.5x8s wheels.



Then heres a 1965 K20 ,but a plain jane no trim with the 17 inch wheels.

[60-66]

Heres the SPID sheet from the gold truck above showing what Factory Stock means on the front bumper being a separate option for a custom.

[Clanky]

60-66,
Thanks for that. The photo of the '65 K20 wheel, that is a split rim, correct? Would my '66 K20 have come with split rims or solid or are there too many variables to even guess? My truck is a Std. trim cab, all white, the only option being the std heater and probably heavy radiator. I wonder if they went to these rims because some tire shop wouldn't mess with the split rims. Are the stock type rims pretty hard to come by? And, if you think my truck may have come with solid rims, do you happen to have a photo of that wheel?
I just met up with a guy that I bought a set of 'west coast' mirrors, although without mounting hardware, that were on a '65 C20. From photos, it looks to me like the mirror vertical mount lines up with the wing window post? Is that about where they are on your '66 K20? And, are the same on both sides? One more question, I'm going to make myself a t-shirt with how I want my truck to look which is pretty much like your '66 just less the chrome, but in the saddle. Can I use a photo of your truck for it?
Thanks again for your help, it is greatly appreciated.
Karl

[oem4me]

Clanky, does your truck still have a SPID sticker on the inside of the glove box door? It would list what rims were on your truck if they were anything but standard. There were a few optional wheel choices.

[60-66]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Optional side mirrors are painted white, this style was not offered in stainless or chrome. Wheels on this K 20 are optional 17" 3 piece lock ring wheels, and of course, no hubcaps.

factorystock , I have found information and parts that suggest the Stainless west coast Junior mirrors were available in 1966 as an accessory , it seems as though they were not a factory option , yet could be dealer installed . This is an original NOS Mirror I have , this other info is from a 1966 Accessory book showing all the mirror styles available in 66.

[aerotruk63]

Literature can be your friend! lol

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Optional side mirrors are painted white, this style was not offered in stainless or chrome.

Clarification, "this style" I was referring to the exact same style mirror brackets shown in K 20 photo, the 6 hole mounting system ( 4 hole bottom bracket and 2 hole top bracket option used '63-'66). Yes, '66 is the first year of the universal fit accessory stainless west coast type mirrors, however they will not bolt up in the same holes as the mirrors shown in my posted K 20 photo. Interestingly, GMC did offer stainless west coast mirrors as far back as '64, manufactured by Prutsman, but again, the brackets mount in different locations than the much more common Chevy 6 hole "986454" west coast mirrors.

[factorystock]

As far as I know, the Lansing Prutsman stainless west coast mirrors ( the one on left) were an accessory for GMC only, does anyone show this mirror in Chevy accessory catalogs?

[Clanky]

OEM4me,
No sir, sure doesn't have the sticker on the glove box. There isn't even any adhesive left. This '66 K20 was a ranch truck so I would imagine it had whatever wheels came standard. So those would have been 16.5" x 8", is that right?
Do you know, with a non two-tone truck, was it available in any of the colors for '66?
Thanks much,
Karl

[60-66]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Clarification, "this style" I was referring to the exact same style mirror brackets shown in K 20 photo, the 6 hole mounting system ( 4 hole bottom bracket and 2 hole top bracket option used '63-'66). Yes, '66 is the first year of the universal fit accessory stainless west coast type mirrors, however they will not bolt up in the same holes as the mirrors shown in my posted K 20 photo. Interestingly, GMC did offer stainless west coast mirrors as far back as '64, manufactured by Prutsman, but again, the brackets mount in different locations than the much more common Chevy 6 hole "986454" west coast mirrors.

Totally agree on fitment factorystock, that's the only thing holding me back from putting them on the 66 K20 . I've never seen those "Prutsmans" before . Did find them in the 1966 GMC Accessory book. Nothing in Chevy books. Im more familiar with the GMC Re Tracs.

[60-66]

Originally Posted by Clanky

OEM4me,
No sir, sure doesn't have the sticker on the glove box. There isn't even any adhesive left. This '66 K20 was a ranch truck so I would imagine it had whatever wheels came standard. So those would have been 16.5" x 8", is that right?
Do you know, with a non two-tone truck, was it available in any of the colors for '66?
Thanks much,
Karl

The 16.5x8 was special order only. Its not even in the optional listing of the DATA book. It appears that 17.5 was the standard wheel . First photo are Standard Options for K20 , second and third picture are Optional Wheels/tires for 66 K20 . Sorry , I don't mean to answer for oem4me , just happen to be on and near my books.

[Clanky]

60-66,
Thanks for the image from your book. What book is that? 17.5"x5.5" wheels, I will not rest until I find 5 of those bad boys. You don't happen to have a photo of one, do you? You posted a photo of that cool original red '65 K20, but I think it has 17" wheels. One final question on this wheel, would it be a split rim or one piece or could be either?
Thanks again,
Karl

[oem4me]

Originally Posted by 60-66

Sorry , I don't mean to answer for oem4me , just happen to be on and near my books.

No worries, 60-66 ... ever! If only I had half your experience, or a quarter of your books, or a tenth of your collection ... I just might be of some help every now and then.
Clanky- here's some pics of the one-piece 17.5's . They look very similar to the 19.5's , only 2" smaller.