rare 1973 option

[lt1george]

I have this issue, but it's my understanding the article is about the later wheels (76 up), not the 73s.

Hi Mike, That's correct. Read my 12 :16 am post and you'll see I said the Originals YJ8's came from American Racing (made in USA). And I would do some digging to find the Corvette News(Feb/March 76) issue with the article about making the wheels. I looked for over 2 hours for it. Thanks for coming on board to help out about the wheels.>George

 

[1973yj8owner]

The shipping box that i have has a black stamp shipped from American Racing Equipment or Corp to GM. The box is in my attic. I will ask my daughter if she can post the photo. The photos that i sent to ncrs have my name on them.

The 1976 Kelsey Hayes Wheels were made in Mexico the 1973 wheels were made by American Racing Torrence California.

You can get a mouse pad of the yellow 1973 Corvette with the yj8's for $20 from the GM Photo Store. I have one in my office.

I plan to be at Carlisle 8/24/07 I will have photos and show them. I do not plan to drive my car to Carlisle.

I have a copy of the magazine article with the above photos of the 1973 Corvettes with the yj8 wheels. Count the number of cars with the wheels.

I believe there were four. These were the four cars, in my opinion. I believe that due to the porosity problems these cars were refitted with standard steel wheels and sold as demos. I believe four steel wheeled cars have build sheets with yj8's but no yj8's wheels.

My wheels came through the parts department during a window of opportunity. My car came with standard steel wheels.

All things considered, I probably have one of the rarest items pertaining to C-3 Corvettes. The set of original yj'8s.

To get even crazier, there were two different types of lug nuts for the wheels. Both types have the black insert. The earlier type are a polished metal finish. The second type have a plated finish. I purchased 3 of the later type at the parts department of the same chevrolet dealer in 1978. The later type have 3 or 4 circles cast in them. I have 17 of the early type and 3 of the later type on the car. I may even have the 3 knicked up lugs in my attic.

I bought my car on 3/7/73 in Philadelphia Pa. I was given the center grille and a license plate holder at time of purchase. PA does not have front license plates.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

In January 2007, I sent photos of the wheels to two people at NCRS. One is the 1973-77 judging expert the other the person who wrote an article about 1973 yj8's for NCRS.

Marvin Burnett is the team leader for '73-77 Corvettes in NCRS. Ed McComas is a fellow member over at the VH site. I'll ask both about your photos.

 

[Evolution1980]

With the knowledge that your car didn't ship from the factory with the YJ8's, that could be why there hasn't been much attention paid. Given the time from when GM said, "Don't ship these rims on the car" versus how long they still may have been available OTC, yeah, you could've likely still snagged a set before the communication worked it's way through the supply chain, which seems to be exactly what you did.

Acquiring them OTC and having them on the build sheet from the factory are two distinctly different things. While it's cool that you were able to acquire the rims, I don't think it will do much for the car itself since it wasn't built by the factory that way. But still, even having them at all is certainly worth something, just not as much as if they were listed on the original build sheet.

 

[1973yj8owner]

They are the two fellows. I mailed them photos, then never heard from them.

Vettehead Mikey, I sent photos to Marvin and Ed in January 2007.

 

[lt1george]

quote from YJ8owner
" To get even crazier, there were two different types of lug nuts for the wheels. Both types have the black insert. The earlier type are a polished metal finish. The second type have a plated finish. I purchased 3 of the later type at the parts department of the same chevrolet dealer in 1978. The later type have 3 or 4 circles cast in them. I have 17 of the early type and 3 of the later type on the car. I may even have the 3 knicked up lugs in my attic."

Believe it or not the early Cosworth Vegas had the first style black insert polished metal finished lug nug. A good friend of mine who worked with me has them. I've seen and held them in my hand. GM must have pulled the remaining 1973 YJ8 lug nuts and put the on the early Cosworths. Later Cosworth Vegas all had the stock 76 and new YJ8 lug nut. Hope to see you in Carlisle.Save the Wave.>George
PS I also heard that some factory painted (not prime, or the SPEC PAINT Corvettes) Tuxedo Black (code 900) from St Louis were built. Any body here know about those Corvettes ? That was very rare also, because black was last available on the 1969 Corvette and did come back as a color on Corvettes till 1977.

 

[1973yj8owner]

George.
Thank you for that bit of advise. I would be interested in the lug nuts if they are available. I was told that they were use on the H bodied cars like the Monza but never saw one.

I will be at Carlisle Friday only.

My car was in storage for many years. I lost interest. Last fall i saw the Last Corvette Stingray show on cable. It renewed my interest. I started researching Cast Aluminum Wheel Option, I never knew the term yj8 wheels till then. I cannot believe i have owned the car and wheels so long. I bought it as a 21 year old college senior who worked and saved his money. Thirty Four Years is a long time to own a car, now people are interested in the wheels. I will get my daughter to get some photos on the site. All of that NYU tuition should reap some benefit.

 

[Koop]

25 years ago I worked in the car busniess. While I was at our tire vendor a guy brings in a Orange '74 with the Alloys, he buys a new set of wheels and left the crusty old Alloys, lugs and centers at the store (I was all over those Alloys). Since we bought a ton of product from that shop, they sent the wheels out and polished them and installed them on my '69 for me for $200.

While my car was in the care of Allstate those wheels were swapped out (for no apparent reason) with another very nice set of Factory Alloys without my consent. I couldn't figure out why someone would swap out my wheels for the life of me. The only reason I figured it out was my tires rubbed a touch up front and somehow my car had 245's instead of the 235's I had on it. I looked close at the wheels and they were slightly pitted from being over polished, with closer inspection I found the deep gouge I put in one of them (backwards into a curb) was gone. Not my wheels. I made Allstate cough up a nice (not pitted) set of polished OEM alloy wheels and the correct size of tires on their dime.

So did someone steal a set of rare wheels from me? I may still have some of the original centers and lug nuts from them sitting in a box with my smog equippment.

Eitherway, I don't care, I like the alloys. No creaking, no clicking, no trim rings flying off in corners. I ditched the Rallye Wheels and have never regretted it.

 

[lt1george]

George.
Thank you for that bit of advise. I would be interested in the lug nuts if they are available. I was told that they were use on the H bodied cars like the Monza but never saw one.

I will be at Carlisle Friday only.

My car was in storage for many years. I lost interest. Last fall i saw the Last Corvette Stingray show on cable. It renewed my interest. I started researching Cast Aluminum Wheel Option, I never knew the term yj8 wheels till then. I cannot believe i have owned the car and wheels so long. I bought it as a 21 year old college senior who worked and saved his money. Thirty Four Years is a long time to own a car, now people are interested in the wheels. I will get my daughter to get some photos on the site. All of that NYU tuition should reap some benefit.

My friend is a Cosworth Vega nut. LOL. He will not part with the lugs. I tried, I tried.
That's Great you kept your 1973 all these years. I too bought my first Corvette, a 1973 when I turned 21 in 1973.Should of kept it. I bought a new 74, then a 75 then a 76 and still buying them. I guess I got the fever.
I am trying to find my 1973 Corvette. Had a ad in the NCRS Driveline and right here on the Corvette Action Center too. But so far no luck. I will be at Carlisle on Saturday, if I can get there on Friday I will let you know.Can't wait to see some pictures. Take care. >George

 

[1973yj8owner]

My friend is a Cosworth Vega nut. LOL. He will not part with the lugs. I tried, I tried.
That's Great you kept your 1973 all these years. I too bought my first Corvette, a 1973 when I turned 21 in 1973.Should of kept it. I bought a new 74, then a 75 then a 76 and still buying them. I guess I got the fever.
I am trying to find my 1973 Corvette. Had a ad in the NCRS Driveline and right here on the Corvette Action Center too. But so far no luck. I will be at Carlisle on Saturday, if I can get there on Friday I will let you know.Can't wait to see some pictures. Take care. >George

George, i need to deal with some medical testing and a heavy work load, target for getting pictures on the site would be mid June. I need to change all four rotors was was in storage pedal goes to the floor. the carotherwise is in great survivor shape.

 

[1973yj8owner]

Koop,

Take a look inside the center cap. The 1973 part number for the cap should be inside 329382. I have two sets of plastic center caps. The originals which have some scratches and a later set from the Kelsey Hayes wheels. The plastic center caps are interchangeable. The wheels are part number 329381. There is no part number on the lug nuts, they have a black metal disc in the center which is set back. If your center caps have part number 329382 and the lugs have black center inserts, you were robbed.

 

[Koop]

If I can come up with evidence that I have a Diminished Value on my car due the to theft I'll make the good hands people pay up!

To funny, I keep spanking the Insurance company for a claim from 1997. I just got another check from them for $440 for new carpet in the front and just behind the seats.

I can't wait to go home and see if I still have those old center caps. I think I have at least one, but I don't recall if it was one that came with the wheels.

I used them for a while, but I like the newer chrome caps so that's what's been on the car for over 20 years.

 

[Koop]

All of the original caps are gone, (victims of the fire I suppose) . I found that I have a full set of the old style centers but they are still in the wrappers unused. They are marked made in Tawian.

 

[lt1george]

YJ* center caps

I have a set (bought in 1976) too in the GM boxes wrapped with a white tissue. GM part number # 371680.Made in USA. Are your centers GM or aftermarket ? Any numbers in the inside of cap ?

 

[Koop]

The set I have is not old, the insurance company provided them 5 or 6 years ago. No numbers, just made in Taiwan on one. I figured I still had some of the old centers. The most of the little plastic edges were broken off so they had all been siliconed on at one point or another so I probably trashed them.

 

[1973yj8owner]

George, i need to deal with some medical testing and a heavy work load, target for getting pictures on the site would be mid June. I need to change all four rotors was was in storage pedal goes to the floor. the carotherwise is in great survivor shape.

George,

I researched Cosworth Vega photos. I believe that you are correct. The 1975 lug nuts seem to be the same as my lug nuts. The 1976 lug nuts do not have the black center disc's. The 1975 photos that I saw some appeared identical and I saw one with the plated lug nuts with circles. The parts department guy in 1978 said the lug nuts were used on H bodied cars. I thought that meant the Chevy Monza. I never thought of the Cosworth Vega, they were very rare maybe one per dealer. I am going to contact the Cosworth club and try to run an ad to get 3 polished lug nuts.
I really doubt there are any other 1973 yj8's out there.
I believe mine came through a window of opportunity. If others were out there, I doubt they survived. I will keep them on my car even if they are not NCRS spec.

 

[lt1george]

YJ8's

Learn something new every day. Cosworth Vegas had them. I've been following these wheels around for almost 35 years. I love em. I think they are the best looking Corvette wheel for the 1973-1982 Corvette Model Years.
Of course keep them on ! NCRS is going to have to do some rewriting.George

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

NCRS is going to have to do some rewriting.George

Why is that? If the car was not delivered with them from the factory, they should not be installed for judging purposes.

 

[lt1george]

NCRS

Why is that? If the car was not delivered with them from the factory, they should not be installed for judging purposes.

Very true. But when one of those YJ8 PEP Corvettes show up, the wheels that came on the Corvettte in preproduction is factory in my book. I am a NCRS member also. Save the Wave.>George

 

[lt1george]

YJ8 & NCRS

1973YJ8 has them on his Corvette and sent pic's to the NCRS and no replies. His wheels are dated Oct 1972.He's the original owner. There's a real YJ8 Corvette for you.