Corvettes Most DANGEROUS Design? Knock Off Wheels - Myths Explained

Welcome back to Horsepower Warehouse!
Today we are going to attempt to tread lightly about a highly argued subject within the classic Corvette community, the notorious "Knock Off" wheel. Between our restoration and sales departments, we have mounted literally hundreds of knock off wheels so I am happy to share my experience with this design. As always, I'd really appreciate if you considered hitting the "Like + Subscribe" buttons.
Please keep comments respectful guys, I'd like to provide knowledge and value to new (or returning) members of our classic car community!
Information on knock off wheels:
www.motortrend.com/how-to/vem...
www.chevyhardcore.com/tech-st...
www.topflightautomotive.com/b... Email for Inquiries: [e-mail]

[@bigd.343]

Ha man what happened to the 66 that had the spray foam up in the body? Have ben waiting to see what it looks like.

[@djrobi61]

That is a good review of knock-offs. Just defining the right parts to properly identify what is correct is awesome, thank you.

[@vincentriggio4885]

I have owned and rebuilt Corvettes since 1969. I have never seen anyone else do restorations to the quality that you do your cars. I grew up painting my cars with the old lacquer paints. Thank goodness for the BC/CC paint systems. Your frames being powder coated is just one of the many extras that you add that makes common sense if your are looking for a great improvement over a painted frame. There is a place for show cars and the need to put cars back with the same attention that the factory put into them when they were new. I personally was never into that type of restorations. Sir, your cars will be around many years from now with them being driven and enjoyed by the owners. I believe that these cars should be driven and enjoyed for what they are. I had a 66 convertible that I put a set of reproduction knock-off wheels and never had a problem with them at all. As you stated operator error seems to be the predominant problem with these wheels. Keep up the good work and thank you for sharing with us. God Bless Jerry

[@MrTexasDan]

Hey junior, thanks for the knock off info. Very interesting. The auction was maybe not as much as you would have liked, but hey, not bad. Finally, kudos to you for the single take video. No edits, no cuts, no script. This can't be easy to do. Take care, Dan

[@craigthescott5074]

So I’ve been running knock off wheels on my 1964 coupe since 1983. This includes a manual 4speed with a 350HP 350. And a 6speed manual with a 550 HP 327. So that’s almost 40 years of driving the car hard and I only had one wheel come loose. But it didn’t come off. I had bought new tires and I had put the knock offs on with a lead mallet. I prob didn’t beat that one on enough. I wouldn’t really say that they are all that dangerous. And if you can’t get the spinner off you can always use the Glock pistol on the table to blow the spinners off.

[@billrenner1650]

Your videos are super informative, would love to see all the mid years that come through your shop. I recently purchased a 67 coupe that came with 66 knock offs and I am getting ready to replace them with the 67 rally wheels. Love the knock offs but not on my 67.

[@bobbelloff4588]

I think this is the best automotive restoration shop site on all of KZbin. I love your videos, sir, you know your stuff.

[@davidgerstung5144]

Thanks for your info. Great to see a young man into these great autos. Keep it up.

[@houseofno]

Wow! You really know your stuff! I am impressed!

[@southernbreeze3278]

Even with correct lug-nuts people have mounted the pin holes on the lugs, even though the spinner will only go on part way. Really are a number of mistakes that can be made with knock-offs but done correctly they're perfectly safe. If you're new to knock-offs, best to read everything you can on them and remove and remount at least one wheel in your garage before doing so on the side of the road. If you're not particularly mechanically inclined and/or just like to drive and not tinker, probably best to go with bolt-on knock-offs.

[@billlobban9158]

Another excellent video! Followed your cars on Mecum and was rooting for top dollar. Always impressed by your passion for excellence.

[@jameshanks7037]

Thanks Junior !

[@MrFrankturbo1]

Love your site !

[@jackpalczynski7884]

I had a few MGBs in the 70s with wire wheels and center spinners. I also had the MG lead hammer and it was at least 4 times the size of that Corvette hammer and the head was completely lead. From memory, the MG 2 wing spinners were not chromed. I don't know the material as I never saw rust on them but that hammer did just fine with no damage to either the spinners or hammer.

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

Glad to see the beard of knowledge being transferred from grey back to black lol. Seriously I feel like a lot of knowledge will be lost as our dads start to age out of this hobby, glad to see somebody my age(under 40) know what they are talking about. I feel like we already lost a lot when my grandpa's generation passed(WWII and Korean vets), that knowledge about how to properly restore pre-war cars, there are A LOT less experts in that field compared to 20 years ago.

[@HorsepowerWarehouse]

Thanks for the comment! You've absolutely nailed it, I am planning on making a video covering this exact subject. It will be interesting to see how the market for pre-war cars proceeds as a result.

[@serenitycenter8450]

The 63 should have gone for more, I agree. Hopefully it will find a home in a museum somewhere to be seen

[@paulygood6665]

Great channel man. You got me wanting to get into sales and quit my career I have had for the past 20yrs and get back into cars and motorcycles again. I have had tons of pre 1960’s Rolls Royce restoration experience . I would love to do my own thing🏁😎

[@waynehawkins7581]

Great show

[@warbonnet64]

I bought a '66 Vette new with the Kelsey-Heys knock-off wheels. I only changed the tires for Goodyear Blue Streeks at a Goodyear tire center and I never thought about if they knew how to replace them correctly. Never had one fall (or fly) off so I guess they did it right although I doubt, in retrospect, that a Goodyear tire center would be all that familiar withose rims. Anyway, I want to thank you for this tutorial because for years I have been hankering for another "66 with knock-offs and you have educated me on what to look (out) for! Thanks again!!

[@billreinhard4702]

Junior My 40 years of working on corvettes I never had issues with knock offs I always made sure I had the wheel just high enough to slide on floor to tighten that would ensure wheel was able to go on all the way no angle. I am with you on snap on hammer that's what I always used. Also a little light coating of never-seze in some critical areas always helped. BR

[@kirkthejerkthe1st]

What years of C 2's had the safety pin on the spinners , or was that an aftermarket design? Why an aluminum pin instead of steel?

[@alangiolma4278]

Thanks for this video.I am shopping for a C2,preferably a '67,but it's good to know what the knockoff thing is all about in case I find something earlier.I do like the rally wheels on the 67. Wish we had a shop like yours in B.C.

[@stankeith761]

I have a '65 Roadster that was factory equipped with knock-off wheels. Somewhere before I acquired the car in 1992 the original wheels got separated from the car so I went to the after-market and purchased wheels from Corvette America who at the time had the exclusive contract to manufacture and distribute the wheels. They do have the safety pin. I installed those wheels on my car some 30 years ago and have had NO issues with either loose wheels or lost wheels. As you point out in your video, when you install the wheels correctly with the RH adaptor and RH spinner on the right side of the car, everything works. Same with the left side - no issues if done correctly. I happen to use a lead hammer as my only hammer but I don't remove the wheels very often. I have discovered that no tire shop will accept the liability of taking those wheels off the car so I am forced to put my car on jack stands whenever I need new tires. Not very often as I drive the car maybe 1,000 miles a year! I love my car and will pass it on one of these days to my son who helped restore the car when he was 12 years old.

[@paulbiondi1323]

Time lapse video would be cool to see

[@lencac7952]

I think the pistol on the bench with the vette parts is a nice touch (-;

[@rondpert5167]

According to Larry M. Galloway, a quality control manager at the Corvette plant, in his book "Corvette 1963-1967". He wrote that the engineers went to great trouble in determining how much to tighten the knock off wheels. It was discovered that 2 good blows was enough and any more would not significantly increase the torque and was un-necessary.

[@Plasmali1]

Hi Junior, Love your builds! What are your thoughts on bolt-on knock offs?

[@anthonygray333]

Never had an issue with my 66 and it’s knock offs. Did a quick look before every drive to make sure the cap and pin were installed. My wires on my TR6 stay on as well.

[@georgeryan603]

I like the time lapse idea . Question , what’s up with the hand gun ?

[@HorsepowerWarehouse]

In FL we always keep a G19, Yugoslavian gas mask and Fun Dip available when doing restorations. I'm pretty sure it's state law. Thanks for checking out my channel!

[@brandontscheschlog]

Because the 2A says he can.

[@quagmiredavis4117]

@@brandontscheschlog yes always a communist karen pops up sometimes i carry. 45 or other choices i have

[@richardschmid3623]

Just a point. Drove my first 65 with knock-offs (no pins) and drove all over the US with no issues as I knew how to install them just like you said, My Second 65 has bolt-on Knock-offs and you didn't talk about that and they are great

[@josephstabile9154]

Having owned/operated a C2 back in the day, I can say KOWs, in the U.S., were a bit of high technology (Lol!) for the average Corvette buying public, which, as I witnessed, could be an upscale housewife (typically a power glide buyer). IF one read the instructions/manuals, and had the ability to render a stout blow WITHOUT HITTING THE WHEEL, then no problems. Unfortunately, I saw my fair share of KO ears that had obviously met with steel hammers, ditto the wheels. When Corvettes went to the UK back then, I'm pretty sure THEY knew how to handle KOWs. BTW, I'm also pretty sure, as in 1973, the aluminum wheel option, in 1963, came through late in the model year. I saw a few 63s with them late in 63. I believe a few early model year PR 63s had 2-bar knock-offs. Those might have been Corvair 'borrows' until 3-bar production got rolling.

[@dbonereckley]

Hey JR, loving the videos. I’m about to jump into my first C2. What would you say are the top 3 things to look for before purchasing your first C2?

[@paulygood6665]

Make sure it’s a Fuelie!!!!🏁 I love my 64

[@396375a]

Excellent video, and obviously this guy knows what he's talking about too. He said that he considers the C2 a work of art after he gets done with them, so sadly, he's right. I say sadly because I've had cars (10) that although not a C2, I treated them as such. Truthfully, they all sat in my garage doing an occasional Bonzi run. If I had it to do over again, I would get a car with just flat black exterior with potent drivetrain and actually enjoy taking the car out and driving it. No insult meant these beautiful C2's in this video, but I would be scared to death driving one of them always fretting about the birds, bugs etc. etc. I'm actually done with these types of cars now, almost flipped my last car and said I'm done.

[@asdfjklol]

A knock-off wheel fell off of my '66 Corvette today. Luckily I was only going 5-10mph. I've seen this video before, but didn't think it would happen to me. Gonna be an unpleasant conversation with the mechanic.

[@jimtrucksis1505]

I have a C2 and one of the common build issues I see on all C2's is the fit of the rear bumper to the body in the plan view. It's a V-shape gap that gets wider as you get closer to the center of the car. Are you familiar with this and do you do something to the cars you rebuild to eliminate the gaps and have a uniform fit? Thanks!

[@randallwagoner7107]

Had Kelsey Hayes on C2s since 65. Never a failure. Have to hit em hard and hit all 3 eats to pull nut around even. Follow instructions and whack it again after 50 miles. Pins came on aftermarket for people that thought they would break the ears. Not going to happen with lead hammer...it's designed to give first.

[@Blk63Vette]

The gun? Well heck this is the gunshine state. I have no problem with that. I have been told that the pins at a NCRS meet they are not safety pins. They are “adjustment pins” 🤔. The only time I see these knock off come off when you do not use a lead hammer or equivalent. When I had bought my 63 Corvette many years ago. I brought my Vette to a Corvette shop to get worked on in Sarasota the mechanic did not have correct hammer to put the knock off on correctly. By the time I got home my spinner was on finger tight wheel was extremely loose. The ironic thing was I had a mother thumper in the storage box. The factory lead hammer just for looks. After that I always put the knock off wheel by myself to make sure it’s right. I was at a high end car show and was watching a man try to put on a knock off wheel on a Ferrari that knock off wheel was jacked up. He was turning a shade of red beating the hell out of that knock off. I told him it works better when wheel on the ground. He looked at me and put the wheel on the ground and secured the wheel to the hub 👍🏻

[@Blk63Vette]

Hey Junior I like you to look at my Vette and tell me what it would take to go through it.

[@jamesmiles5077]

I lost a wheel after getting the car back from a shop. The mechanic said he was using the mallet he used on the MG's and Triumphs he works on. I do now have the Mother Thumper and in my garage, I cover the knockoffs to avoid excess damage, but after losing the wheel, I really whack the L out of them. No issues since,

[@rtn99]

Have a ‘63 with reproduction knockoffs. When attempting to take off tire/wheel assembly, I could not get the aluminum pin out of the adapter/spinner. Tried everything (back and forth trying to get spinner in a position to remove, heat etc). Tried using vise grips, but not enough to grab on. Finally decided to drill out the aluminum pin, but scored the spinner and adapter once I removed it. Wound up buying a new adapter and spinner (and new pin). That was an expensive proposition. I believe the pin was not the original length, making it difficult to remove. They call these anti-theft pins, and can be purchased for cheap money. Lesson learned, try installing new pins at every wheel/tire removal.

[@HorsepowerWarehouse]

Excellent advice, I've been in a similar situation with a pin that was "over seated". Thanks for checking out my channel!

[@merrillquintrell9303]

How do you get the safety pins “fished out” so you can remove the wheel? Also the looked like just slipped in the notch between the spinner and hub, what keeps them from backing out?

[@jimpanzer07]

Like the spinners with knock offs but 17x7 rallies with 225 tires are the shiz

[@agueybana111]

I usually never stay until the end of your videos but I have to ask, is the hand gun use to frighten the knock offs into submission?

[@tomloughmiller3485]

How many safety pins do you use per wheel? And are they reusable once you’ve taken them out? And do they come out easily if they are reusable?

[@gustavototi3903]

Never had a problem with knockoffs pay attention to what you're doing don't be afraid to hit it add brownie wire wheels 850 * 815 * 9 on a Corvette chassis Ferrari McBurney replica Daytona 365 used it for years drove the wheels off of it never had a problem 75 Corvette chassis

[@davidsmith6308]

Do you feel like the c2 market has soft A little bit due to the generation coming up I have owned my 67 for over 20 years I have seen prices taper off in the last five years what is your thought on is any information would be appreciated

[@classiccarsofsarasota7921]

Not at all look a Mecum results Kissimmie 2022 blew the top off

[@phillipgarrow2297]

I have a C7 Z06 mechanically it's a great car 7 speed manual transmission but the older have more personality I've had people come up to me and ask me what kind of a car is it the older ones you know they are a corvette

[@paulstrohl5720]

looked your location up on line in Florida and it says that you are closed permanently?!?! What is up?

[@bbb462cid]

I get it about the liability...but unless they are your instructions and not the manufacturers', I'm not clear on the issue.

[@Pharoset]

A Corvette Knockoff wheel destroyed Jan Berry's life.

[@physicalevolutionnet]

I got a 66 with KH wheels do not want to ruin the spinner , but after removing the caps and roll pin we have hit the #$^& out of them and still wont budge??? What's the next step - ever have issue with not being able to get them off? Rather not ruin the spinners but need to get off because old bias ply tires are separating and need to put fresh rubber on car.

[@TomBennettPDX]

Not to be too obvious but are you hitting it in the right direction? Mine have an indicator on the spinner : OFF-> cast into the part. Its always to the front of the car regardless of the side.

[@alhodge4051]

wheel cover not a hub cap.

[@gustavototi3903]

Borani i wire wheels

[@leighbrown1545]

I’m guessing with a million plus worth of cars on hand I spose the glock is essential 😉

[@erniehoffer1784]

Too many Corvettes. 400 plus. Your beautiful cars got lost in the sea of Corvettes.

[@davidgerstung5144]

I’m going to beg to disagree on your opening statement. If put on the correct way there’s nothing wrong with them.