8t2 z-chev

just wondering what companys made the original alloy wheels for thirdgens over the production span:I remember looking at a "bowling ball"'82 TA wheel and it had"Western wheel"cast into it behind and I kinda recall Enkei may have made the 87 up 16" TA wheels.

okfoz

Several companies made them... The early 1986-1987 Cross laced rims used on the GTA were made by a different company than the 1988-1992

John

mrestrictrplate

iTrader: (2)

87 up Gta wheels are 2 piece correct? I know alot of pople aren't sure

LiquidBlue

90 Formula - Western Wheel cast inside

okfoz

For some reason it is stuck in my head that the 1986 & 1987 GTA Wheels were a 3 piece or 2 piece, the 88+ were a cast.

John

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

The PW7s on my '88 are one-piece castings.

Mark_ZZ3

Yup the early crosslaced where two piece. Hoops separate from centres. Later ones were one piece cast.

Mark.

Stuart S

Pretty sure they aren't...

Stuart S

One more

jmd

iTrader: (4)

The front wouldn't tend to tell anything.
The back on the other hand . . .

Stuart S

I've owned the car for 17 1/2 years and I had a 2nd 87 at one time as well...

jmd

iTrader: (4)

And in all that time, you've never taken pics of the back of the rims?

jmd

iTrader: (4)

Looks welded at a casual glance.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/engi...gold-rims.html

Stuart S

Nope, never saw a need to.

Not saying it isn't possible; just that it's news to me...

okfoz

IT is not something that people take pictures of... It has been well accepted that they were welded.

LiquidBlue

Stuart S

What is this one?

Has no dimples, but has the 88+ edgy machined lip and appears to be 1-piece cast...

https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/281878647653

okfoz

That would be the early design 86 & 87... What a Beautiful looking wheel... I always thought the charcoal wheels looked better than the Black wheels.

Stuart S

It isn't though. It's the later style edgy machined lip

okfoz

I am not sure what that is from, it might be different than production, as it is a replacement part.

PW7 Wheels 86-92
86-87 (Charcoal RR) - 10046301
86-87 (Charcoal FRT) - 14105999
86-87 (Champagne RR) - 10132815
86-87 (Champagne FRT) - 14105998
87 (GOLD FRT) - 10132816
87 (GOLD RR) - 10132817
88-92 (Gold FRT XNB) - 10104406
88-92 (Gold RR XND) - 10181201
88-89 (White FRT) - 10104408
88-89 (White RR) - 10104409
88-92 (Black FRT) -10104410
88-92 (Black RR) - 10104411
88-89 (Red FRT) - 10104412
88-89 (Red RR) - 10104413
89-90 (Silver RR DKL) - 10132851
89-90 (Silver FRT DKH) - 10132852
91 (Gold FRT XKN) - 10175000
91 (Gold RR XKP) - 10181201
91 (Charcoal FRT XKR) -10181202 (Never seen these)
91 (Charcoal RR XKS) - 10181203 (Never Seen these)

The Part number written on the box, and the sticker on the wheel on e-bay, is 10132813 Which is not listed in the Parts Catalog. The Closest number I could find is the 10132815, 6 & 7, The 815 is the Champagne 86-87 Trans Am Wheel, The 816 & 817 were the GTA Gold Wheel for 1987 It very well may be that the part number changed for one reason. Also realize that the part numbers in the Parts Catalog are Replacement part numbers and may not be the production numbers, and the numbers would change as they changed manufacturers.

It is the early 86-87 Style, WHY it appears to be a one piece design I do not know...

Stuart S

1 vs 2 piece design aside, the lip is completely different on the early non-dimpled wheels than it is on the later dimpled wheels

The older (non-dimpled) wheel lips are not machined, have soft, rounded 'steps" on the lips, and have an even transition from lip to mesh.

The later (dimpled) wheel lips are machined, have harder, edgier "steps" on the lips, and you can see a clear "groove" where the lip meets the mesh.

The eBay wheel looks like the older mesh and the newer lip; I've never seen any like it before.

Attached is a picture that shows the distinct difference in the shape of the lip (my 89 on the left, my 87 on the right).

8t2 z-chev

pretty wheel were these '86 crosslace avalible for the whole '86 run?-I used to consider these 1986.5 as I never saw them on early build 1986s.Did notice in the Ebay listing the wheel is made in japan,so possibly Enkei made this early crosslace with western apparently supplying most of the other alloy wheels.

Stuart S

Anybody care to weigh in?

Mark_ZZ3

Look from the back side and you can see the weld. I've had a couple versions over the years ... one piece cast and two piece. The hoops on the two piece were much better looking, smooth. The cast ones had machining lines.

Stuart S

What nobody has commented or weighed in on, is that the eBay "NOS" wheel linked is neither one and appears to have characteristics of both...