I've been looking to switch from my base 89 firebird snowflake rims to a differant oem style 3rd gen wheel.

I "think" I really like the ones on this 86ta in this ebay ad.
It looks a little differant than other similiar style ones I've seen.
Is it a legit 3rd gen factory wheel?
any info on them?
what their called and size?

tia

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251765241869?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

I don't think those are factory rims but they do look very similar to the early 82-84 TA rims that were available. https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...-am-resto.html Personally I'd stick with the snowflake but go with the 78-79 ws6 snowflake https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/whee...akes-92rs.html

 

Looks like the 1982-84 trans am 15x7" wheels to me.
http://www.tacreationsusa.com/firebird_wheels.htm shows a pretty good list of firebird and camaro wheels from second to 4th gens.

BTW, I wouldn't call your wheels "snowflakes" I heard them called that a few times, but to me the snowflakes are the 1977-81 trans am wheels. I would call yours "cross lace" wheels. That's what I have always heard them called.

 

The wheels on the Ebay car look exactly the same as in your link. a bunch of spokes, in either gray or gold.

 

If I'm not mistaken, those are the wheels generally used with the "bowling ball" center caps on our cars.

Then again, I could be wrong.

 

Guys, look again. The fins on the ebay car goes all the way to the center cap and where the lug nuts are they stop. On the rims on a members car the fins ALL stop before the lugnuts. If the ebay cars are factory they are still different than the members car.

 

I'll have to look at the links and pics on the computer tommorow, but I did notice those wheels on the ebay car are slightly differant than the 82-84 ta's.
I guess I could send him a question, but with no more info than he put in his ad, I figured he wouldn't know either, lol.

here is my car. I saw these wheels listed on ebay as snowflakes, so I just assumed they where.

 

and after looking at that car again just now, I really really like them. I wonder what the center caps looked like?

 

oops, looks like you are right. hard to see on my phone. I'll look closer tommorow on the computer.

 

After a long look I agree those do look like the bowling ball turbo cast wheels on the ebay car. They're just missing the caps. I had to find a set of bowling ***** without them to make sure. The member car is a different set. If you're looking for those rims, good ones usually call for good money. I hope you find them for a score.

 

dang it! heres a set that I think look like them, but the ad says their 14's. I don't like them that much if I have to go to a 14 inch rim. I wonder if he's mistaken and their 15's


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-1984-FIREBIRD-TRANS-AM-WHEELS-14-w-Center-CAPS-WHEEL-OEM-LOT-of-4/111240516608?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3Ddaae2e0ee16e49b6a30e7633d1180329%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D20131003132420%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D170658837518&rt=nc

 

I had to look it up since I couldn't remember, They were available in both 14 and 15. If what I read was right there were 14 for base cars and the 15 on ws6/7 ta. I thought I had seen both.

 

And looking again I think the ebay car has the 14 inch style.

 

Yeah those look like 14s. And they are not the Turbo Cast Knight Rider style wheels that use the black bowling ball caps.


These spoke wheels come plain like that without bowling ball caps because they don't use them.

The Knight Rider wheels that do use the bowling ball hubcaps are different. And unless you know what to look for, you will EASILY mistake these look alikes.


The difference is that the Bowling Ball cap wheels have the spokes traveling about an inch long before sinking down and then traveling all the way to the center of the wheel.

Where as the long spokes don't DIP down.

See the difference here. in this Ebay link, these are REAL Knight rider spoke wheels.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Trans-Am-Turbocast-Wheels-KNIGHT-RIDER-15x7-Rims-82-83-84-Firebird-Western-Wheel/281526790531?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3De4360e581f41483e880ae60d7b558a1e%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D20131003132420%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D111240516608&rt=nc
Notice how about after an inch in length the spokes DIP down almost like they have a notch where the bowling ball hubcap attaches to and then the spokes keep going. Whereas the regular spoke wheels never DIP down sharply, that's because they don't use the bowling ball caps.

 

To better show you what I mean, here is a picture comparison I prepared showing the difference between the real Knight Rider wheels and the look alikes.


Sorry that I couldn't upload it onto my album since it's full, so I uploaded it on IMGUR so all you have to do is click on the picture link to see it.


the 2 Pictures on top are the Turbo Finned AKA Turbine Wheels that don't use the bowling ball hubcaps, that's just the way they come, Plain 25 spokes.

VS The 2 bottom pictures are REAL Turbo Cast Knight Rider wheels that are the ones that Use the Bowling Ball caps, Notice from the edge the spokes travel about an inch before dipping down into a Notch and then traveling the rest of the way, that Notch is where the Bowling Ball caps lock onto. The Turbine wheels without the Notch can't use the bowling ball caps.

http://imgur.com/8c1jwqp


Both style wheels were available in size 14 and 15 inch, I believe the 14s were for the deluxe firebird models, and the 15s came on the Trans Ams models as the top size. Naturally the 15s are perferred.

 

Those wheels are usually called the slotted wheels or 20 slot wheels

 

My car has those wheels but in 15". they are factory. The turbo fin bowling ball wheels came out in '82. These wheels were available in late 82, but were really supposed to be the wheel for the 83 TA. They basically removed the bowling ball cap and smoothed out the wheel for 83. They were available in 14 or 15 and some 84 cars had them too. It is believed that the years ran into each other so because Pontiac needed to get rid of some extra wheels. The plan was to have a different wheel for each of those years. They were also available in gold, which is what mine are.

 

Awesome! Thank you everybody for all the info!
So then I guess at this point, I know I don't want to go to 14's. I see a pair of 15's on ebay right now that look like they have been sand blasted. I am going to look at some more pics on the internet tonight and then decide if I want to post in the wtb section for a set.
up till now, I had just planned on buying a set of the reproduction 8x16 GTA rims from jegs or summit for $200 a pop. If a nice set of 82/83 turbine 15's are going to cost me over $800, then I may just go ahead with the GTA's.

decisions decisions, lol!
thanks guys!

 

I remember calling these Firebird wheels The Falken wheels for some reason They're actually Dish Slanted 20 Slot wheels.

 

Dish slant 20 slot wheels.
got it. lol!
I have to admit I think they look good when their nice and clean. Their not all that bad a wheel for the base and formulas.
thanks again guys!