This is the way my 76 S came when I ordered it new.
Since I elected NOT to get the 442 pkg (I DO NOT LIKE that big stripe and the big 442 numbers) when I ordered the car, I had to pay extra for the wheels. Otherwise, it would have come stock with plain wheels and dog dish caps.
Well, I just bought a set of 76 dog dish caps and I have a set of 15x7 steel wheels which I plan to paint and go with dog dish caps.
What does everyone think about how it will look?

 

Try the wheels with both the trim ring and doggie dishes.

 

My opinion only... I think the cheap little dog dish caps look good on old pick ups, Falcons, Dodge Darts, Chevy IIs, Gremlins, etc. I think deluxe wheel covers look out of place on those type of cars, as I think dog dishes look out of place on Cutlass Supremes ,Grand Torinos, Pontiac Grand Prix, etc. I know they came with them from new, but rarely.

 

I think it would look cool with steel wheels and hub caps. Just make sure they are Oldsmobile hub caps. Cheapie wheel covers and hub caps you get at the auto parts store are only suitable for trucks and beaters.

 

In my opinion it would look like crap on that car. They look ok on some of the W30 cars but not on that one. JMO.

 

SOME people are offended when asking for opinions-------------------I AM NOT!
I truly wanted outside opinions (by the way, the dog dish caps are genuine 76 caps I bought right here).

My thinking was to sorta kinda resemble the early day REAL muscle car look of a bottom dollar car (which the Cutrlass S was) that was a body and hi-performance drive line.
My Cutlass S is a FACTORY 5sp car (I ordered it new) with a (now) W30 spec 455 (with Edlebrock heads and intake), Richmond 5sp and the original posi rear.
When I get the painted wheels and caps on, I'll post pictures for more opinions. IF YOU DO NOT LIKE IT---------------SAY SO!!!!!

I could not locate any genuine Olds 455 emblems, so I used the individual numbers 4 and 5 from the hood of 454 Corvettes.

 

Tom, that's a very cool car.

I didn't know the 5 speed was available behind the 455. I thought it was an economy transmission used with the 260.

 

The cool part with wheels and tires is they can always be changed. Give it a shot.

 

I like the look of dog dish poverty caps. I'm used to seeing them, back then and now.
I suspect you'll have yours mounted in no time. Curious to see what wheel color you'll choose so photos required when that all goes down.

 

I like them on a all out performance muscle car that only has performance options. Like something that was ordered with only muscle in mind. ( no AC, no power windows, etc.)

 

And you are EXACTLY correct!
NO manual tranny behind the 455 for 76. If you got a 455, the Turbo 400 was the only option.
If you got a 5sp, it was only available with a V6 or small V8.

When I ordered the car, I wanted a 455 and I wanted the 5sp, BUT, the 5sp won out. By 1987 I had gone through THREE 5spds and a 455 was in the planning stages. Thus, something besides the weak B-W 5sp was needed. Thus, when the 455 was built, it got a Richmond 5sp. It is not the original 5sp, but the car is an original 5sp car. I have not been kind to the Richmond over the years and it has NEVER been touched. It is one tough tranny!!!
Also, UNLIKE a Chevy when going from a small block to a big block (NOTHING on a Chevy SB/BB interchanges--------------except the oil), EVERYTHING that is bolted to an Olds SB bolts right up to a BB Olds. Thus, the 455 swap was a snap!!!!!!!!!!!!

The original 455 that I built was simply a complete rebuild with a mild cam.
But about 4yrs ago, it developed a problem (a screw from the Q-jet dropped into the intake and I didn't know it), so I pulled it and rebuilt it to W30 specs. WOW, what a difference now!

 

It wasn't. I think OP swapped in both the 455 and the Richmond 5-speed.

Definitely a cool car, though.

 

JMO but I think that look is so played out.

 

I like the look of dog dish's or "poverty caps" called so because they were cheap. And they usually came on the cheapest of cars or police cars/taxis. Then the big 3 started SS racing and they put the biggest engines in the cheapest, lightest cars so those "performance" cars had the poverty caps. Being your car is a Supreme it might look wierd because of so much chrome on the car but I think it is worth a shot. Body color wheels and properly detailed poverty caps can look really good. I was going to change mine out originally but I absolutely love them now. All that said it is your car (from new! Amazing!) so by all means do it if you want to. I look forward to seeing how you pull off the look.

 

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, my Cutlass is NOT a Supreme-------------it's an S, which is the base model. I only added the 455 numbers.

 

I always liked what I termed the 'stealth look' of steelies and hubcaps. It's subtle but you get a feeling something is behind the curtain.

 

I just like witty names for things. "Poverties" is a hilarious name for little hubcaps.


"Post car, F85 chrome, color coded steelies and poverties...."

 

And that is my thinking. Because now, it really is more of a stealth car and I felt that painted steel wheels and dog dish caps would simply add to that image.
Anyway, when I get the wheels on I'll take pictures and everyone can offer up opinions. Again, trust me, if it makes everyone puke, I will NOT be offended. BE HONEST!

 

My '68 442 came with small caps and two of my friends, with two '68 W30 cars came with small caps.

 

The reason that many of these cars came with "poverty" caps , is because on day two they got a set of "mag" wheels.
Why waste money on wheel covers , when your gonna buy mag wheels .

 

Very nice, Tom. I like the idea of a high torque 455 with a 5speed. I think the original dog dishes would go good with that theme. Neat!!

 

ill have to be the lone dissenter......YUCK! cheap, tacky. that car is classy and deserves classy wheels. if it were mine it would not have any factory wheel on it ever. *shrug*

 

What I hate is seeing a bunch of cars that all look the same, make it yours and drive it like you stole it !!!

I'm online right now looking for a set of Cragar SS for mine

 

factory wheels

my wheels

 

I would suggest looking elsewhere. Try American Racing or Weld wheels.

I mention this because I had planned to install Cragar Soft 8s on my 71 98. When I called them to ask about wheel measurements they had horrible service! Since they weren't willing to help me I bought Eagle Alloy 058s instead.

It's too bad Cragar has lousy customer service. The Cragar SS is iconic. Good luck.

 

Good to know, thank you !!!

 

ive had many cars with dog dishes..i love them....

 

We have dogs, so all our dog dishes have food or water in them.

 

On your particular Olds the factory wheels will never be topped. They are the best looking wheels for this car. I owned the same exact car and it was the same exact color in 1980. The Factory Olds wheels/ painted to match the car with chrome trim rings with White lettered tires is perfection. Dog Dish will not look good on this car.

 

As I originally pointed out, I was NOT trying to "top" anything, and I was NOT going for a best look. The entire purpose of changing to plain wheels and dogdish caps was (as commented in #16) was to project a more or less stealth image. THAT WAS THE INTENT!
BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT, I also asked for opinions, no matter how strong they may be.
Well, the majority of votes was for SS wheels. So, I took them apart, painted them to look fresh and put them back on.
I went with the majority--------------------I PERSONALLY PREFERRED THE PLAIN JANE, DOGDISH, STEALTH LOOK-------------------because underneath it NOW is a true stealth muscle car with a W30 spec built 455 (468), Richmond 5sp and posi rear. And ya, it has a few creature comfort options: AC, PS, Pwr discs.

 

As you said it is all opinions. I remember back in the 70's when I bought my first car a 67 442 it had mag wheels. I later put rally wheels on it and then bought a 72 and took the rally wheels off and put what we called chrome coke bottle mags on it with TA radials. No body ran the dog dish hub caps with painted wheels. It was rally wheels or mags. I get many came new with the dog dish wheels. But, I believe day 2 cars had mags more often than not. I prefer rallys or mags. I think the dog dish wheels look cheap and just odd. But that is my two cents and that is about all it is worth. Everyone has their likes and dislikes. in the end do what you want. It is your car and your money.

Enjoy

Larry