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OK, here is the comparison. HONEST OPINIONS, if you are harshly opposed, I WILL NOT be offended.
My intent was to project the old time muscle car image-------------Plain jane, big engine, manual transmission, posi rear. The car has all of the above (ya, ya, ya, ya, it has AC, PS, Pwr discs, tilt, cruise and a few other factory options).
Since I've rebuilt the 455 to W30 specs, I'm going to replace the 5SP-455 personal tag to W30-5sp.
Last edited by DZAUTO; March 13th, 2018 at 06:18 PM.
I like the super stocks the best. Back in the day, about the only reason anyone got the steel wheels with poverty caps was so they could be discarded in favor of a much fancier wheel. That happened when my dad bought his '68 4-4-2 convertible with steel wheels and hubcaps that the mechanics used for ashtrays back then. It wasn't two months later that those steel wheels were gone and chrome reverse wheels took their place.
The steel wheels and poverty caps emulate the first-purchased vehicle then, but that look rarely stayed. The super stocks went on the cars of purchasers that were most likely a bit more affluent. I like the affluent look!
Randy C.
PS: What you see in my avatar is what came originally on my dad's 4-4-2!
Just my opinion but I don't even like 70 W30 4 speed hardtops with dog dish wheels. Wheels can make or break a car and that car looks way better with SSIIIs
I grew up with The 73-77s everywhere and never saw dog dishes on any of the BOPC cars then - SSIIIs or full wheel covers. These were cruisers, not bruisers. ; )
I don't remember ever even seeing dog dishes on a 70-72 Cutlass until 1988 in college when there was a Sienna '71 Supreme on campus with them and RWLs. I was fascinated with it because it looked so different that what I usually saw on these cars.
Another vote for the SS wheels. Early A bodies with no chrome look great with dog dishes, complementing the "all business" or "sleeper" look, if backed up with a "healthy" sounding engine. Later A bodies just don't have that look, and the dog dish caps look out of place on them, imho.
As much as i like poverty caps i think the SS wheels look better on your car "as it currently is".
If you are asking for honest opinions.......I think your car sits too high. Have you replaced the springs? HD units? I just think some "stance" would help out immensely, more so with the DD caps. Not sure of your tire size but with the poverty caps i would say a 15x8 with a 275-60 on the rear and a 15x6 with a 205-70 blackwall tire would look pretty good and give it a little "rubber rake". You might be able to get away with your existing wheels and a more conservative tire stagger. Now, lower the whole car 1 or 2" all around and IMO car will look really good.
As much as i like poverty caps i think the SS wheels look better on your car "as it currently is".
If you are asking for honest opinions.......I think your car sits too high. Have you replaced the springs? HD units? I just think some "stance" would help out immensely, more so with the DD caps. Not sure of your tire size but with the poverty caps i would say a 15x8 with a 275-60 on the rear and a 15x6 with a 205-70 blackwall tire would look pretty good and give it a little "rubber rake". You might be able to get away with your existing wheels and a more conservative tire stagger. Now, lower the whole car 1 or 2" all around and IMO car will look really good.
The wheels are bone stock GM 15x7 (such as used on wagons) with 245/60 tires.
The stance is bone stock, but when I built the 455 back in 87, I replaced the front coils with coils for a Cutlass with a 455/air cond.
It is true that the "real" muscle car image ended with the 72 models, but keep in mind that Richard Petty won the championship with this same body. Thus, my intent was to create a plain jane image with big engine, manual tranny and strong rear (which it has all of those now, plus some not so noticeable creature comforts). The W30 along with the 3.27 1st gear of the Richmond 5sp will easily turn the original 2.41 posi from a dead stop as well as cruises right along on the Interstate 70-90mph.
AND, AND, AND-----------it is an excellent tow vehicle!!!
I still vote for the SS wheels. The white top really distracts from the plain jane look. I think there are a lot more cars with painted wheels and dog dish hub caps today than there was back in the day. It is a very nice looking car and the SS wheels just set it off. That is JMHO.
I still vote for the SS wheels. The white top really distracts from the plain jane look. I think there are a lot more cars with painted wheels and dog dish hub caps today than there was back in the day. It is a very nice looking car and the SS wheels just set it off. That is JMHO.
The vinyl top was a horrible, massive mistake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really regret it!
Back in the 70s, when I ordered the car, the BIG fad was a vinyl top-----------everybody just had to have one! So I ordered it, not having a clue about the rust issues that would develop years down the road. NEVER AGAIN WILL I HAVE A VINYL TOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I finally get a chance to take it to the body shop for paint/body work-------------THE VINYL TOP COMES OFF PERMANENTLY!!!!!!!
Last edited by DZAUTO; March 14th, 2018 at 03:26 PM.
The vinyl top was a horrible, massive mistake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really regret it!
Back in the 70s, when I ordered the car, the BIG fad was a vinyl top-----------everybody just had to have one! So I ordered it, not having a clue about the rust issues that would develop years down the road. NEVER AGAIN WILL I HAVE A VINYL TOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I finally get a chance to take it to the body shop for paint/body work-------------THE VINYL TOP COMES OFF PERMANENTLY!!!!!!!
My grandfather ordered a Monte Carlo new in 72. Still have it. They said "50 extra bucks for a vinyl top....want it?" My granddad said "I'd pay the fifty not to have it."
Well, it seems the general consensus of opinions is in favor of the SS wheels. IF, just IF, I put them back on, it will be necessary to remove the chrome trim inserts from all the wheels, clean then thoroughly and paint them. Oh well----------------------------
Oh ya, that ain't hapnin' today!
I've got no opinion on the wheels. Just like how you are towing cars with this. I bet that gets a lot of attention going down the road.
I can't say if others notice, I'm busy paying attention to my driving and the road. There are just TOOOOOOOOOO MANY idiots out there on the roads today and I cannot afford to be distracted by rubber neckers.
I like dog dishes on maybe an authentic '62 Vette big brake/big tank car, or a car representing itself as a dedicated muscle street racer, but that's as far as it goes for me. At a minimum I'd have to lose either the trailer hitch or the dog dishes. I like the SSs on Oldsmobiles, but that's just me.
Not a fan of the, make it look like a base model with dog dish caps.
Even on the high dollar earlier cars they just look out of place, but so do the thin tall tires on many of them.. The factory sent them out the door that way knowing as soon as it left the dealers lot they are coming off for wider shoes..
A mid 70's nova and clones can pull off the look with dog dish as it is a box on wheels and doesn't look sporty.. That cutlass body looks sporty and the grandma wheel package just looks out of place..
But it isn't my car, it is yours , use what you like..
If you want a more basic look , maybe the SS wheels without the bright trim work and trim ring, for that sleeper street racer bad@$$ look..
Another vote for Super Stocks! To me it was one thing that set Oldsmobile apart from the others. They were way cooler looking than any of the other manufacturers fancy rims. I also don’t care for the overuse of dog dishes today. You didn’t see that very often back in the day and it was mostly unmarked police cars that had them or Government vehicles.
OK guys, I guess you guys win. I pulled the SS wheels off of the shelf, power washed them, removed the little trim rings, polished them on my bench buffer and painted the wheels. I'll change them back when I get around to it.
BUT THE TRAILER HITCH STAYS ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last edited by DZAUTO; March 27th, 2018 at 11:41 AM.
OK, all you SS wheel fans, the SS wheels are painted, all the trim rings are polished and back on, and the refurbished SS wheels are back on the car with new tires. The plain wheeld and dog dish caps are on the shelf.
BUT THE TRAILER HITCH STAYS ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I guess I'm not going to live down my trailer hitch comment. I just couldn't see impersonating a street racer with an extra 50 lbs. on the back. ...but a hitch with SSs and a C1 vette (or Chevelle) on the back? NOW THAT'S HOT!
I guess I'm not going to live down my trailer hitch comment. I just couldn't see impersonating a street racer with an extra 50 lbs. on the back. ...but a hitch with SSs and a C1 vette (or Chevelle) on the back? NOW THAT'S HOT!
I have a hitch on all the other cars also.
Last edited by DZAUTO; March 31st, 2018 at 02:06 PM.
My thoughts exactly. These cars alone are rare enough today, but to see them towing anything just makes it cooler. Kinda like what our one W-30 guy here does with the Christmas tree every year. I like that. Use em or lose em. Make some memories!
My 66 Cutlass on delivery day April 66. I liked the "Dog Dish" look, made it look like a real sleaper on the street. 330/320 HP, 4 speed with minimum slip diff. Nice car yoou have.
Thanks
Wayne
I really like, and wanted to go with the dog dish "sleeper" look, BUUUUUUUUUUUUT, at the beginning I DID ASK for opinions----------and I got them. Yes, even though it is my car and I have the right too do with it as I please, public opinion is a factor to be considered. And since the majority expressed that they preferred the SS wheels, I took them apart, cleaned them up, painted them and put them back on. So, opinions on the SS wheels won out.
My point----------------sometimes you gotta go with the majority!
March 13th, 2018, 06:13 PM
