Just reading in Muscle Car Review about a nice '65 445 that had chrome reverse rims on it. Then I read the article and it mentioned the N98 Chrome wheel option. I was curious how rare this option was and was it available more years than '64-'65?

 

Pretty rare option, and 65-only, at least that is what I have understood. I think I may have seen perhaps 3 sets in my life in person, 2 installed on cars and one offered for sale on Ron Memmer's table at an OCA Nats some years back. As I recall, Ron was asking $1000 for the set, including the special center caps; that was back when $1000 was considered a lot of money for a set of rims.

 

Not only were they '65 only, but they were not released for production until into the second half of the model year.

 

By the way, know someone with a factory 4 speed 1964 Jetstar 88 and I have always thought that a set of these wheels would look great on his car, even if not offered on that model or year. Its amazing how a different wheelset can totally change the look of a car.

 

Far as I know, Olds was the only carmaker to offer actual chromed steel wheels. Pontiac and Mercury made do with a simulated chrome wheel cover. Everything else had to use aftermarket chrome reversed wheels, and I've seen very few cars chrome reverse didn't look good on- especially with factory dogbowl caps on them. Baby Moons set them off nice too, but were a little plain for my taste.

Ya gotta wonder though, how many sets were sold at $80 a set, which was a big chunk of change in 1965. I remember seeing chrome reverse wheels at tire stores for under $15 each as late as the mid 70s. A set of Superior Industries chrome steel Typhoons ran ya a hundred bucks out the door in 1976.

Poor white trash boys that we were, we scoured junkyards for our chrome wheels. It might take us a few Saturday morning trips, but we could usually put together a whole set of fancy wheels for $25-30, and sometimes they even had decent matched tires on them.

 

that was a cool article and those wheels look awesome. Yep I remember going to junk yards on the south side of Chicago just a few blocks from the loop and getting craigers with tires for 20 - 25 each. BTW the rims in my avitar are those rims I bought, still wish I had them, actually I took off 15 x 7 bolt-on center caps to put those craigers on, wish I kept both sets.

 

would love a set of those n98's on my car

 

Wow, Kurt. You continue to amaze me with the obscure factory literature that you pull out of, well, wherever you keep this stuff.

 

Thanks everyone for filling me in on that rare option!

 

It's may be big, but it's not big enough for all of *this* stuff!