No more aftermarket Olds SSIII wheels

Status
Not open for further replies.

DoubleV

Royal Smart Person
Feb 25, 2011
2,156
406
83
Medina Ohio
Well not quite, there are the crappy Wheel Vintique's versions but the quality ones from Specialty Wheel have been discontinued.

When I called SW today to inquire about their 15x8 SSIII's, they told me they've been discontinued and 'very popular'. I asked him why they would discontinue them if they were so popular and he said 'because we have the SSI's'. That's like saying you can't get beef anymore because there's chicken. Makes no sense to me but there you have it.
 

86-blk442

G-Body Guru
Dec 2, 2008
739
1
16
West Seneca, New York
I got the same reply from them yesterday. Now all that is out there in terms of aftermarket is 15x6 by wheel vintiques. They stopped making a 15x7, told me it required a special core that wasn't available? I guess my quest for originals contines... Or I may go the GBP route as long as I can get the correct 15x7 4" spacing.
 

jociha

Master Mechanic
Oct 16, 2012
279
1
18
Did you check to see if blue oval ranch has any left, they get them from Specialty wheel. I have a friend that works in the wheel business and he tells me you can make your own. You see, the 15x7 15x8 and 15x10 are just recycled 14in and 15in cores that they remove the original center section and weld it to a new barrel. Then they rechrome them and paint and sell. So if you have or buy a left over set of 14in or 15in wheels go to a couple wheel shops and I think you will find a shop that can order barrels to fit your center section and weld it in, they may or may not help with the rechrome but you can do that yourself.
 

86-blk442

G-Body Guru
Dec 2, 2008
739
1
16
West Seneca, New York
Haven't checked with them maybe DoubleV has? I have 1 set of 14's and a set of 15's. The 15's barrels are rusted but the centers are good. I don't know of any wheel shops around here. Specialty wheel said they would not refurbish mine.
 

DoubleV

Royal Smart Person
Feb 25, 2011
2,156
406
83
Medina Ohio
Yes, there's a place I talked to ( forget the name off-hand ) that will make 15x7's and 15x8's from old centers. He currently doesn't have any cores and is awaiting on some. If you want to spend the money, you can just send him your old wheels and he'll redo them. I personally don't want to mess with my originals so will wait until he gets some cores.
 

jociha

Master Mechanic
Oct 16, 2012
279
1
18
86-blk442 said:
Haven't checked with them maybe DoubleV has? I have 1 set of 14's and a set of 15's. The 15's barrels are rusted but the centers are good. I don't know of any wheel shops around here. Specialty wheel said they would not refurbish mine.

I would call Specialty wheel and ask where they got the barrels from and or see if they will give you the spec's on them and then check around because that's all they did, use oem center sections and new barrels. 14 and 15in center sections are identical from GM just the barrel was thicker on the 15s.
 

jociha

Master Mechanic
Oct 16, 2012
279
1
18
DoubleV said:
Yes, there's a place I talked to ( forget the name off-hand ) that will make 15x7's and 15x8's from old centers. He currently doesn't have any cores and is awaiting on some. If you want to spend the money, you can just send him your old wheels and he'll redo them. I personally don't want to mess with my originals so will wait until he gets some cores.

Find some old 14in cores and send them to him, if you recall the name let us know, I want to do a set of 15x8 for the back of my car, ment to do it but never got around to it, same as you I need to find a couple good center cores to send in and have done with the back space I want.
 

86-blk442

G-Body Guru
Dec 2, 2008
739
1
16
West Seneca, New York
DoubleV, if you remember what place it is could you send me the info?

Jociha, they really wouldn't give me any information. I know the centers are the same, that's why I was trying to inquire about them refurbishing one of my sets. I'd rather put my money towards something like that than aftermarket or a used set that could have issues. As far as I'm concerned I already have used wheels, why buy more?

I have 8 wheels total, 4 on my car now that are nice but 14's, and 4 15x7 that have rusted barrels but nice centers.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

GBodyForum is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Please support GBodyForum Sponsors

Classic Truck Consoles Dixie Restoration Depot UMI Performance

Contact [email protected] for info on becoming a sponsor