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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 470
 
Location: the Great Northeast | Hey All, I was only 4 when my '61 came out. I am trying to figure out what they did at the factory for wheel color. I am not interested in what anyone thinks looks best, I have already collected plenty of opinions. I want to know what people recall actually seeing on cars back then.
I think that most if not all of the wheels were black from the factory but a friend who is older swears he recalls all of the wheels matching the body of the car. I look at old car pics and the spares for the most part are black. I also know it is popular with restos to paint the wheels the same as the body.
My wheels are staying black no matter what. I'd still like to know if originally they were all black; some of both ways; or all the body color.
Thanks!
-Bill
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Expert
Posts: 2003
Location: Branson, MO | I can attest that the wheel was black if the car had full wheel covers from the factory. I've seen both black and body color wheels if the "dog dish" hub caps were factory original but am not sure what the year models were. In the '50s the wheels were body color. As full wheel covers became more common, especially on the more expensive MoPars like Chryslers and DeSotos, the factories decided it wasn't worth the extra bother (cost) to paint the wheels body color because of the low volume of "dog dish" caps on these upper scale models. It was a running change and may have been done mid-year where early cars had body color and the later models were black. What year that was, I'm not sure but it wouldn't surprise me if it was 1961. |
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Location: Under the X in Texas | I graduated grade school in '61 but was a kid who was very highly attuned to the cars around him. I honestly don't recall ever seeing the "poverty" hubcaps on any of the '57-61 Chrysler cars when new around Chicago but agree to their parts book and catalog legitimacy and even own a set (currently on another car). A friend's father got a new '61 New Yorker sedan (he was a banker) and buddy and I took the wheel covers off (like the magazine hot rods) and the wheels were solid gloss black which is the only way I've ever come across them since on any '57 or later Chrysler or DeSoto that I've had contact with. It was also a matter of bottom line COST. Trying to match body colors on wheels for the assembly line adds cost contrasted to making them ALL BLACK. |
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13050
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | My '60 Saratoga had all black Wheels and so does my friends '61 New Yorker |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 470
Location: the Great Northeast | Thanks to all three of you. I agree that my friend and Viper Guy saw some colored wheels but I am with StillOutThere and Wizard, short of restos I have not seen anything but black growing up. |
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Expert
Posts: 2312
Location: Arizona | My 60 dodge madator came with full wheel covers and all wheels are body color including the spare which still has the original wide whitewall tire on it. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 480
Location: The Great Northwest | 3 61 original NYers - various colored cars all with black wheels. |
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Veteran
Posts: 143
Location: Atlanta, GA | My 61 Newport is original and has black wheels. Original spare in the trunk has never been on the ground and the wheel is black. The car is white and has full wheel covers. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7402
Location: northern germany | pretty sure the stock wheels of my 61 desoto coupe were silver. all other fl i ever owned had black wheels, iirc. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 470
Location: the Great Northeast | Thanks to all. I guess there is a consensus that some did come from Chrysler with the factory color on the wheels but it appears more were black. The cars with poverty caps were more likely to get colored wheels but our informal count isn't too conclusive on that. I know my white car came with white wheels but the spray drips were on the wheels as well. It was also a LOT of white. Thanks again. |
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Wheel Color for 61 Chryslers
