In the culinary world catsup can cover a multitude of flavoring sins. When it comes to cars, sometimes it’s hard to get excited, and in a day and age when performance mods are either illegal or highly expensive, sometimes you need a little catsup of your own. That’s where wheels come in. One of the most easily alterable parts of a car—owing to their literal bolt-on nature—wheels have gone a long way in sprucing up what otherwise could be construed as a boring car.
They don’t have to be aftermarket wheels either. In fact, what some call “rims” are one of the primary ways that manufacturers have gotten us all to ignore other aspects of tepid cars. What we want to know today is your opinion on which of those tepid cars had the coolest wheels. Also, ignore that man behind the curtain!
Image: CarDomain
Hooniverse Asks: What Boring Car Had the Coolest Wheels?
By Robert Emslie
Feb 23, 2017
Jeff Glucker
Here’s a twin of my first car. It’s pretty hard to get excited about a Granada but those were some pretty sweet stamped steel wheels.
http://classiccarsmark.com/images/full/factory-4-speed-1977-ford-granada-sports-coupe-bucketseats-marti-report-2.jpg
Wow, my mom had a near clone to that. Factory 8-track, boi!!!
Mine came with Gimme Back My Bullets in the deck!
Unfortunately, my girlfriend at the time had a thing for Styx, and I mostly had to listen to Paradise Theater endlessly. I think that was one of the warning signs that I needed to break up with her.
I can imagine that car with a 351, shredding those yellow walls right off.
Pontiac tended to put a lot of cool wheels on non-boring cars, then raid those parts for lesser models. Polycast Honeycombs on secretary-trimmed Firebirds, or the 80’s rims with non-radial spokes, or the 8 luggers are among the nicest stock rims bolted to a car.
http://image.highperformancepontiac.com/f/9480996/0211hpp_09zoom%2B1962_Tri_Power_Ventura%2BWheel.jpg
Yes, yes they did
https://cdn04.carsforsale.com/3/358801/8115614/842390995.jpg
http://images.carpictures.cc/photo/m/00001968_Pontiac_Sunbird_Pontiac.jpg
And its twin:
https://www.partrequest.com/images/chevrolet/chevrolet-cavalier-z24.jpg
In 1980, the Sunbird Formula could be had in white with matching white snowflakes, for that extra sumpum-sumpum.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v416/Superfly8track/PontiacSunbird.jpg
Those honeycombs are one of the best factory wheels IMO. It would seem that BMW agrees! (pic from Eric’s coverage of the Lemons fundraiser event)
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/db0878852641386e6f4fdaeccd551c96ebdefc3173e49879b3cfcfc474de8160.jpg
Technically, in Pontiac-speak those are snowflakes. THESE are honeycombs.
http://www.firebirdgallery.com/2nd%20Gen%20Images/71ta15.jpg
Oops that is what I meant to say. The last 1970s Holden Monaro LE used gold honeycombs while I think the snowflake wheels only made appearances on a couple of concept cars.
http://www.2040-cars.com/_content/cars/images/86/942086/001.jpg
Polycast Honeycombs!
http://www.pontiacsonline.com/ZAF%2077%20GRAND%20SAFARI%2022.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uHJ2RAw-YDI/VRIAwpzSEeI/AAAAAAAA2qs/kJSC_WgtZ_E/s1600/1980-Pontiac-Sunbird-2-door-Hatchback.jpg
Look at that beauty! My first car was a Buick version of the old H-Body. Regrettably, as nice as those wheels were, they were merely wheel covers for the 13″ steelies. And fragile ones at that.
I have three of those out in my shed (I had three on my ’76 Vega GT, until one passed me on LBJ Freeway in Dallas (I stopped and looked, but couldn’t find it). I also have a full set of Vega trim rings.
Since when is a Ferrari Daytona a boring car?
I had a ’64 Grand Prix with 8-lugs on it. A couple of them had chunks missing around where the center cap snapped in. After many years, 8-lugs became a hassle, because once the drums had been turned down to the max, they had to be thrown away, and you had to find replacements (some people would just pitch them, and switch to standard drums, steelies, and wheelcovers. They’re basically fancy brake drums, set up for tapered roller bearings in the front, and five lugs in the rear, inside where the center cap snaps on. I had tires mounted, and had them balanced without issue (any tire store that could handle the old 5-lug VW wheels could handle these).
Fortunately, somebody started making repros about 15 years ago, and then people started replacing the liners (shoe wear surfaces), but that’s pricey, like the repros. Here’s a decent primer on 8-lugs:
http://www.pontiacparadise.com/parts-id/8-lug-wheels.php
Does the special version of a boring car count?
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0637414e43631f6adc840cdf324d66132f127544d6a41fe404b9a9ca440d81bb.jpg
Is that’s allowed, then this:
http://www.picautos.com/images/dodge-shadow-shelby-csx-09.jpg
Very much allowed. That’s a Shelby Turbo isn’t it?
These look even better on a Chevette. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d41ab282c93f93157265fd9ac844c8193b2903e4280d3e7e24573700b9465cd4.jpg
Oh I don’t know.
This ultra-light-weight (11.75lb) 8-spoke 14″ wheel was stock on Honda’s 1997-2001 fuel economy special Civic HX. Because of the light weight and used-to-be-common 4×100 bolt pattern, these still command >$100/wheel on the used market.
http://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-tech.com-vbulletin/800×513/picture_php_pictureid_6614_df316fbbb856a5d661ff57082769973040e44023.jpg
They look like a factory version of an Enkei style I can’t remember the name of.
I submit the Grand Marquis on factory deep dish basketweaves.
http://spidercars.net/wp-content/uploads/images/1997-Mercury-Grand-Marquis_20833.jpg
Speaking of deep dish OE wheels: Dodge Mirada — SWOOON!
Link to high-res version
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/67f9ad4c06069c0e29170ef10a91bb29db48d51540fb1872cbe6398193fa6710.jpg
Basketweaves on a car this size and stature…it’s a bit odd.
Hence, I win today’s thread.
I wonder if these are the same wheel or just similar to a Fairlane special Concorde edition from nearly 20 years ago? 16×7″ with 4-1/2″ PCD and near-zero offset.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4baba20e329ee3ea33be819ae35f82fce96ae32429f61d9661a1d240f95b90a9.jpg
Same pattern and offset.
The pre-2003 cars were zero offset.
Aha. Given they only used 680 sets for the Concorde they would have to be the same wheels.
In 1998 the Falcon changed to ~38 offset, and I can only think of 4 other styles of factory offered zero-offset 16″ rims from 1991-98.
The Concorde must have been the Aus version of the US Crown Vic sport… where at least the Concordes got some Tickford upgrades. The Vic was paint and interior with Lincoln air springs.
I expect you would need to drive it back to back with the standard car to really notice the difference in suspension tuning.
Really just a special edition to drive a few sales, I think you would have to drive it back to back with the standard car to notice much difference.
I always liked the 18″ wheel on the later 1st-generation Fusions.
http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/1696/361/29237680003_large.jpg
Personally, I’m sick of the machined-face designs. GM obviously invested a lot in their wheel machining department and wants to get their money’s worth.
Not as triumphant as the Mercury, but the Focus Coupe came with what looks like the leftovers from the Focus SVT Euro spec.
http://www.focusfanatics.com/images/pictures/2009_focus_coupe_02.jpg
http://www.focusfanatics.com/gallery/data/509/85352004SVT.jpg
Just this morning on the way into work, I walked past a coworker’s Civic and thought to myself that those were really nice wheels.
http://www.wfyi.org/files/wfyi/articles/current/16-civic-sedan-078.jpg
Honda’s wheels are pretty great right now, I’d argue. The Odyssey even has pretty decent ones.
https://images.honda.ca/models/H/Models/2017/odyssey/touring_10440_crystal_black_pearl_front.png?width=1000
Whether this fits the category of “boring car” depends on your outlook, standards and probably age. But the wheels are undeniably cool.
https://i.wheelsage.org/pictures/pontiac/firebird/autowp.ru_pontiac_firebird_trans_am_73.jpg
I’ve loved the Turbo Cast Rims with Bowling Ball hubcaps since I was a kid growing up watching Knight Rider.
I had those on my ’82 Trans Am. That car was gorgeous in bright red with tan PMD leather seats. It was cross-fire infected so performance and reliability were nothing to brag about. A common practice after driving it anything other than very short distances was to kick all four hubcaps to make sure they stayed on for the drive back (or tow depending on the car’s mood).
Boring E34 with whitewalls?
http://media.caranddriver.com/images/media/267321/1991-bmw-m5-road-test-review-car-and-driver-photo-457093-s-429×262.jpg
::snort::
I think you have found the best answer for tomorrow’s question (or, what should be) — “What’s the hottest car with the most awful wheels?”
Oh, but these were anything but ordinary awful wheels. Yep, mini unidirectional turbines in there to optimize brake cooling. Worked well, too, but hideously fugly.
http://www.carbuildindex.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2514.jpg
http://www.carbuildindex.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2218.jpg
Oh, I know that they’re functional, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t ugly as homemade sin.
All they needed was a gold ring, to make them look like Vogues.
And when you drive up at the tire store, all the employees run and hide. “I ain’t workin’ on that one!”
It’s like a Prius, a decent looking alloy hiding under an ugly plastic cover.
I love these. I’ve always wanted a functional turbofan wheel. Gotta come up with a volvo version for my wagon
Mopar cop rims are a popular update to many performance-era cars. They used to be sourced from junkyard police cars, when those were still abundant.
http://wfpquantum.s3.amazonaws.com/images/autos/articles/ultra/sfro9q1on19irextqp3g-4424509.jpg
http://www.nur-oldtimer.de/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/oldtimer-273401807877531090.jpg
Beetle. (…I made a clock from a hubcap)
Those Monza wagon (Mega? Vonza?) wheels are five-lug 14 inchers off of a Camaro, or Malibu/Monte Carlo (’78 up downsized models).
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c665fe631b4929652fff7da8e74e1df7a6c83dacdaabb31d68017f73af1b625b.jpg The deep-dish aluminum wheels available on late ’70s Mercurys and Lincolns.
I really, really, really wanted a set of these on my ’76 Vega GT. I even found a Monza with a set in town, and the guy (had the Monza for sale) was willing to swap for my black GT steelies. But, after pricing four center caps for the alloys (the dealers still had them), and paying to have eight tires mounted and balanced, I couldn’t swing it. 🙁
https://i1.wp.com/hooniverse.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/8934-thumbs-chevrolet-monza-4-chevrolet-monza-wallpapers.jpg
I wouldn’t say coolest, but I have had complements on the OE wheels on my Astra. (pic from the web, not my car)
http://www.priceit.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/2009-Saturn-Astra-02.jpg
I liked how the early A-body FWD Century T-type alloys looked. (But, I’m biased. We had one that looked just like this as the family car till I was 13.) https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9ec2811a658d3329265559d498c30ad4745633b8721d12c5e1c98e7ff66b146a.png