1979 Road Wheels Question

[SeaFuse]

Question about 1979 Chrysler road wheel options. Of the below, one is with “volcano” center cap, and the other with the bolt-on “finned” cover. Do both of these use the same wheel? The wheel for finned cover I believe is aluminum, and does not have provisions to mount a typical beauty ring. The wheel with the volcano cap has a beauty ring - is this with a steel wheel only?

1979 300 Cordoba in both pics.

 

[CBODY67]

By 1979, the "Volcano" (AMC) and "ribbed" 1970 W23 center caps were long gone. The smooth-top center caps of the approx 1976+ W23s were in the salvage yards. The 1979 alloy wheels were 15x5.5" wheels, light weight, which is why they were not offered with any "HD" options.

The Cordoba 300s were not considered "HD Use", obviously. The 15x7 Magnum GT wheels, or similar, would have been better, but never were "Chrysler Use" per se. So the light-alloy 15x5.5s got the extra ribbed add-on and specific center caps as a result, I suspect.

When I was looking for a factory wheel upgrade for my '79 Newport, I verified the width was no better than the stock wheels, at 5.5" wide. Then the Magnum GT wheels and hardware went on factory closeout sale and that decision was sealed! Factory high-metal paint and all.

CBODTY67

 

[Mr C]

To directly answer the question...No they are not the same wheel.

 

[furyus_sl6]

Agree with Mr C above they are not the same wheel but they are dimensionally very similar. You mention a finned cover for the aluminum wheel (W23 in chart above) and that is perhaps a misunderstanding. What you call a finned cover is really several pieces. A bolt on finned, plastic, ring and a separate center cap assembly. I run the W23 aluminum wheels on my car with no bolt on finned trim ring nor the snap on trim ring from the steel wheel but either will fit and can be used. Likewise, the wheel centers, whether mopar or AMC all have the same mounting pattern. I am using notched? centers from 1st gen Cordoba urethane turbine wheels because they were very affordable and easy to locate compared to correct centers for the steel wheels. While the wheel center mounting patterns are all the same the aluminum wheel itself is threaded for a retaining ring to bolt to its face for the center cap to snap onto while the steel wheels just have holes for the attaching bolts to pass thru to thread into the wheel center. Help ? or more confused ?

 

[SeaFuse]

Agree with Mr C above they are not the same wheel but they are dimensionally very similar. You mention a finned cover for the aluminum wheel (W23 in chart above) and that is perhaps a misunderstanding. What you call a finned cover is really several pieces. A bolt on finned, plastic, ring and a separate center cap assembly. I run the W23 aluminum wheels on my car with no bolt on finned trim ring nor the snap on trim ring from the steel wheel but either will fit and can be used. Likewise, the wheel centers, whether mopar or AMC all have the same mounting pattern. I am using notched? centers from 1st gen Cordoba urethane turbine wheels because they were very affordable and easy to locate compared to correct centers for the steel wheels. While the wheel center mounting patterns are all the same the aluminum wheel itself is threaded for a retaining ring to bolt to its face for the center cap to snap onto while the steel wheels just have holes for the attaching bolts to pass thru to thread into the wheel center. Help ? or more confused ?

View attachment 706378

Great info! Thanks.

 

[amazinblue82]

Agree with Mr C above they are not the same wheel but they are dimensionally very similar. You mention a finned cover for the aluminum wheel (W23 in chart above) and that is perhaps a misunderstanding. What you call a finned cover is really several pieces. A bolt on finned, plastic, ring and a separate center cap assembly. I run the W23 aluminum wheels on my car with no bolt on finned trim ring nor the snap on trim ring from the steel wheel but either will fit and can be used. Likewise, the wheel centers, whether mopar or AMC all have the same mounting pattern. I am using notched? centers from 1st gen Cordoba urethane turbine wheels because they were very affordable and easy to locate compared to correct centers for the steel wheels. While the wheel center mounting patterns are all the same the aluminum wheel itself is threaded for a retaining ring to bolt to its face for the center cap to snap onto while the steel wheels just have holes for the attaching bolts to pass thru to thread into the wheel center. Help ? or more confused ?

View attachment 706378

This wheel reminds me of this all-aluminum one. Late 70's B Magnum and Cordoba/300's (different center domes).

WANTED - 15x8 Road Wheels

 

[furyus_sl6]

Great picture amazinblue82. Shows all the pieces on a W23 option wheel. Best thing is it shows the difference in the ID of the trim ring vs the OD of the center so you can visualize the amount of rim exposed. That visually clarifies the (non) cover the OP referred to.

 

[azblackhemi]

This wheel reminds me of this all-aluminum one. Late 70's B Magnum and Cordoba 300's (different center domes).

WANTED - 15x8 Road Wheels

View attachment 706382View attachment 706383

Yup, that's the wheel on my 79 300.

 

[furyus_sl6]

Gorgeous 300 azblackhemi ! I'm a fan of these alloy slotted wheels as my use demonstrates. I was forced to investigate different center caps because the correct aluminum ones were really beat.