Recently I’ve been working on a Corvette hardcover book project. While reviewing the text, I came across a reference to a never-released 15-inch alloy wheel that was intended to be the standard wheel on the all-new 1984 Corvette.
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I clearly remember when the ’84 Corvettes came out, and they all had 16-inch Goodyear Eagle “Gatorback” tires on directional wheels. I don’t recall hearing of the planned 15-inchers before, so after reading about them I did wonder a bit about what they looked like.
Well, that wondering came to an end earlier this week. While looking though a 1984 Corvette brochure, I discovered a picture of a car wearing the 15-inch wheels that never were sold to the public. Judging by their appearance, that was probably a good decision.
The directional 16s helped define the ’84 Vette’s style. The 15-inch wheel’s design is fairly generic and not particularly memorable. Frankly, these wheels might have looked more at home on a Caprice or a Monte Carlo. What do you think?
Oh, and for the record, a 1983 Corvette–yes, there actually is one–can be found at the National Corvette Museum, and that car is shod with the mysterious 15-inch alloy wheels. You can check out the ’83 ‘Vette here. Have to wonder, what would the lone 1983 Corvette sell for at auction? We may never know.
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