Early69 RS SS 396 Camaro with goofy hubcaps

[jeffschevelle]

I don't know what happened, but the theft theory would not explain the matching spare, with the same date, and also with same original silver paint, the same type tire, and a factory job number on it.

More likely scenario, IMO, is it was delivered with silver XT's, trim rings, and dog dishes, and the dealer added the rally centers to the dog dishes. Just a guess, but works with the spare tire better than the theft theory.

[William]

I was around back in the day, had friends that worked at dealerships. Swapping wheels & tires was common. They knew enough to also swap out the spare.

[Pro Stock John]

Most likely done at dealer to fancy up the hubcaps.

[1903USMCUnertl]

Just my thoughts having worked for a couple of GM and 1 Ford dealer in the early 1990's in retail sales, fleet sales and retail/fleet management

I have seen all sorts of mix ups... options listed and never added to the vehicle at the plant, options added at the plant which were never ordered, trucks with both GMC and Chevrolet badging, Camaros and Corvettes with obvious body damage repaired BEFORE the cars hit the lot...and countless other issues..

When it comes to customer ordered cars dealers will "do what it takes" to facilitate a delivery...after all the customer has been waiting for their car and no dealer wants to lose a sale on a special ordered unit. and be stuck with it...where it hits your floorplan. I personally have pulled grilles and badges off one car to go on another, changed wheels and tire combinations, added options which should have been there from the factory, etc...all in the interest of saving a sale.

My guess is the car was ordered with Rally's, but a supply chain issue prevented the option from being added to the car...in their place XT wheels were added.. the wheels could have been added due to theft and the need to put wheels and tires on the car for a sale...

As far as the rally caps being on the XT center...that SCREAMS dealership ingenuity to facilitate a sale...a GM or sales manager will again "do what it takes," and some quick thinking...and smooth talking..."hey it will be unique and 1 of 1 (used it before) goes a long ways...

No dealer wants to lose margin and often will find the cheapest and quickest way to get a sale over the curb....much less expensive to use XT wheels and add a rally center...than order new wheels and trim...not to mention having the Service Dept hit your deal for labor...lol

I'd bet that was the case here...

[jeffschevelle]

Was 1969 rally wheel silver paint the same color mix as 1969 Cortez Silver wheel paint? I know 1967 rally wheel paint is a very different hue (darker and lower gloss) than Cortez Silver. Don't know if that was still true in 69 though.

If they were two different color mixes, then if the paint on these wheels is Cortez Silver that would support the theory they left the factory on a Cortez Silver dog-dish car. But if they are 69 rally wheel silver, that would support a factory substitution for unavailable rallies.

[AnthonyS]

^. Just what I was scrolling through to see if it was asked! I’m curious too.

Argent or Cortez silver?

[dvss1]

Theres a 6-19 xj rally in the for sale section.

[Charley Lillard]

Originally Posted by dvss1

Theres a 6-19 xj rally in the for sale section.

???

[Jonesy]

Originally Posted by dvss1

Theres a 6-19 xj rally in the for sale section.

That was a YJ 14x7 ralley wheel and it was dated 6-19-1969

[Lynn]

Would need to be 6-8 to predate this car.