[FC] Documenting stock FC wheel changes

[Kent Sullivan]

Hi,

Let's try a "wisdom of the crowds exercise": I'm trying to pinpoint when
stock FC steel wheel rims had the safety bead added. The bead is visible and
"feel able" as a narrow, shallow trough that goes around the entire rim
about one inch in from the edge, on the front face. If you have access to a
stock-appearing FC for which the modification history is known way back,
please respond...

If you have any Chevrolet documents that speak to the changeover, that would
be great, too. I went through several years of parts books and the
information was very sparse and inconclusive.

I have heard that this change was at the beginning of the '62 model year but
some field research has so far indicated that Chevy was still using the
non-bead type late into '63. Hence the need for data from untouched vehicles
and/or Chevrolet documents.

I was also told that the three "bumps" on the face of the wheel, for holding
a center cap in place, were not present on the '61 wheel. I am not
researching that particular item at the moment but it's all part of the FC
Wheel Evolution Saga. (Soon to be a major motion picture!) And, related,
there may be another running change -- appearance of bumps on the outer edge
for retaining full-wheel covers? Or perhaps Greenbrier only? Again, I'm not
researching that at the moment but it just adds to the fun.

Thanks!