What color were the wheels originally on my 1962 K1000 Suburban?

[Ed Snyder]

Originally Posted by Ledslinger

Since I am the second owner of this Suburban, and the original owner was the University of Missouri Geology Dept, I assume and have no reason to believe it wasn't as ordered when I bought it in 1978. It was optioned for life in the field at their field camp in Wyoming when it was ordered. Three rows of seats, 4 sliding windows in back, 4 speed, big oil bath air cleaner, heater, 4WD and 17.5" wheels.

The possibility that the 17.5" wheels were added later is slim. Just kind of improbable in a car pool situation. But maybe the offroad performance or ground clearance was lacking, and a dealer suggested them. They will stay black as they have always been.

The original wheels on the one ton panel that my Dad and I converted into a Suburban where 17.5" white ones. That's Dad in the photo in 1965.

[Ledslinger]

Originally Posted by Ed Snyder

The original wheels on the one ton panel that my Dad and I converted into a Suburban where 17.5" white ones. That's Dad in the photo in 1965.

Much water under the bridge with GMC between my early 1962 production and 1965. I had never considered that the wheels were added after delivery, but that is possible. Certainly after owning my GMC for 44 years, I'm used to the wheels being black.

I suppose the suggestion is that if you ordered wheels from a GMC dealer after delivery, they were black, but if ordered with the vehicle, they were white? I would imagine that ordering 5- 17.5" wheels with tires at the dealer would have been quite expensive. Then there may have been a hub cap issue if they are different on the 17.5 vs the 15 or 16. No hub caps when I got it in 1978. I'll guess 1962 GMC 4WD 17.5" hub cap sets are rare as hens teeth.

Ed, your dad must have been tall. He sure knew what he wanted in a vehicle, and bought something suitable.

[Ledslinger]

It appears black wheels indicate dealer installed 17.5" wheel option. They've been black during the nearly 45 years I've owned the truck, and it would be weird for them to be white, so black they'll stay. White wheels correct for factory installed option, black wheels correct for dealer installed 17.5" wheel option? Unless for some reason the optional wheels at the factory were black and tires got installed before they were painted.

[gmccollector]

1961 and a 1962 GMC K1000 panels with the original 17.5s

[Jim A]

My stock 17.5 wheels are black.
And about to be re-tired (not retired).
Search for the rims online and you will wish you hadn't thrown the old ones away.

[gmccollector]

From the GMC 64-66 Data book

[gmccollector]

N series 1960-1961 Wheel colors

[Jim A]

While mounting my new mudgrips yesterday, I discovered that the black wheels I've been looking at for 53 years were originally white.
Why the original owner sprayed them in the truck's first ten years will forever be a mystery.

[Ledslinger]

Pulled the tires off the front of my truck and there's no indication the wheels were ever white. One of the wheels had some high spot wear on the inside from a tube being installed at some point.

If when I pull the back tires off there is any indication the wheels were ever white, I'll paint them white. I'm pretty sure they were always black, and since the vehicle original owner was a university geology department, there is little logic in anyone repainting the wheels.

I suppose the best explanation as offered, is that the original base 15" wheels, or optional 16" wheels were found lacking in some regard. Either traction off road or ground clearance, and a set of 17.5" wheels were ordered through dealer replacement parts source. Possibly these wheels arrived black and there was no reason to repaint them. Or someone decided the truck should have this option and installed them before delivery.

If my truck has dealer installed 17.5" wheel option, that is part of its history, and I will keep that history.

Are white GMC wheels also white between the beads and on the back?

[Ledslinger]

Was cleaning the front wheels and spare wheel for painting today, and noticed the date codes on them. The spare was from 1965, and the two fronts were both 9 of 1961. All three wheels are black - front, back and between the beads. The September 1961 date code seems potientially consistent with being factory installed on an early 1962 production vehicle.