1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

[Russ S.]

Gentlemen, I was told that original 66 lug wrenches have rings around the shaft of the wrench portion. I may be wrong but I am thinking those wrenches with the rings were later service replacements. Can a number of you shed any light on this? Thanks

[Jim S.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

Russ ,

I can only say that my 66 jack and wrench were equally beat up and rusted when I bought the car. The wrench matched all the descriptions in the JG (three holes , etc..etc. ) .Had a really hard , i.e. old rubber cushion , and has those rings in the shaft.

That's in no way proof of anything , but it led me to believe it was an original. I hope I still think so by the end of this thread !

Jim

[Russ S.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

Jim, What is the build date of your 66?I have seen service replacement lug wrench's with the rings, three holes, and the part number tag still attached. My single hole handle doesn't have the rings and being a single hole it would be an original older wrench. I also have a second single hole wrench dated 5 (65) that I know came out of a very original 65 which doesn't have the rings either. There is a picture posted on the DB of this wrench showing the date.

[Jim S.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

Russ ,

I think it's approximately May 1st .66

[David L.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

I bought my 1966 Corvette (Feb. 1966 body build date) in 1979. Enclosed is a photos of the jack and lug wrench. The lug wrench has the letter "O" forged on the lug part and there is only one hole in the handle. I have always assumed that they were original to the car.
Dave

[Russ S.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

And I see David that the shank on your handle doesn't have any rings around it. I have noticed lately, since I have been looking into this issue that reproduction wrenches have the "o" and the rings. They appear to have been turned in a lathe rather than been cast, however I haven't seen an actual one up close and would wonder how they would get a raised O if they were turned in a lathe. Another observation I have made is that of the two three hole original wrenches in my two 73s, only the one has the rings and only the one has the O. I do think that the casting of these is often rough enough of a finish that the O isn't always easily seen if at all. In addition, although I don't know where they came from other than they are original GM parts, I have two other three hole handles that don't have Os or rings around their shanks.

[Russ S.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

David's Feb car with a single hole and your May car with three holes sounds to me, from these two examples as well as earlier research on my part when I was trying to figure out what my April car should have, sounds about right.

Russ ,

I think it's approximately May 1st .66

Thank you, Jim for you response. Glad to know you seem to believe the same as I found.

[Tom D.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

Here are the service part (top) and the repro. (middle) compared with an original from my '67. Please also note the outside shape of the "socket" end of these three.

[Russ S.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

Excellent Tom. Thanks for the pictures. Yes I had noticed that the repos didn't have the raised lip right next to the end of the wrench. That falls right into place with the wrench portion being turned in a lathe as do the rings also.

Here are the service part (top) and the repro. (middle) compared with an original from my '67. Please also note the outside shape of the "socket" end of these three.

[Jim S.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

Russ ,

I don't know if this will help with your research , or add to your confusion , but mine has the rings and the O.

Best pic I could get .

Jim

[Russ S.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

Jim, Refer back to Tom's post number 7. His 67 wrench(bottom one in his picture) would have the three holes-just like yours and one of the three hole wrenches from my 73 that also has the rings. I can't say for sure without further data, but it is looking like the three hole wrenches may be the ones that have the rings and possible not the single hole wrenches. I do know that the national judge that docked me for my single hole no ring wrench in my April build car was, by his admission comparing it to the three hole wrench in the 66 next to mine.

Russ ,

I don't know if this will help with your research , or add to your confusion , but mine has the rings and the O.

Best pic I could get .

Jim

[Ralph E.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

Gentlemen, I was told that original 66 lug wrenches have rings around the shaft of the wrench portion. I may be wrong but I am thinking those wrenches with the rings were later service replacements. Can a number of you shed any light on this? Thanks

Russ, there was a Restorer article about the jacks and jack handle awhile back. Can not remember when but maybe someone can chime in and give you the dates.

[Russ S.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

Thanks Ralph. I will look for it.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

FWIW, here's 5 pics from a thread a few years ago. Don't know what the exact subject was.

I think the concentric circles on the rivet head was mentioned. Also, the "O" Otterburn ? cast; seems to me the circumferential ridges are cast, not machined. Of these 2 handles, both are 3-hole, and the one with the part # was ordered at a Chev dealer.

[Russ S.]

Re: 1966 lug wrench-Rings or not?

You are right Wayne. Those handles that have the rings are cast not machined, and again, another example of wrenches that have the rings are 3 hole wrenches.