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#1
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Rally II Lugnuts
Last time I bought a set of repro lugnuts was probably 5-6 years ago from Ames. I recently bought a new set from Inline Tube and there are some substantial differences.
My memory is that the handful of originals that were on the car when I got it were closer to the Ames style, but I know Inline seems to prides itself on exact repros. Just confused as to why these are so different. The pic in the Inline catalog looks like my old ones
__________________
Ken '68 GTO - Ram Air II 464 - 236/242 roller - 9.5” TSP converter - Moser 3.55 Truetrac (build thread | walk around) '95 Comp T/A #6 M6 - bone stock (pics) |
#2
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inlines claims of exact repros can be pretty funny sometimes. I don't fault them for at least making something available in the barren aftermarket world of Pontiac parts but they need to dial the claims of "exact as oem" stuff back because it jus' ain't so! they also tend to sweep usage a little wide, like back lock studs being 69-72 when it's really only 70-72 and 69 was different. if you replace all the components then yes, it works for 69 but if you're mixing with oem parts, they don't work together.
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#3
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#4
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I have original GM ralley II lug nuts on my car and they look exactly like the new lug nut on the right in your picture. I have seen the Ames lug nuts and they aren't even close to being correct. I assume that the nut on the right is a new Inline Tube nut? If so you have made the right choice...they look dead nuts correct to my eye. I've run 3 sets of original GM nuts on my car over the last 47 years and they all looked like the pic on the right. The only difference is
that original nuts had a more frosty finish on the chrome, not a show smooth as glass finish like in your picture, but I doubt anyone would notice that once they are installed. Last edited by gtohurstjudge; 02-13-2018 at 02:57 PM. |
#5
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Sorry, but I beg to differ there hurst, here's a pair of original rally 2 lug nuts I pulled off my 69 back in 1986 and they look like the one on the left, not that inline repro one on the right. go to page 110 in the zazarine resto guide and he's got a clean picture of them there too, same as the ones I pictured and what's on the left in the original picture
Last edited by gto4evr; 02-13-2018 at 09:26 PM. |
#6
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There must have been more than 1 supplier for these nuts from GM.
The nuts on my car were purchased from a Pontiac dealer in 1985 and they look like the inline tube nuts. |
#7
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Sorry gto4evr but I beg to differ. Page 110 of the resto guide clearly looks like the ones originally posted on the right (inline tube) Also your original ones look to me like page 110, they also look like the original ones I have. Inline tubes do look shorter than the Ames repos. The Ames repos have the corners beveled, Inline tube, the resto guide, your original, my originals ALL have a flat top. The only deformation is from lug wrenches and impacts. I have included some pictures. The early (non inline tube) reproduction is on the left and the know original is on the right.
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#8
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??? I guess I'm missing something here. I feel like you're proving my point with the pictures, not contradicting it. My main issue with how bad the inline ones look compared to the originals isn't even the top, it's the two slices and the band betwen them around the base. the Inline ones are CLEARLY different there as well as being shorter than the originals. if I was to pick between the two, The Ames version is clearly closer to an original than the inline version.
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#9
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To clarify why I think the Inline tube lug nut looks more correct is because of the head. I don't think either reproduction has the shaft right, but the head is what you would see the most once installed.
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#10
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I got my '69 Judge in the late 70's and some of the lug nuts on it are very old, and some were replaced in the very early 80's if they did not look good. I have the back wheels off, and all 10 are the LONGER style lugs. I also have 2 lugs in the original GM plastic package--packaged individually with the group/part numbers on the packages. I believe that I bought these in the mid/late 80's as spares. And believe it or not, they are the SHORT style! I also have a complete set purchased more than 10 years ago advertised as originals which are all NOS and the longer style.
Obviously, GM has sold BOTH the longer and shorter styles because I have some of both which were purchased from a Pontiac dealership by me starting in the late 70's. Just from what I have, I would guess that the longer style might be an older style which GM replaced with the shorter style at a later time. Another guess is that the longer style came on most/all of our cars originally. I believe that the Inline Tube lug looks just like the shorter style in the GM package that I have. I would never have looked at this w/o this thread.
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My Wife: "I thought I married a sophisticated business man, but what I actually got was a redneck fisherman with muscle cars." Some people know all of their rights, but none of their obligations. Last edited by Bet Winner; 02-20-2018 at 11:49 PM. |
#11
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For whatever reason the shorter style has the lower bevel machined flat. I can see chrome plating on them and the surface is completely flat, so it isn't some hack with a grinder. With millions of these lug nuts made I'm sure GM had different suppliers throughout the 60's to 80's.
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#12
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Interesting. All things considered, the Inline repros seem little nicer. Once they're on the car they look about the same.
__________________
Ken '68 GTO - Ram Air II 464 - 236/242 roller - 9.5” TSP converter - Moser 3.55 Truetrac (build thread | walk around) '95 Comp T/A #6 M6 - bone stock (pics) |
#13
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Not sure if mine are original or not. I bought my car about 28 years ago and I don't remember if they were selling repro one's back then, but I just bought a new set from Ames and they are the same ones that were on my car. The old set and the new set look like the picture on the left.
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#14
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I think I have some original lug nuts & some that I bought from Ames about 12 years ago.
I'll look to see if I can find them. I thought they were dang near identical though. As far as inline tube, its very bittersweet. I love that they offer so many individual one off parts that others just don't have. HOWEVER, I loathe the fact that every part they have is........ "an exact GM oem replacement" They seem to be in such a hurry to market so many parts they don't take the time, or the care to really verify what's correct & what isn't. In fact if you ask me that's doing a little harm to the hobby. So many people putting trust into some of these parts that pretty soon the guys with the correct & original parts will actually be considered to have the wrong & incorrect parts are their cars without ever touching them.... There are several parts I plan to order soon from inline tube, but I feel like buying their parts is like being at a swap meet. Better do your own homework, rather than take the guy under the tents word for what he is selling.
__________________
68 GTO 4-spd Convertible 78 S/E Trans am L78, WS6 Auto 78 S/E Trans am W72, WS6 Auto 79 10th aniv W72 Trans am 80 Indy pace car Trans am 89 Trans am GTA |
#15
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"So many people putting trust into some of these parts that pretty soon the guys with the correct & original parts will actually be considered to have the wrong & incorrect parts are their cars without ever touching them...."
Kind of like the Buick air cleaner decal that has become the norm on restorations.... |
#16
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#17
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Maybe my tool box
__________________
68 GTO 4-spd Convertible 78 S/E Trans am L78, WS6 Auto 78 S/E Trans am W72, WS6 Auto 79 10th aniv W72 Trans am 80 Indy pace car Trans am 89 Trans am GTA |
#18
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If you have a 60's Frigidaire refrigerator, they used blue GM decals on the door liners. Not sure if they're the same.
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be a simple...kinda man. |
#19
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I just came across inline's ad on ebay and their pictures are the standard "Ames" style repops and not the ones the OP got.
Again with inline's claims these are "EXACT" "These lug nuts were used on all Pontiac's with rally wheels. These will also fit later cars. These are an exact reproduction of the original in the same material and thickness as the original." https://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-70-Pon...9aeFyV&vxp=mtr So a picture that doesn't match what they ship you based on what Verdoro got from them. Either they changed suppliers and didn't update the picture or they've got multiple suppliers and you get what you get when they fill an order. |
#20
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FWIW, I found a pic of a wheel I took of my car back in 1991. The lugs match the ones I took off. I also notice the Resto guide picture specifies '67 in the picture. Any possibility '67 was unique and that's what these repos are based off?
__________________
Ken '68 GTO - Ram Air II 464 - 236/242 roller - 9.5” TSP converter - Moser 3.55 Truetrac (build thread | walk around) '95 Comp T/A #6 M6 - bone stock (pics) |
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