Question about WS6 wheels

[General Mopars]

Hi all, sorry I haven’t posted here in a while. I hope everyone is well. I have a black ‘78 Trans Am that I’ve been sitting on and not really doing anything with for absolutely no reason. I’m finally turning my attention to it and I’d like to add the 8” wheels just for personal preference. It’s got 7” snowflakes now and I think with fresh paint and graphics they’ll look a bit dull.  When I looked at the reproductions online, it seems like only the interior webbing is painted but the rim and outward facing surface of the wheels are all aluminum. I seem to recall other versions of these wheels where the whole thing is gold save for just the outer part of the rim. Am I inventing that? Do these exist? I remember 78ta.com having some information on that but I just checked and the links seem to be down.

[Wallington]

The first WS6 15x8 rims were in 1978, and were painted all over gold with machined lip only. The spokes were not machined.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52055&d=1146885886

[General Mopars]

Thanks, that’s what I remember.

Anyone sell this version with the bright gold?

[Wallington]

No, don't think so. It would be as easy as masking up the edge and respraying. Then get the edge machined only. A lot cheaper, ideal for old rough rims. Originals obviously also had rough cast spokes rather than machined then painted, but that's for the restoration guys. They were still code 55 Gold. That faded old pic makes them look similar to the Code 50 car gold, if either was even original.

[Warren Seale]

The first WS6 15x8 rims were in 1978, and were painted all over gold with machined lip only. The spokes were not machined.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52055&d=1146885886

The faces were machined later in the 78 model year.  I don't know what month they switched over.

[firebirdparts]

Is there any evidence for that?  When those wheels were used on what has been an issue for argument as long as I can remember (but I thought needlessly so).  Brochure art was the genesis of the consternation, I thought, showing the 79 wheels in the 78 preproduction brochure.

I have the 78 car distribution bulletins and a bunch of parts books, and I never found any hints of a except that it has to be late.  There is a car distribution bulletin about it, for clarification (not a change), dated march 9, 1978.  This bulletin says the ws6 wheel "is painted solid gold including the ribbed edges.  The 7" cast aluminum wheel has silver polished ribbed edges rather than being painted solid gold."  That's getting reasonably late.  They weren't too brilliant with choice of words either.

That's the last bulletin I have, and naturally, I don't know what I don't know.  I don't have the 79 bulletins, and I might be missing the proper 78 one.

[General Mopars]

Well, my '78 has Hurst Hatches, so I'll consider it an "early" car. Besides, the newer wheels just don't have enough gold for a Y84 scheme in my opinion.

[mrbandit]

I don't know if I would consider hurst hatches as an indicator of an early production, as they were not dealer installed and the Gen1 setup was available up to 81' when the recall that went to Gen2 design.

As for the solid gold paint.  In 2000 there was a 1978 55k 4spd black TA hoodbird delete owned by the local hobby shop guy.  He bought it brand new after selling his brewster green 73 sd car.  I know, not a good switch, but in 78 it may not have seemed that way.  That 78 had the solid gold webbings.  A guy that lives down the road from me now bought it in 2001 for $5500.  He had it painted and sadly had the wheels refinished and the paint removed.  The car was bought in Wilson NC.  Oddly enough during that same time period there was a guy that lived a mile from the hobby shop with a Y88 and it also had the solid painted webbings.  The motor was blown on that car and the owner wouldn't sell it.

My account is not proof, but all I have to offer to the discussion.