'63 M-code coupe factory wheels

[63BigBird]

Is there anyway of knowing what original wheels, or wheels and hub caps were used on a 1963 M-code coupe? The build date is October 18th, 1962. When I bought the car last year it only had black steel wheels. No hub caps... This car is in the Thunderbird registry, and it looks the same as it did in the picture, in the registry. There it has what appears to be the same black steel wheels that are still on the car now. I imagine that Kelsey Hayes wires wheels were not used on coupes. Can anyone share some knowledge about the coupe wheels?

Thanks in advance

[Ducksface]

M code hadn't a thing to do with wheels.
Three choices.
Wheel covers.
Deluxe wheel covers.
Kelsey wires.
(Possibly a 4th...maybe a delete was possible....)

Buy the gate release and invoice/window sticker.

How do you know it's an m code?

My car is in the registry and it's not original....

And I have an intake and 202 dated c2 carbs complete, just sitting around....

[Alan H. Tast]

Chances are it was originally delivered with steel wheels and either the standard full wheel covers or the optional 'Deluxe' covers with the same spinners used on '63 Sports Roadsters. The Deluxe covers were both a factory and a dealer option, as were the wire wheels.

The 14"x5.5" steel rims were the same for all T-bird models and go back to 1962. The '58-'61 wheels had a smaller center hub opening.
viewtopic.php?p=135882&hilit=wheels+1963#p135882

The gate releases/invoices are only available in '62-'63 for convertibles and Sports Roadsters - the person who was 'entrusted' with the original invoices threw the Hardtop and Landau copies in the dumpster in 1975-1976.

[63BigBird]

M code hadn't a thing to do with wheels.
Three choices.
Wheel covers.
Deluxe wheel covers.
Kelsey wires.
(Possibly a 4th...maybe a delete was possible....)

Buy the gate release and invoice/window sticker.

How do you know it's an m code?

My car is in the registry and it's not original....

And I have an intake and 202 dated c2 carbs complete, just sitting around....

Ducksface
You guys verified the car in my 1st post last year. William Wonder was the person that discovered the car and added it to the registry in February 2003. Most recently it was verified by James Cappuzzo on the VTCI Facebook page. You were the 1st one to comment on my post asking a question about M-codes. It's also in the M-code section of the Thunderbird restoration book by William Wonder. Alan Tast provided most of the photos for the book, if not all of them. (I've only read the 1961-1963 Thunderbird section).

[63BigBird]

Chances are it was originally delivered with steel wheels and either the standard full wheel covers or the optional 'Deluxe' covers with the same spinners used on '63 Sports Roadsters. The Deluxe covers were both a factory and a dealer option, as were the wire wheels.

The 14"x5.5" steel rims were the same for all T-bird models and go back to 1962. The '58-'61 wheels had a smaller center hub opening.
viewtopic.php?p=135882&hilit=wheels+1963#p135882

The gate releases/invoices are only available in '62-'63 for convertibles and Sports Roadsters - the person who was 'entrusted' with the original invoices threw the Hardtop and Landau copies in the dumpster in 1975-1976.

Alan,

Thank you for the information. That's a bummer about the gate releases/invoices not being available for coupes. It would have been pretty cool to see the information.

[Alan H. Tast]

Chances are it was originally delivered with steel wheels and either the standard full wheel covers or the optional 'Deluxe' covers with the same spinners used on '63 Sports Roadsters. The Deluxe covers were both a factory and a dealer option, as were the wire wheels.

The 14"x5.5" steel rims were the same for all T-bird models and go back to 1962. The '58-'61 wheels had a smaller center hub opening.
viewtopic.php?p=135882&hilit=wheels+1963#p135882

The gate releases/invoices are only available in '62-'63 for convertibles and Sports Roadsters - the person who was 'entrusted' with the original invoices threw the Hardtop and Landau copies in the dumpster in 1975-1976.

Alan,

Thank you for the information. That's a bummer about the gate releases/invoices not being available for coupes. It would have been pretty cool to see the information.

That's why it's important to find a copy of the ROT/build sheet, especially when the gate release isn't available. Information to decode the ROT/build sheet is in VTCI's 1961-1963 Original Factory Specifications (OFS) Manual - it would have a box/code for how the car was scheduled to be built, i.e. whether it came with standard or Deluxe wheel covers and whether or not it was fitted with fender skirts.

[63BigBird]

Chances are it was originally delivered with steel wheels and either the standard full wheel covers or the optional 'Deluxe' covers with the same spinners used on '63 Sports Roadsters. The Deluxe covers were both a factory and a dealer option, as were the wire wheels.

The 14"x5.5" steel rims were the same for all T-bird models and go back to 1962. The '58-'61 wheels had a smaller center hub opening.
viewtopic.php?p=135882&hilit=wheels+1963#p135882

The gate releases/invoices are only available in '62-'63 for convertibles and Sports Roadsters - the person who was 'entrusted' with the original invoices threw the Hardtop and Landau copies in the dumpster in 1975-1976.

Alan,

Thank you for the information. That's a bummer about the gate releases/invoices not being available for coupes. It would have been pretty cool to see the information.

That's why it's important to find a copy of the ROT/build sheet, especially when the gate release isn't available. Information to decode the ROT/build sheet is in VTCI's 1961-1963 Original Factory Specifications (OFS) Manual - it would have a box/code for how the car was scheduled to be built, i.e. whether it came with standard or Deluxe wheel covers and whether or not it was fitted with fender skirts.

I actually ordered the the 1961-1963 OFS color version from the Country Store yesterday before I made this post. I have also looked under the back seat with crossed fingers, hoping to find a copy of the build sheet like some people have found over the years, but no luck.