Pontiac met its end in 2010 due to corporate restructuring at General Motors but left a mark just the same. In its 84 years of existence, the now-defunct automaker produced numerous iconic muscle cars that people continue to identify and connect with, for reasons ranging from their cool, sporty styling to their strong performance. For devoted Pontiac fans with a particular interest in the 1960s classic Pontiac cars, the wheel design is also often a point of keen interest.
****
Between 1960 and 1968, Pontiac 8-lug wheels were offered as a $120 factory option or dealer accessory on full-size Pontiac models — such as the Pontiac Bonneville, Grand Prix, and Catalina — and had a unique design that appealed not only in looks but also from a utilitarian standpoint. Before disc brakes became a mainstay on cars, most ’60s vehicles, including Pontiacs, were equipped with drum brakes, which tended to suffer from brake fade under extreme conditions due to poor heat dissipation.
To counteract this problem, Kelsey-Hayes manufactured the 14-inch, eight-lug wheel sets for Pontiac. The Clayton Leach-designed wheels were more like rims, and finned aluminum brake drums with cast-iron liners that were part of the wheel hub assembly acted as the wheel center instead of steel. This open wheel design choice allowed air to circulate more freely around the drums, helping to dissipate brake heat and reduce fade. Hence, the Pontiac 8-lug wheels provided a functional and aesthetic solution, so much so that many people still consider them to be some of the best and most beautiful automotive designs ever made.
****
