1972 LeMans/GTO Options: HoneyComb Wheels

                                                                   By: Patrick Smith

    For 1971 Pontiac brought out a new 455 HO round port engine to show off in the Trans Am and GTO. What better time to bring out a new set of optional mag wheels? Billed as RPO 478/ PO5, the Honeycomb wheel was available as optional equipment on the Firebird Trans Am and Pontiac GTO. To get the wheels you had to order either a 2387, 2487 or 2687 sales coded V8 powered Firebird. For the GTO, the Honeycombs were optional equipment available in Firebirds, Esprits, Formulas with the Handling Package. The Trans Am did not have trim rings included. For 1971 only the center caps were plain finished without the arrowhead. The special pattern was molded using Goodyear Neothane bonded over a welded steel disc in the center of a mag wheel. It was supposed to look like a fancy forged alloy wheel which is what designer Bill Porterfield was going for looks wise. At the time it was decided that making the wheels as alloy forgings was too expensive and GM went with this concept instead.

A set of 15 inch honeycomb wheels with center caps and trim rings.

    For 1972. the polycast wheel returned and was offered as optional equipment on Firebirds. Esprits, Formulas and was standard issue with Trans Ams. Polycast wheels were optional on Grand Prix, LeMans, T-37, and GTOs. For 1972 a new centercap was issued with the Pontiac arrowhead included. As before, no trim rings were included with Trans Ams or any cars equipped with the Handling Package which was a mandatory option to get these wheels.

  For 1973, PO5 wheel is offered once again on the Firebird and LeMans series as well as the Grand Prix. A new model, Grand Am is offered this wheel as well. Of interest is the availability of Honeycombs on LeMans Safari which is a station wagon. This year the wheel is available with trim rings. 1974 continues the Honeycomb offering for Firebird, LeMans, Grand Am and Grand Prix. Some restrictions were made for the LeMans series. You had to order the Radial Tuned Suspension package to get the Honeycomb wheels. The Trans Am of course used these as standard equipment.

  1971 is the first year the Honeycomb is issued in both 14 and 5 inch sizes. Using the same RPO code, wheel difference is distinguished with the tire sales code.By 1975, the Honeycomb is available on all models except the Ventura, Astre and full size series which used a larger 5x5 bolt pattern which wasn't made for Honeycombs. This is the last full year of Honeycomb production as it isn't listed in the 1976 accessories catalog.
 

These are the 1971 honeycomb center caps. Note the plain surface areas. part number is 9791068.

Applications and ID: Honeycombs have been available on Trans Ams and Grand Prixs right up to the end of 1976. They were available LeMans cars as well. Was there a difference in codes between the wheels issued on GPs and those on TAs and GTOs other than the obvious date codes? If you find parts still in boxes or with tags on them you will be able to figure out what they're for, otherwise you're kind of stuck. For reference only, here are some part numbers on the wheels, center caps and trim rings from the 1971-72 era.
1971 15x7 honeycomb wheel pn 483084 center cap: 9791068 trim ring: 490771
1971 14x7 honeycomb wheel pn 484425-center cap: 9791068 trim ring:483250
1972 15x7 honeycomb wheel pn 484425-center cap: 9795568 trim ring: 490771
So yes, in 1971 the 14x7 wheel used a special trim ring. I don't know what the difference was between it and the superceded part. There were no full size car honeycombs made in the 1970s, none exist with a 5x5 bolt pattern.
 Sizes Part Numbers and Codes:
 14 x 7 inch wheel      sales code 478 RPO PO5
  wheel code, none given. part number: 483084 released 1971. Available on Firebird, Grand Prix, LeMans and Tempest.
 15 x 7 inch wheel sales code 478 RPO PO5
  wheel codes,  HP. KP, NP  released 1971 available on Trans Am model only initially as standard equipment, made optional due to fears of supply shortages.
part number: 497154
Available optional equipment for  Firebird, Grand Prix, LeMans, Tempest.
   

These are the 1972 and later style honeycomb center caps. The 1971 center cap is plain and has a different part number.

           1972 and up Wheel center caps part number: 9795568 with arrowhead.
Problems and Usual Wear:
 It's fairly common to encounter worn paint surfaces on honeycomb wheels. They were sprayed onto a dull black polycast mold over a steel wheel. Distortion of the center cap hole is also common. Some can be repaired and put back into service, others cannot. Repainting the wheels usually involved blasting away the old paint and prepping the black polycast medium for new paint with a flex agent. The correct paint formula for your honeycomb will depend on the original finish., Some such as the Hurst Grand Prix and SE Trans Ams were gold. Most were argent silver.

A honeycomb wheel with distorted center cap hole. These are repairable to some degree but I consider this one
to be marginal. This, paint loss and damaged holes from nuts cutting into the polycast material can make
restoring a set expensive. Find the best condition wheels you can.

  The trim rings for honey comb wheels look similar to the style used on the  1970s Chevrolet Camaro Z28 wheels but are not interchangeable. The Camaro trim ring is shaped differently and will not fit the wheel properly. Reproduction Pontiac Honeycomb wheel trim rings are available now. They aren't cheap but at least it is out there. The Parts Place sells them as do other vendors.There is a trick to installing these trim rings. See the following text below for a smooth, drama free install. 
   There's a trick to it. The secret is in the trim ring tabs on the back. The ring has four tabs. Each tab has two outer fingers and one curved inner finger. The inner finger is what you have to get pushed under and inside the steel lip of the rim. The outer fingers grab onto the outer wheel lip.

 

Trim rings are available now but costly.

So, how do you do this feat? You start by pushing in the inner clip on one side. The wheel trim ring will be elliptical at this point, going on a rising arc and away from the rim. Slide along to the next tab, using a rat tail file with wooden handle and a hammer, tap the middle finger hard while applying light pressure on the steel trim ring above that tab. If you do it right, she'll pop int place. A tip to help you; rub a small amount of vaseline on the center tab. This will make it slip below the rim lip easier. You could have someone use gentle foot pressure on the trim ring as you pop in that center tab with the hammer and drift. Try it first alone using your free hand. It shouldn't take much pressure.

I used clear RTV sealant on each center cap finger and on the inner core to hold these in place. It also keeps
theives from walking away with your center caps. They aren't going ANYWHERE once it dries. Yet, it is easy to free
them using an Xacto knife blade when you change tires.

  Another useful hint. Those center caps are something like $70 apiece. Only three fingers hold them in place against the inner steel hub. Centrifugal force will hold them in place at speed but there's nothing to guard them from prying five finger discounters from stealing one. You can keep those center caps to yourself by using dabs of clear bathroom RTV sealant on each finger before installing and adding more dabs on the inside and spreading it around to meet the initial dab on the finger contacting the steel hub. That way it's 360 degree surrounded by silicone. When it dries, no one is going to cut those loose without a hassle. Unless you leave it out overnight or something. It should piss them off enough to give up. Will definitely buy you enough time to catch the creep and give him a knuckle sandwich.
  * Article (c) 2017 by Patrick Smith PHS Collector Cars Y Code LeMans and GTO Registry

 material collated from "Hot Options: Honeycomb wheels" by Patrick Smith and 

research.