Buick Skylark Wire Wheels

Steve Drale's 1958 Cadillac Brougham

Howard Gribble's 1966 Buick Riviera of Torrance, California. Built as a purpose-built show car, Howard's Riviera, dubbed The Uneasy Rider, featured shaved handles, hydraulics by Dick Saller, and a custom Fuschia and Silver Metalflake and veil paint job by Bill Carter and Walt Prey, the car made a splash on the indoor show scene when it was completed early in 1969. When it came to the wheels, Howard wanted Skylark wheels because it was a Buick. “They just seemed like the right wheels for it.” Skylark wheels were rare, and they only rolled on the limited Buick Skylark model from the mid-1950s. Howard had no idea where to get a set. “I went to Mr. M. He didn’t have em, because they were not in production then.” As luck would have it, Mike knew a guy who had five wheels. “He said I would need five because some of the spokes might be broken.” Howard believed he paid 175 dollars for the five wheels, “and they were kind of rusty, you know.” After disassembly and chroming, the pieces were taken to a specialist in Signal Hill to be "laced". A considerable cost, but it was all worth it for a classy lowrider Rivie. Howard still recalled the name of the specialist, Joe Worsey, and he remembered him telling him that he took the wheels home at night, lacing them while he was watching TV. Within a couple of years, several clones of varying quality would be available on the market. When Howard got the wheels back, he discovered that the center of the hubcap that was on the car when he got it was a round black medallion that had an R on it for Riviera. If he took that off the hubcap, it fit right in the hub of the wire wheels. “Perfect!” He ran tires with dual white stripes. “Those were the tires that came with the car. I thought they looked pretty good, so I just kept them.” Though plagued by mechanical issues, the Riviera left a lasting impression before Howard sold it around 1971. He last saw the car at a show shortly after it was traded for Allen Duke's Bloody Mary.

Cars Featuring Buick Skylark Wire Wheels

Steve Drale's 1958 Cadillac Brougham
Howard Gribble's 1966 Buick Riviera - Uneasy Rider