1970-1981 Trans Am Honeycomb Wheel Restoration

The wheel that defines the second-gen Trans Am

The "Honeycomb" wheel — Pontiac's distinctive 14×7 (and later 15×7 and 15×8) cast aluminum wheel with a multi-cell hexagonal pattern in the center — was a defining visual element of the 1970-1981 Trans Am. The wheel was offered as a factory option on the Trans Am from 1970, became the default Trans Am wheel through most of the run, and is one of the most-recognized OEM aftermarket-style wheels of any American performance car of the era.

If you're restoring a Trans Am to factory-correct or near-factory-correct trim, the Honeycomb wheel is a major visual element. Original wheels in restorable condition are increasingly rare and expensive; reproduction wheels are widely available but vary in fidelity to the factory original.

Identifying genuine factory Honeycomb wheels

Factory Honeycomb wheels have specific markings:

• Casting number on the back of the wheel (varies by year, but typically a 5-digit number cast into the wheel). Cross-reference against the Pontiac Owners Association factory parts list.
• Wheel size markings in the casting (e.g. "14×7" or "15×7" or "15×8"). The 14×7 and 15×7 versions were 1970-1976 production; the 15×8 appeared on later Trans Am cars (1977-1981) for the wider tires.
• Date code sometimes cast onto the wheel — typically a year/month code. Original wheels from 1970-1972 are smaller production runs and slightly more valuable.
• Centercap design — factory caps had specific Pontiac arrowhead/Trans Am styling that varied by year. Caps for 1970-1972 cars are different from 1977-1981 cars.

Aftermarket reproduction Honeycombs typically don't have the factory casting numbers and may use slightly different alloy compositions, weight, or surface finish. Visually they can look identical but won't match a serial restoration to original-build standards.

Common condition issues on original Honeycombs

50+ year old aluminum wheels in regular use have predictable failure modes:

• Curb rash / outer-edge scuffs — bumping curbs damages the lip. Repairable with refinishing for ~$100-300 per wheel at a competent wheel shop.
• Pitting on the polished or machined faces — common after exposure to road salt or moisture. Severe pitting requires media blasting and refinishing.
• Cracks at lug holes — failure point on heavily-used wheels. Cracks are deal-breakers; the wheel is unsafe and requires replacement.
• Bent or out-of-true wheels — common after pothole hits. Out-of-round wheels can sometimes be straightened; severely bent wheels are scrap.
• Center cap loss or damage — original caps are sought after; reproductions are widely available.

Restoration options

Option 1: Refinish original wheels

Best for wheels in good basic condition without cracks:

1. Inspect for cracks at lug holes and stress points.
2. Media blast to remove surface oxidation and old finish.
3. Re-machine any damaged surfaces.
4. Polish or anodize to factory-correct finish (most factory Honeycomb finishes were natural machined or polished aluminum, sometimes with a clear coat).
5. Reinstall centercap (factory or reproduction).

Cost: $250-450 per wheel at a competent wheel restoration shop. For four wheels, plan $1000-1800 total.

Option 2: Buy reproduction Honeycomb wheels

Several manufacturers produce reproduction Honeycomb wheels:

• Wheel Vintiques — well-regarded reproduction options
• Year One — Trans Am-specific Honeycomb reproductions
• Several other regional vendors

Quality varies. Some reproductions match the factory original closely; others are thinner, lighter, or use less-correct alloy. For a numbers-matching restoration, original-condition wheels are still preferred. For a driver-quality restoration, reproductions are perfectly acceptable.

Cost: $250-500 per wheel for reproduction Honeycombs.

Option 3: Source clean original wheels

Original Honeycomb wheels in clean condition trade between $200-600 per wheel depending on size, year, and finish quality. Sources:

• Pontiac-specific forums (Trans Am Country, Pontiac Owners Association classifieds)
• eBay listings for original wheels (verify condition carefully)
• Estate sales of long-time Pontiac owners
• Junkyard pulls — increasingly rare but possible

For a serial restoration, sourcing four matching original wheels with verified casting numbers is preferable to mixing originals with reproductions or starting over with all-new reproductions.

Tire fitment considerations

The Honeycomb wheel was originally fitted with specific tire sizes:

• 14×7 wheel: F60-14 or F70-14 bias-ply (original); modern equivalent is approximately P215/70R14 radial.
• 15×7 wheel: F60-15 or F70-15 bias-ply (original); modern equivalent is approximately P225/70R15 or P235/70R15 radial.
• 15×8 wheel: GR70-15 bias-ply (original); modern equivalent is approximately P245/60R15 radial.

If you're restoring to factory-correct standards, check tire pressure recommendations carefully — the factory door-jamb sticker will list pressures for original bias-ply tires. Modern radials of equivalent size run 4-6 PSI higher than the factory bias-ply spec for the same load. Don't run modern radials at the bias-ply pressure (this is the same gotcha discussed in our Corvette C3 tire pressure article).

Lug nut considerations

The Honeycomb wheel uses a conical (60-degree) lug nut seat — the same as factory steel wheels of the era. Standard Pontiac lug nut torque applies (typically 80 ft-lb for second-gen Firebird, but verify against your specific year and weight class).

If you mix Honeycomb wheels with aftermarket lug nuts that have a different seat type (ball-seat or flat-seat), you'll damage the wheel hub. Always use conical-seat lug nuts with Honeycomb wheels.

When to deviate from factory-correct restoration

You don't have to use Honeycomb wheels even on a Trans Am. Common alternatives:

• Snowflake wheels — also a factory Pontiac option, slightly different aesthetic.
• Period-correct American Racing wheels — popular hot-rodder choice for the era.
• Modern aftermarket alloy wheels — for restomod builds, often 17"+ for modern tire fitment.

For a non-numbers-matching driver Trans Am, the Honeycomb wheel is still the iconic choice but isn't strictly required.

A reminder on safety

This is general restoration knowledge, not factory shop manual data. Aluminum wheels with cracks, severe pitting, or extensive curb damage are unsafe and require replacement, not refinishing. Always inspect carefully before reinstalling restored wheels — wheel failure under load is a high-stakes failure mode. When in doubt, have a wheel-specific shop inspect the wheels for structural integrity before reinstalling.