History Need help to ID unknown Magnesium spindle mount wheels

Scored on this set of spindle mount wheels at a swap meet this past weekend for $300. I know they are magnesium and they measure 17" x 1 3/4". Interestingly they have not been drilled for valve stems but the rest of the wheel is finish machined. I believe they are NOS. I have never seen another pair like them. They do not have a name cast in anywhere. The only thing I could find is a very small logo... smaller than the size of a dime. Looks like a circle with an inset star set on top of a flag/banner. Any ideas?

 

1 3/4" wide ??? Really? Sounds like a motorcycle wheel

 

I'm thinking it's a MW on its side....so my guess is Motorwheel...similar logo in this ad

 

Will it fit an Anglia spindle? That is the only way I could see them being worth anything. are the measurements at the bead or total? Even if they fit an Anglia spindle, they could only be run on a dragster based on the tire limitation....If the wheels are exactly alike and you bought them in a pair, it would be odd that they are motorcycle...

 

The spokes resemble the Cobra Halibrands but elongated.

 

Motorcycle/moped/scooter wheel - probably a thin-wall die casting, looks like it could be from one of the many asian bike manufacturers and probably not robust enough to take the load if adapted to run on the front of a car.

Steve

 

If it's a motorcycle wheel, where are the provisions for brakes or a drive sprocket? Could be a wheel for a motorcycle trailer (for towing behind a bike) as I have seen some oddball cast wheels on more than a few trailers. Or could even be an industrial cart wheel. I'll agree, it doesn't look automotive-related...

 

i think motorcycle wheel but what do i know

 

Maybe the same Motorwheel company that made the "Flys" that were popular in the '70's??
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/motor-rim-wheel-co.705277/

 

Yes....Motorwheel made all sorts of wheels....OE....and mags in aluminum and magnesium...cars and motorcycle..

 

Since it hasn't been drilled for a valve stem a**** other things the hub surface could still be waiting to be drilled for the sprocket and brake. That small of a wheel it would probably be for a moped type bike.

 

The wheels on the front of my dragster are only 1 1/4" wide (1969 Don Long)

Roo

 

If the bearing bore is the same on both sides,, it's probably MC stuff

 

Really? What diameter? tire size must be TINY

 

Don,
they are the normal 17 dragster size and when I got the car they had 2.75 tires although the original fitment from Long was a 2.25 Avon. Overall diameter is 22", again pretty much the standard for dragsters.
Jon Hansen at Hayden Wheels currently lists Akront rims at 1.20/1.4/1.6 and 1.85 widths.

Roo

 

Was just in a shop that builds cacklefest and retro funny cars....and he had a 1967 vintage dragster with the skinniest front wire wheels....tires had to be 3" wide max....these wheels are probably similar era dragster...

 

A little hard to tell from the photo but the far side does appear to be smaller. For an Anglia spindle (the standard for most dragsters built after the mid 60's) the overall hub width would be approx 3" to the outside of the bearing/race registers.

Roo

 

Back in the twin motor gas dragster days, you could not run spoke wheels and had to run cast wheels. the cars were set up for the 17" rim and up until now the only thing you saw was the 12 spoke 17". Maybe somebody was trying to get into the very small market with this one. Finished or not -- it was a good score on those wheels for that price

 

Thanks. I used to own a motorcycle wheel company, hence my curiosity. A 2.75 is way too big for a 1.25" rim, the 2.25 is better for sure. The Akront's are of course designed for motorcycles so the skinny rim makes sense there.

 

Google moped wheels. Then images my money's on moped wheels.

Sent from my MB886 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Any suggestions as to why someone would go to the trouble of making real magnesium wheels ($$$) for mopeds which are generally a cut price version of a motorcycle? I guess that there are most likely people who race mopeds (probably in Europe or Japan) but these wheels were found in the good old USA.

If the OP could post the bearing register sizes we may have a better chance of figuring out if they were meant for Anglia (or early Ford) spindles.

Roo

 

Bruce, all of the narrow dragster 12 spokes that I have seen have been 18". The rule that affected the doubles was the one that put an 1800 lb cap on the weight of cars with laced spoke wire wheels--no mention of front end weight, just overall.

Roo

 

Rooman, I'll be home soon to measure them. They are a sand cast wheel though, not die cast. And both are 17" diameter.

Sent from my SM-G930V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I guess "moped" means different things to different people , either way, I just don't see 17" sand cast magnesium wheels on any kind of moped.
They look lightweight and strong, and if nothing else, I'd keep them just for wall hangers.

 

I wish I had photo-shop skills like Moose, I'd love to photoshop these onto the Mooneyham and Sharp and post it. These guys would all go nuts...

 

Who pissed in your cornflakes George? Now that your "serious" post is gone I can't see which side your were on but I presume it was the moped brigade.
You may be correct but what if these are a pair of rare wheels intended for dragster use. It is not going to hurt to have the OP measure the bearing registers as they do appear to be different sizes in the one photo that he posted. There are plenty of low volume parts floating around in drag racing's history in this country, some better known like Creitz wheels etc and some that may have ended up being one offs for various reasons. Bruce (dreracecar) works in the same field as me and if ( as cynical as he can be ) he thinks that they may be the real deal I suggest that we try to find out . Participation on your part is optional.

Roo
ps They would need to be 15" to work on the 554 coupe

 

sorry for allowing reality to intrude into the HAMB...I don't know WHAT I could have been thinking...

 

17's on an Anglia spindle, The 18" that I have done were for Ford spindles

 

Okay, got some measuring done.
The back side register is 2.035 and the front side is 1.925 with a small step in front of that for a spindle seal. Both wheels are 17" and measure 1.800" to the inside of the bead. Thoughts?

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Well that does tell us that they were not likely for a two wheeled conveyance - so definitely a drag race application

More importantly do you have a 54 Pop?