Hot Rods LET'S CRITIQUE WHEELS - New Repro Wheels that do or don't

In the photo that Phillips posted, the new SS looks pretty good from an angle. I guess the point of the post is; are there any new wheels that are better. 99% of the public wouldn't know the difference. I would, so that's what matters.

I saw a video that friend posted of his old muscle car. The old SS looked great. I could see the curved spokes shine as it pulled out of the driveway. I had some good times in the 1970's.


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Just call us we can narrow a 15x8 to 15x6 it will have a 2" BS and look like a 1 piece wheel from the face side.

 

I don't think they are reversed.

 

I'll bet the change was to make it easier to polish the centers for chroming.

 

Hi. I have a set of wheels that are just odd. I tried researching but cant find any information on them. 17x9 Id apreciate any input. Thanks

 

This is 100% correct.....the problem is that most of the new wheel manufactures are building their wheels to fit under muscle car rear fenders. Hot rod wheels look best with the deep dish looking rear wheels......the small back space and the deep dish front offset prevent them from fitting under the muscle car rear fenders.
Also the narrow front wheels being built now look too deep dish, with too little back space. Both of the above problems also include ALL the new repro steel (1940 Ford style) wheels too! To get steel wheels for both front and back of a hot rod with the correct look require "special orders"! With cast wheels, it would require new molds.....with steel wheels it would require someone that knows HOT RODS to be making the decisions as to where to locate the wheel centers before the worker welds them in.

 

Here are my US Indy mag, 15x5 and 15x8 165/80/15 and 275/60/15 Drag Radials, looking for something lighter in slots. But wheels are repros, right down to correct boxes

 

That was pretty common; in fact, peeling is an issue with just about any plated aluminum wheel and many parts. Unless the manufacturer spends the money for proper fixturing during the plating process (and very few do because of the expense), the plating ends up very thin in all recessed areas. I've owned two set of wheels with plated aluminum, and I'll never own another. Cragar never spent the money....

A tip: if you have chrome-plated aluminum wheels, never store them where they can get damp (if only from dew or high humidity) or allow them to remain wet when your not driving.

Way 'back in the day', I found out you could inexpensively plate aluminum; the process had filtered down to 'everyday' plating shops. As I was in the process of chopping a XS-1 Yamaha twin, I figured on having at least some of the poorly-polished aluminum plated. I checked around, prices were pretty close everywhere, so I used a shop out on Harbor Island in Seattle. When I found out how cheap it was, I had virtually every piece done (and even re-did some of the steel parts)… Total cost.... $350... yep, those were the days.... But that was almost half of my monthly income at the time.

Anyway, I'm showing the guy my parts and he says to me (this was a dirty, grizzled guy with a cigar stub in his mouth... old, at least 50... LOL)… 'Kid, plated aluminum is like a teen hooker. It's great when it's new, but just doesn't age well'... He recommended just polishing to a mirror finish, but no, I had to have the shiny shit like in the magazines. Shoulda listened.... oh well.

I've never forgot that, and in the 40+ years since he said that, he's always been right... in the long run. Not to say I haven't had other aluminum bits plated; I have. But I'm a lot more selective about it. And I've had far more plating failures on aluminum compared to steel, all else being equal.

 

They look to be modelled on Radir's however they only have a centre rib and not three. Plus Radir's aren't available in that size.

 

Good info


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The whole lot was purchased by an Aussie in Perth and then sold off in Australia


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ET Vintage V 15 x 4's on the front along with 15 x 10 Torq Thrusts on the rear. Sandblasted and painted with Dark Gray chaulked paint make them look like old Magnesium wheels.