So I just picked these up today. I got a pair for the rear but the guy only had a single front. They are still dirty but I cannot see any branding or makers marks cast into them. Any ideas for me to start my search for a matching skinny front would be greatly appreciated.
All maybe's.... Ansen Mags Wards Mags ET Mags US Indy Mags If you can clean up the cap - it most likely will have some etching on the center thin cap insignia that might tell.
My old ET Slotted Mags from the late 70s, early 80s had 'ET' and the size cast in the backside near the wheel lip. But the caps looked similar.
The bigger wheels may be US Indy or ? with the screw on center cap. The skinnier mag is not a US Indy for sure for the same reason
I have recently learned more about these than I ever knew before as I was looking for some. Since lots of them were marketed through lots of sources, seems they weren’t branded. I recently bought a set of 15x4 and just found some 15x8’s that seem to match. But, there are lots of variations to look for. What diameter are these? I know 14’s seem to be everywhere but 15’s are a little harder to find.
There are a couple sellers that deal with vintage wheels. I'd look thru their sites and see if They have some tips for ID'ing them, but I have a feeling that's valuable hard-won knowledge. https://akhwheels.com/wheel-categories/aluminum/ Some things to note. Valve stem location Pop in cap, not screw on I'd be very careful cleaning the backside. You might wash or scrub away details. Once you get the tire off, check for the safety bead. Nothing, J or JJ.
I am 95% sure the one with the screw on cap is either a US indy mag Or one of the store brands that US Mags made for them (think JCPenney's or Western Auto). On the back of the wheel if it is a name brand US mag it will say us mag and the size, if it is a store brand clone they normally we'll just have the size and raise lettering such as 15x8 or 14x7 something along those lines. The smaller wheel I am pretty sure is a made in Japan wheel (it will just say made in Japan on the back) which also would have been sold through numerous different stores. Edit: the plus side is with a US mag wheel with the five bolt hubcap you can get reproduction hubcaps that say "US Mags" it is a very retro looking cap. I bought my last 2 sets from a guy called the lug nut King here in Southern California but I have seen them on Amazon and eBay before. Once you put the US mag hubcap on it even if it is a store brand it's now a US mag unless somebody crawls underneath the car.
If there's no name on the back, then it probably doesn't really matter what brand they are. If you can use them, you should...they're neat wheels.
Doing some quick clean up I found printed on the back side of the biggin's R.W.I. "14" Meets SEMA Spec. 5-1 Made in USA The skinny does not have the same but only what appears to be a Mercedes emblem cast into it? Some quick searches best I can tell point towards Rocket World Industries
R.W.I. Possibly Rocket Wheel Incorporated I don't know of Mercedes ever making an factory aluminum slot wheel like that. Sure it wasn't Chrysler ?
Tri Star is probably a foundry mark. https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=650407 also has the tri star. This won't help you, but might be useful for early stuff. https://archive.armorama.com/the.sh...ta/Sherman_Foundry_Symbols_and_Trademarks.pdf
Not ET's. The ET slots were all uni-lug that used the long insert for 3 different bolt patterns. During H.S. I bought the 1st set in my town, right after they were offered. Couldn't afford Halibrands, aluminum was much more sensible on a dd, ET4's looked sorta close, so they were the choice. The polished slots looked good on my black '59 Belair. Marcus...
If you're on Facebook I have a vintage mag wheel group with some real knowledgeable people in it https://www.facebook.com/groups/712005695664330/?ref=share If you don't answer the screening question I won't let ya in. Definitely not ET or US Indy
Oh yeah I forgot your Mercedes (peace sign) is the foundry mark for Rockwell International which is who Western sold out to.
Your pair look a lot like the 15X7's I have on the back of my '36 pickup. Mine aren't marked, either. Gary
The Mercedes logo is not the peace symbol. The three spokes of the Mercedes logo symbolize transportation superiority, land, sea, and air. The FOUR spokes of the peace symbol are the overlayed semaphore flag positions for N and D, representing nuclear disarmament.
If you're into vintage wheels that makers mark is often referred/described as the "Peace" or "Mercedes" sign, nothing at all to do with your Egbert Encyclopedia definition.
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