Would you run a Halibrand magnesium 15x4 Kidney Bean front runner on the street?

I have a set of Halibrand Magnesium 15x4 kidney bean front runner wheels. Was planning to run them on a 33 Willys street rod with a blown 392 Hemi engine. Its a lot of weight up front and has caused me to rethink this direction. Aside from pot holes, its more about turning and side loads.

Has anyone done this? What advice can you offer.
Many Thanks
Rocket 1932

 

Absolutely not!!! The pot holes will kill them.

 

Thank you SS327;
I have a mis trust of using them on the street for the same reason; but wanted to get others opinion especially if they have had experience doing this.
Thanks again for your input.

 

I ran “ mags “ on the ‘32 for years . Scary stuff , sold mine and installed different wheels

 

Ive got 16x10 Magnesium American Racing mags on the rear; they are so thick and beefy I dont feel the same about using them as far as vulnerability; but do not trust the Halibrand front runners for the front. They weigh nothing and I cant imagine they would hold up a 900 pound hemi at speed and bumps on a street road.
Thanks for your input DeathrowDave.

 

I ran Halibrand magnesium wheels in the 80’s when they were affordable on a daily driver 78 Ford 1/2 ton short step side truck—-had skinny 16’s on the front and 16 x 8 on the rear. One day,for reasons unknown, the outer rim on the back separated from the body on 1/3 of the diameter of the wide 16. Took the damaged wheel to my best friend,who repaired it nicely,but I was afraid that it would “separate” again, and sold all 4 wheels for $800. I would definitely NOT RUN MAGNESIUM WHEELS ON A STREET CAR,BUT BACK IN THE DAY I DID RUN THEM UNTIL ONE WHEEL FRACTURED and scared me enuf to where I changed my thought process. Now, they are out of my price range.

 

Well, thats something more to think about.
Thank you John.

 

Really nice 32.

 

I have run thousands of miles on magnesium spindle mounts on multiple different cars.

 

that 33-4 is perfect...

 

I do not know about "magnesium"
but me
Aluminum Auto Drag , weld light ,
Convo , Weld V's Super Trec & others
1,000 on 1,000's miles on 3-1/2 Street & Drag ,Rain ,snow even on big heavy 66 Impala , 71 Chevelle , 67- 80 camaro
Vega ,monza Monte Carlo
Sb & BB , all vehicles mid 7& faster before 1990 1/8 .
Only bent One wheel since 1980
15x5 on front mustang 91 , big pot hole full of water..
I guess I am experienced Big rig driving
Since 13 years old , over 200 mph 1/4 ,
Do you guy realize when most all race vehicles that Run over 180 plus when you exit track your running 50- 70 plus some track's @ turn off !! By way tub-less ..

 

I run them on one of my cars and have driven it (hard) for thousands of miles without issue.

www.ironandsteele.com​

 

No way, they are old and not really made for daily steeet driving. There is enough modern copies out there to fit most builds. I dont even like running skinnies anymore , had a sudden brake situation that made me pucker, brakes floored, wheel turned and car just skated forward.

 

IronandSteel and Captain Chaos; Thank you for your input.
Appreciate the perspective.

Amazing 32 3 window.. Thanks.

 

My bro has driven his A coupe thousands of miles on magnesium little window Halibrands. Only problem he has is keeping them shiny.

 

Smoke um’ if you got um’

 

Too bad you can't find a set of aluminum repops of those wheels. They are a must for Willys g***ers. really bothers me to see them running altered's spoke wheels. I got mine many years ago. There was a guy in the California desert who cast up a limited set of these in aluminum then didn't make any more.

 

!!!Perfection!

 

I'm not really a fan of narrow aluminum wheels on the street if the car is a heavier car. I run Ansen 15"x3.5" on the front of my Austin g***er, but it only weighs about 2300 lbs. On my heavier '39 Chev coupe I opted for 15"x5" instead for the extra weight.

 

American Rebel 15x4.5

 

I’ve run magnesium Halibrands and Americans on my cars since the ‘60s and never had a problem, never gave it a thought, really. Reading others’ comments, our states inability to maintain roads and the wisdom of my advancing age made me stop and think about it. For about two seconds…
As long as the wheels are not corroded, excessively pitted, machined too thin from repairing curb rash or obviously have major repairs, I would run them. Any wheel can break from vicious pot holes, especially modern ones. You’ve got to pay attention. If your plan is to drive it all over the country, find some acceptable aluminum subs***utes. For a typical sunny day hot rod, I wouldn’t worry.
These have been on several of my cars. The fronts were on my daily driver ‘49 Stude pickup with a BBC for quite a while.

 

Pretty sure @BigJoeArt purple T has mag spindle mounts on it most of the time and he’s beat the dog **** out of that car from coast to coast and back again. I’d ***ume he’d have an opinion

 

If they`re 4-1/2" bolt pattern, I advise you to sell them to me. lol

 

Thank you everyone for all your great input.
Its been very helpful.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about it.









I have zero mechanical sympathy.

If I can drive my hot rod 23k+ miles *mostly* on 12 spoke mag wheels, I think you'll be fine.

I've always considered how many cars wore them on the track while pulling huge wheelies, smashing down with the weight of a huge hemi.

speaking of wheelies, I've done them too, in my other car.



and those wheels have been ON THE STREET for over 50 years.

same wheels the car was built with in 1974. and they have been polished within an inch of their life.


In other words, run 'em.