Anybody have any insight on what is going on with the promoted but unavailable magnesium wheels at Real Rodder Wheels??? Their website says they have tried seven foundries and cannot find one that can make quality wheels at reasonable prices. Something tells me there is more to this situation then we are being told. Different thought. The Alcoa forged aluminum wheels for the pick-ups (I see a lot of F-250s with them, I hear they come in 16 x 8 for Ranger / S10) look pretty nice. The contour of the dish reminds me of the early 1960s no window style drag wheels, but the likeness is spoiled by the holes in the web of the Alcoa wheels. Wonder if there would be some way to get some made without the holes or some way to fill the holes without distorting the wheels or messing up the heat treatment?? That is all I think I know. Piper106 he 7th U.S. foundry that we have attempted to contract with to cast our magnesium wheels has informed us that they can not meet the high standards and criteria that we require, for a price that is affordable.The 7th U.S. foundry that we have attempted to contract with to cast our magnesium wheels has informed us that they can not meet the high standards and criteria that we require, for a price that is affordable.
think mid 70's lincoln .....no windows ....in alumunum ...hemisteve on here had a set for sale.... might be worth a search..... brandon
I have a set of those. The center would need to be cleaned up, it is rasied a bit where the ugly stock hubcap screwed on. Also a weird bolt pattern. 5x5" I think.
I have worked in this Foundry. the simple answers are no and no. most plants You can get little things here and there "if you know someone" not here. As for the casting without holes.... they are roughcast with the holes in a watercooled steel mold(Die). and for the heat teating process...... very touchy process. only about 60% of the wheels are useable after this. the rest get remelted and recast. as for the rest of the process. then they get shot peened, machined, powdercoated,some get remachined, powder cleared. helium leak checked and out the door
Conspiracy theorist?? Ya 'spose that maybe their web site says exactly what the problem is?? If you haven't noticed, manufacturing in this country is a dying art. Foundries have closed due to foreign compe***ion, so finding one that even wants to work on low volume stuff is tough, in mag has got to make if infinitely harder. There's plenty of poor quality parts out there, I went thru 9 wheels from American Racing before I found 4 that were acceptable (all had cosmetic blemishes). I commend them for their efforts to make a quality product in the U.S.
Relic Stew - thanks for the pics. The Lincoln wheels were they 15 or 16s?? Width? I seem to recall a post showing some similar wheels from a 70s Chrysler product, anybody have a link to that page?? Piper106
All you have to do is check the s**** metal prices. Ingot prices are even higher, as they are pure in type. If they say they can't make wheels at a "reasonable price" then they don't have the capital and backing to make wheels at "any" price. Simple solution: buy what's available.
The cast wheel market is tough for many reasons. Real Rodders makes some nice stuff (I've seen it), and I am told they have high standards in the castings thay sell. For a company that expects the best from foundries that produce medium quality parts, its easy a problem. RR's want only the finest, and the foundry refuses to eat the rest=no product. Another hurdle is alot of customers are use to (and I hate to use the term) "Billet" quality run out and finish, and will go through a dozen wheels before finding a set worthy. That's why alot of wheel companies sell wheels "as cast" meaning: They were popped out of the molds,centerbore/backside surface machined, and tire location machined. Thats it no balancing, cosmetic loving, nothing else. You just are'nt going to see that level of quality in cast wheels very often. And if you do, the company make'em really gave a ****!
You're complaining about the magnesium wheels not being available (what, their aluminum is not good enough?), and in the next breath you are considering hideous F-250 wheels? Talk about swinging hot and cold.
I don't know anything about Real Rodder's problems (the aluminum wheels I have seen look great to me). But I can tell you about the problems (the current) Halibrand had for many years - they used several U.S founderies and had porosity issues with more than half of the wheels. Plus finish blems, run-out issues and failures to deliver on time. Much of Halibrand's problems have been because of casting vendors. At one point they had hundreds of unsellable wheels in the warehouse. They finally went to China (yeah, I know) and got amazing quality, beautiful finish and for much less money. We all love to say "buy American" but why can't you get China's manufacturing quality for even three times more money?
The town car ones are 5x5 pattern but if you want to go on a wild goose chase, they made 'em for the Versallais in a 5x4.5 pattern.
Cordobas and Diplomat (5 on 4.5) are almost the same as the Lincolns, with a line that could be sanded out. a lot closer than the Alcoas without holes. I have a pair of the rare 15" 5 on 4.5" BC Lincoln dished, I think they came on t-birds too and Versailles, which explains the weird BC. they'll look good with a simple cap or a flat polished plate for the using as rears with holes for the lugs. P.S. if you can use them flipped over, they have really cool ribs on the back side.
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