I am getting ready for the har***ment to start but I can not decide on a wheel for the '50 Chevy I bought. I was thinking maybe Torque Thrusts might look decent. Anyone have pics of a '50 Sedan with them or anything else that might look cool on the car?
Jman I don't have any pics but your wheels depend on the look you're after. If your thinking A-Mags then I have to believe you're after a '60s performance look. But on a sedan, and '60s style I would think that you would want to lean towards chrome reverse and baby moons. Sorry no pics but that's my .02 anyway.
Extremely traditional for the mid 60s through the 70s. They look good on anything. My favorite wheel. They don't fit the 40s-50s era if that is important to you. If not then run them. If the era police give you a hard time tell them to take a close look at the valve stem...when they get close enough to see it kick them in the ***!
As long as they are vintage straight spoke with blackwalls I don't see a problem, if you want a slightly menacing performance look mid/late sixties style. Just don't put those gay curved spoke wannabes on it. There are also plenty of decent period lookalikes out there. PM me and let me know the size and BP you are looking for - I may have them gathering dust. Check out www.torquethrustcentral.com for the full skinny on vintage American Racing wheels - before they became 'Chinese Racing Wheels'
They are traditional enough for me. This was an early very compe***ive front motor car. If you are stuck in the fifties then no, but Romeo Palimedes was as traditional as it gets and he invented these wheels. Just make sure you get the straight spokes with the sharp peak on them. Daisy's or 500's don't have the early look. If you can get an original set as the polish and coloring is much deeper. Tim
Once again I have to laugh at some comments. "gay curved spoke wannabes" Would that would be the Torque Thrust D which came out in the 60's to clear disc brakes, specifically on Corvettes at the time. made by American Racing 40+ years ago. Wannabe? Hardly If the era police give you a hard time tell them to take a close look at the valve stem...when they get close enough to see it kick them in the ***! Best thing I've seen here in a while I bought ET wheels from Team 3, way better then Torque Thrust Way Better? Copies way better? Copies that look essentially the same, how could they possibly be WAY BETTER? Come on, if you like em fine but seems like a silly statement The Torque Thrust is generally considered the original "Mag" wheel having been introduced in 1956. There have been more copies of this wheel than probably any other in History. Why? Because they are the best looking style of Hot Rod wheel ever produced, totally timeless.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
I'm glad to learn this! I really want to keep with the 1963 theme, and to learn that original TTs were circa '56 eases my mind tremendously. Now I've just gotta polish the lips!
I think he's talking about the first reintroduction of the Torque Thrusts that came out a few years ago with the bent painted spokes. UGLEEEEEE. I did see one set that looked pretty good. He bead blasted the paint off of the spokes and it made a big difference but easily identified as a new wheel. The newer straight spoke wheels are much better but they don't come in 6". I prefer the sand cast spokes like the originals. When you polish the whole wheel it reminds me of a billet wheel. If you run white walls with 5 spokes... ask me to look closely at your valve stem...you'll know exactly what to do. I'll take my medicine but I'll still tell you it looks like ****. Of course I'd never say that to your face unless you asked me for my honest opinion. This is from a 1964/65 Honest Charlie Catalog. Notice the new aluminum 5 spokes. I believe that they were all magnesium prior to this.
J- TT always look good, but I think I have to agree with the "60s look" when running them. And I might add for some reason I always think older when I see the gray finish. That being said I like shinney better! I'm kinda in the same boat as you right now, I've started a re-paint on the 54 and am looking at new wheels. I going for a mid-to late 60s feel. I have decided to go with my all-time favorites, the 200s, or daisy, or clover leaf, wheel. Polished of course. Reading at Roadster.com, he's says the oldest ad he has seen for them is a Rod & Custom ad in 1969. Which means now that we have A Billet Proof here in Texas, and because their website says no mags past the 60's, I should be OK. Whatever you decide let us see some pictures! I'm hoping to get back up in your part of the world this year, hope to see you again.
They are definitely HAMB-friendly wheels (as mentioned above, introduced in 1956). My first car had 'em, my current car has 'em.
IMO = In my opinoin, and I'm not bashing todays Torque Thrust wheel, just what I have seen. The Torque Thrust magnizum/aluminum wheels that were offered back in the 60's, hands down were the best. The Torque Thrust wheels offered today are are not the same. Here's a few things to look at......You can't get Torque Thrust wheels in a custom offset, the rim lip is not polished, they have a plastic center cap, the back side of the rim is not fully polished, and the center of the rim is an ugly battel ship gray color. The full polished Torque Thrust wheels look very wavy and have a low shine. One more thing....Their not made in the USA anymore. Team 3 Cl***ic Five wheels are offered in custom offsets, full polished rim lips front and back, aluminum center cap, correct center rim color, and their full polished rim looks 100 times BETTER than Torque Thrust, one more thing - Their made in the USA! So with that being said, I would rather sound SILLY than LOOK SILLY!
Tommy, do you have any old catalog stuff featuring slot mags? Perhaps you could start a new thread on slots? Far as the five spokes go, my first pair of aluminum wheels were purchased new about 1963. Americans if I remember right.
Depends on your definition of traditional, as soon it i can find anouther pair they're going on my 68-69 era 64 el camino which is a damn site more traditional than most pre64 cars at tradtional shows
Here's a bit of info that was p***ed on to me by past lane that might help some guys out http://www.roadsters.com/wheels/
I'll be running torque thrusts on my 49 chevy coupe. they are the ultimate HOT ROD wheel. how many wide white /air bagged 49-52's does there have to be before it gets old? period correct or traditional... **** that , it's 2008 build what you want.
Torque thrusts are cool, man. And it's not like you'll never be able to change them if you should change your mind.
Also, keep in mind that someone that built their rod in 1955 and still owned it in 1965 generally wasn't against making some updates to it, like bolting on a set of those "new" style mags. It's not like your body rejecting the new heart you just received in your transplant operation--flatheads and Torq Thrusts really can peacefully coexist!
The first-generation aluminum Torq-Thrust is a timeless design. These are on my coupe now. Can't beat 'em. Dave http://www.roadsters.com/
What Id like to find are the cast finish A.R. 200S wheels, they only make them in the painted or chrome now. I like those a little better than the TT's. Although I checked with summit racing and they have the original TTs in a 5x5.5 bolt pattern.
[ period correct or traditional... **** that , it's 2008 build what you want.[/quote] If you try to please the crowd there will always be some one that doesn't like it. Please yourself that is what is important. You're putting your time and money into it.
I think you're talking about the recent Torq-Thrust "Original", which has several visible changes from the first aluminum Torq-Thrusts, as mentioned on this page: http://www.roadsters.com/wheels/
Well they are being sold new now today, so I ***umed there were some differences from the "real" old style. Personally, it not enough to bother me.
Try to find originals from the '60s. New ones (TTOs) can be modified to look old but the '60s wheels are almost impossible to beat for period good looks. Tire choice is critical too if you're trying to nail a certain look. These are restored originals (aluminum) from the '60s:
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