I just picked up this set of ET 5 spokes with "like new" 70's vintage Firestone wide ovals on them. My questions are: What are the "officially called"....like how Americans are "torq thrust"? What did they have for center caps? Whats the best thing to use to clean up the aluminum without wrecking the machined finish? They aren't pitted, just tarnished. Is the "Lugnut King" the best place to get new washers/lugnuts? Any problems with the uni-lug style other than being kinda ugly? Was $175 for the set a "deal"?
are they all aluminum? if so, that would have been a great price just for the wheels if they were 14s, 15s is really, really great. the tires are awesome!
There officially called ET-V's. The lug washers are still availble, as are the rims. They should be cast aluminum with a polished lip. 15's are kinda hard to find, and those look like 15x6's.
Those look just like the ones I have on the rack in my garage (sans tires); mine are 15 x 7, ran 'em on my '64 Corvette with Firestome racing tires, then later, on my Chevelle SS. I always referred to them as "ET Uni-Lug Five Spokes". For the other queries posted, they are a cast aluminum one piece with machined beads. I think an American Racing center cap will fit them; don't have a clue as to where to get the washers and lug nuts.
2 are F-70-15's and 2 are G-70-15's. I believe the rims are 6". The washers are setup for GM 4 3/4. I just picked them up last night, so all I've done is washed them off quick. The tires still have the sticker remenants, and some of the "nubs" on the tread. With them being so old, I sure was nervous airing them up last night! The seem to hold air good though! Looks like these may have been the second set of tires on these wheels, as they aren't "curbed" bad or anything. the wheels have been mounted before, but they've obviously sat for a while! My neighbor across the street has a 70 GTO. He just ordered new 15" pontiac ralleys for it, but I'm going ask him if he wants to stick them on the Goat and dress up in his best 70's attire for a picture!
I wish those thin pinstripe whitewalls were commonly available at local tire stores. They are cool! Seems like you can still get them in select sizes for modern caddys, lincolns, etc. The only other option is paying big money at Diamondback, Coker, etc. I sure wouldn't drive on tires that old!
Damn right it was a deal! You see more 14"ers around here. It's a lot easier to get the right size tires in 15" I don't remember calling them anything but ETs.
The caps should be similar to Americans but they are oval at the end, the sticker has a green background with a chrome ET logo. I have seen them new at swapmeets.
yeah I restored a set of 14's for mine but someone painted the centers black so I chemically stripped them and used some gray paint and satin clear turned out very nice as for the machined lip a white scotch brite pad does the trick really well and leaves a soft machined look! good luck nice score I got four 14's minus tires for $40 but only 2 were good enough to use trying to buy a set right now from my boss in 14x6 and 15x7!
Great wheels I got an nos pair from feebay WITH the oval caps , the caps are available on feebay & look really cool as they rotate , that's a brilliant bargain . I bought 2 new 15x4's for the front of Carol's fordoor & they match perfectly.Great Score
Mothers mag polish on the shiny. Try lacquer thinner on the spokes and cast area first - with 00 steel wool if stubborn. If that does not work, a mild muriatic or hydrochloric acid might work. I use Blue Lightning Body Prep, but a good etching cleaner should work. Be sure to rinse it off as soon as you have finished. Then mask off and repaint the centers. Eastwood has a cast aluminum look paint. Personally, I like the grey look of Plastikote 'rebuilders cast iron gray' with polished rims. or you can use an antique gold for the 'pickled magnesium' look.
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