Projects What 15x10 wheels fit an early 60's digger that I can afford?

Most of you guys have seen my Dragmaster. I was totally traction challenged at the HAMB drags. The Hurst slicks are great and look perfect but I have completely overpowered them. For some wider, stickier slicks I'm going to need some bigger wheels. 15x10's Problem is most that fit the early sixties era seem to be gold plated these days.

There are Torque Thrusts, the Romeo Palamides or 4 slot American Standards, or maybe Slots. Are there any others that I might have missed? Even as far as those go I'm having a hard time finding anything. I picked up a set of slots after work for cheap from a buddy but they turned out to be 15x8.5's. :-/

Any cheap, ok, reasonable suggestions?

 

I just sold a pair of 15 x 10 Ansen sprint slots for $150. to a friend, but seen them for $200 to $300 a pair. Keep looking and going to swap meets, there out there.

Pat

 

How about these...?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-541-5165PS/?rtype=10

A little Scotch Bright and some Magnesium bomb can and you are in Fakesville. They could easily pass for the real deal in most crowds.

I'm sure someone will give ALL the reasons why you shouldn't, but use your imagination.

 

If you can live with steel check speedway motors the racing dept. A lot of circle track cars use that size and they are usually very low priced

 

The challenge is to keep it looking early sixties which kinda rules out the steel ones and the new mag, although it looks great and seems pretty reasonable. Slot's were what I was thinking I could afford although they kinda scream 70's to me. Hopeing I had missed something.

 

Slots are too new, not from the era you mentioned. If alloy is what you really want, you'll need Americans (or any of the era correct knockoffs), Palamides or Halibrands - not really any other options to look right. Now, you could run Real Wheels or new Americans or Halibrands - maybe try Scott at ET Wheels as well (some of his stuff looks right on the money) and "age" them - being aluminum they would be safer than old mags anyhow.

Unfortunately, all these options are not the cheapest way to go but what is when you need a specific look?

Here's another idea - you say you need wider wheels - what are you currently running? If they are "era correct" looking and made of aluminum, you could have them widened to 15x10 by a competent shop (Eric Vaughn comes to mind, or Lonnie Gilbertson).

Steve

 

Look at the new Car Craft mag. There's an article about a pro street Duster. He took his slot wheels to the powder coaters and had them painted " Ol Brass". It looks just like Dow 7 coating. Kind of a branished gold color. The Summit Pulsar wheel would look like an old E.T. if you did it that way. Hell of alot cheaper and safer than an old used up set of Halibrands!!!!

 

I started thinking more and more about these so I did some checking. Kinda weak as the recomend a mad tire diameter of 28". :-/ Rocket has a similar rim called the Injector but they cost around $200. Still chasing some used rim leads.

 

How about these?

http://http://www.jdwheels.com/halibrand_replica.htm

Blue

 

http://www.jdwheels.com/halibrand_replica.htm

Thanks for pointing those out, quite reasonable. I'll need to contact them about the abuse I intend to introduce them to.

So why do most of the new wheels use the tapered nuts vs the old style straight shouldered mag lug nuts?

 

exactly!!!!!:d

 

Kerry, Why not run a 15x8 rim with a new 9 x 30 slick. That will give you the same apperance as tire you are running now. Remove the white lettering from the tires and it will have an early sixties look. A lot of dragster guys go for too much tire, that they don't need...

 

X2.....how early sixties? Most were probably running a 15-8.5 or so wheel wise, when did the 15x10 / 16 x 10 come out.....when did the 10.00 15/16 slick show up?

 

I have these wheels for sale but may bring you to late 60s early 70s

15x 10 chevy bolt pattern 3in back spacing gotta pair

 

i've got these 15x10 never mounted 5x4.5 bc. $700 shipped for the pair.

 

I'm shooting for a 63-64 look but... I really want her to run. I built way more HP than I thought I would and need something to hook it up. Not sure 9" of contact is going to bite hard enough.

The moon disks would look right if I had carbs instead of the blower and Hilborn, a bit to early of a look.

Sorry Drflex, you missed the affordable part. How strong are the alloy/steel wheels anyway?

I really do sound like I can't be satisfied, don't I? I'd like a $50 set of Romeo Palamides please. ;-)

 

For refference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFqtpXrwq7E

 

I thought

"overpowered the tires"

was the whole point of building a ride like that. ;0

 

Maybe a 15x10 steel wheel with a moon disc screwed on? Cheap as your gonna get and period correct too. Lippy

 

15 x 10 slots, At one time I was worried about the right look but didn't want to shell out $$$ for the correct wheels so I went with the alum slots & 28" m&H slicks. worked great & no one ever once said anthing about not being period correct, besides if they do point that out to you ,, just turn back to them and ask to see their dragster?
Paul here's 2 pics: one with the 5 slot alum fentons 15 x 10's (injected) & one with 4 slot american magnesium 15 x 8 wheels (blown)

 

You are set on 5 spoke 15x10, right? Put the want ad, help a brother out plea. There is a reason the steels and disk covers were not predominate on the diggers. They are ugly.

 

A modern tire that big is going to change the look as much anything so I don't see the problem. Why not keep what you have for the appearance you like and run whatever you willing to pay for, for traction? What's a tire swap every now and then? Personally with that early style cowling I think a steel wheel would look more correct on it except that you want to loose the piecrust slicks.

As for slots, Ansens were around by 65 and other less known slot type mags in 64. I've seen some of the cheaper welded plate composite steel-aluminum wheels torn apart on full body high powered cars but the ones posted are modern one peice Radirs. (The Red Baron II runs 8's one these) Yet look at all the Crager SS and Kustomags used in the 60's on fuel cars, and heavy full size superstockers. You don't have any weight to worry about that much about rim strength. I'd still look for a quality made wheel but many guys are putting much more load on these than you ever will with your rail.

US Indy made the toughest aluminum slot mags I'm aware of but they very heavy and were not approved for racing like the Fenton Gyros and Ansen sprints.

By the way what bolt pattern do you need?

 

Sorry Drflex, you missed the affordable part. How strong are the alloy/steel wheels anyway?

not the cheapest... but you'd only have to buy them once.

 

look at these...... just a thought...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=587405

 

JD wheels alot of cheap deals.

 

Kerry I know I already told you those slicks suck, and now you know for yourself. Like jack said a 30x9 M/T or M&H on a 8.5 rim will give you all the traction you want. You can run them low psi with a strong burnout and they will point that car to the sky. Or like I do, run them from 15-20 psi and just clean them off and they will spin nice out of the hole and gradually gain traction while still accelerating and having control. I understand what you are trying to do with the car and there is a way to make it work even with new compound tires on a well prepped surface.

 

Kerry, sounds like you would be better off with the taller tire (30+) anyway. For drag racing, the longitudinal (front/rear) size of the tire contact patch is more important than the width, and the taller tire will take some gear out of it to help traction, AND you won't have to pony up for wider wheels...

 

What do you call reasonably priced? Here's a set of original ET lll from the mid '60z .............................

 

How much $ for these? $1000.00 ^^

 

Uni-lug???? I wouldn't trust those with your life!