Did Ansen cast ANSEN into:

Did Ansen cast ANSEN into all of there wheels? were there more company's besides Halibrand in Gardena, Calif making these aluminum wheels?

 

In the late 60's early 70's all the japanese wheel companies showed up and a lot of them made close copies of the Ansen Sprints and Halibrand kidney beans. You can usually spot the slight differences between all the various japanese copies and the real thing. Nobody wanted to be sued. Most guys could spot the variations in Ansens, ET III's, Eneike (sp) and the dozens other cheap Yamarippoff copies on a car cruisin by. Lots of them made cheap copies of the Torque Thrusts too with slight variations. I don't think a lot of the Ansen/Halibrand magneseum wheels got marked. I think most of the aluminum wheels were marked. All the cheap **** kinda did in the origional aluminum 5 spoke mags and slots and everybody switched to Cragar SS because the Japanese weren't making those.

 

Thanks Smokin Joe, I have a pair of 15x10's that the cast reads GARDENA, CALIF. then on the bottom reads: max wheel load 1580 lbs 15x10 meets sema specs 5-1. I was trying to figure out if they were ANSEN or a copy...

 

From what I know, Ansen always put their brand name on their aluminum wheels. There were many wheel manufacturers of aluminum wheels based in Gardena, CA, so it could be, but probably not if it doesn't say Ansen.