Friend just found these-not sure of vintage? two 15/7 and two 15/6 5 0n 4 1/2. Any help appreciated. Thank you!
They are the reissue version of a torque thrust “D”. Biggest tip-off is the large flange on the plastic center caps.
Yep, just like the TTO polished wheels I recently bought. Made in China. Mine look to be good quality.
Another original '60s wheel, you can clearly see the clearance for disc caliper on the back of the spoke.
Romero Palamedies designed a timeless classic wheel that has remained in vogue for what seems like forever. You have REAL American five spokes and then Ansen, Fenton, US, Appliance, and who knows how many other copies out there. Not the other way around !
These are modern (purchased new ~2002) American TTO's. 15x6" front/15x7" rear with tapered lug nuts and polished aluminum center caps. Fully polished wheels were popular at the time but if I were to do it again, I'd go with painted spokes and either polished or brushed finish rims (like my avitar).
Another tip off on the "newer" wheels is the screw holes for the center caps have inserts instead of being self tapping screws to hold the caps on. I have always ran Torque Thrust wheels of some sort on all my old cars (see my avatar), my wife says I would have them on the lawnmower if I could find them. First set of American T.T. I ever saw was on a brand new 63 1/2 Galaxie 500XL at Radke's in North Portland. Been in love with them ever since!
To be "Historically Correct" What month of what year could I have bought one of the first sets? 1962? Thanks! Bob
Put a set of them on my first new car, a 66 Impala Super Sport and a few years later on my first hot rod a 39 Ford Deluxe coupe.
When did the taper seat start being used? I have a set (15x7, 5 on 5 BC) that have the larger center cap bolt circle but retain the straight cut lug hole with a countersunk washer that I bought from a HAMBer a while ago. I was under the impression these wheels were “late model” (late 80’s or early 90’s). Am I incorrect?
Magnesium “D” of the first design do not clear disc brake calipers. The first aluminum “D”’s are from 1965.They did still have straight shank lugs on 1980’s reissue wheels.
They are 15X6 and 15X8... I bought them from a wheel dealer that was at LARS a couple years back. I'm sure they are still around.... They cost about 125 bucks each. I had several different options, but damn I love Americans !! My wife's '56 had them on hers since about 1960. The original owner/builder back then, who was a good friend, and still is, went to the effort to make gaskets to put between the caps and the wheels. After owning the bitch'n '56 for several years, my wife was surprised to have a visitor one day, who asked if she still owned that Ford. She said yes, and he then asked if she would sell it back to him. She did, and he still owns it 25 years later.
I've never cared for the curved-spoke version of the TT. Or believe that it passes the litmus test for being 'traditional'. Initially designed for the '65 'Vette with its new 4 wheel discs and introduced shortly after the car was, the only size first available was for the 'Vette. They expanded available sizes later, but this was not a 'commonly' seen wheel in the HAMB era by any means. By then everybody and his dog started making copies of the original straight-spoke version, and while the curved-spoke TT2 model saw somewhat more use as factory discs started appeared more starting in about '67, American eventually dropped both versions as sales fell to the usually cheaper copies and they went out of style for a time. And American was the only wheel manufacturer who used the curved-spoke design in that style to clear discs. Everyone else managed to use straight spokes. Fast forward some years... Five spokes became popular again, but for some inexplicable reason American re-issued the TT2 rather than the original design. Again, other manufacturers stepped into the gap so American finally brought back the original (which would now fit discs... go figure). But the TT2 is still their cost leader, now you pay extra for the real deal. One other change... Back in the day you could buy 'mag wheel' paint in various shades to renew the finish on as-cast centers if they got nasty. That has disappeared, leaving us to find something to try to get 'close'. I find this a bit hard to fathom unless they think the lack will generate more wheel sales...
I agree. I hate the torque thrust 2’s. They are not even close to a traditional wheel in my opinion.... love the straight spokes though
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