Is Halibrand still selling Sprint wheels, or is there a decent substitute?

Is Halibrand Performance a decent place to buy Sprint wheels from (website doesn't work too well, red flags there), or is there a better alternative, short of the Cragar bi-metal knock-off? I am probably going to snag a '41 Ford I am looking at, but I want Halibrands for it, or as close as I can get, anyway...

Thanks...

 

Real Rodders Wheels

http://www.realrodderswheels.com/

 

They are stilling selling wheels (on Ebay). The new wheels are cast in China. Real Rodder wheels are nice.

If your interested I have a set of Halibrand Sprint II's 15X8 and 15X6's with big and little Michelins. Ford bolt pattern, these are on my 47 ford convert. The sprint II's are a billet version of the sprint with the appearance of a drive pin cover and threaded knock-off.

PM me if interested.

 

Real rodders wheels are nice.

 

Chevy bolt pattern on this car, it's got a chevy rear end and Camaro clip...curses...

I wasn't aware that the Halibrands were made in China....sigh.

RealRodders to the rescue...

 

I was just getting ready to order a set of Halibrands---is this for real about being cast in China?? I know Real Rodders Wheels are more expensive, are they totally made in the U.S.??

EDIT: I just went on www.realrodderswheels.com and it says they are 100% American.

 

china wheels

 

poor Halibrand

 

Don't think those are Halibrands in the picture............

 

they're not.

 

Sadly, yes, all things Halibrand are now coming from China. A friend ordered a set of Sprint wheels from Halibrand last year. He was all jazzed until he turned one over and saw the "Made in China" sticker.

 

I recently bought some AMERICAN RACING wheels, they're made in China now too, but I gotta say they are pretty nice. It just frost my balls that it's come to this..........

 

And they used to be so proud....

 

I've started sending E-mails to companies that are moving out of the US telling them I'm buying from another company that is still making in the US. And I also send to the company that is still building here and say Thank you.

 

Actually the Made in China Halibrands are not bad at all, but the aluminum alloy seems a bit soft - marks real easy. The Halibrand prices are no bargain basement but American (Chinese?) Racing Equipment did have the Rodmaster Halibrand clones a few months back. They may still be available, and are dead ringers for the Halibrands at half the price. Real (Rodders) Wheels are beautiful but twice the price of Halibrands - tough to justify, but they do make wheels and sizes that Halibrand does not make. Great people - Pat and Frankie - at RRW.

Halibrands have the name Halibrand on their wheels - others of course don't. Rodmasters have Rodmaster on them. RRW have no name.

 

Halibrand still makes 'em, even if they are from China they are pretty nice. I hated to buy them from China but it's the only way I could afford them. If that makes me a bad man then think it but please don't poolute this thread with more bullshit.

Tim

 

I agree they are nice wheels, most likely much better than the US made product they were shipping several years back.

 

The Halibrand web site has to be the worst site I have seen in a LONG time. I have been trying to find good pictures of the V8 rear end but they have sweet FA. Lots of blind links and red Xs.
I may have to look into Winters, at least you can find something out about them with out writing a novel and sending it in.

 

The shoddy website is the exact reason why I am here asking about them. To be honest with you, the site reminds me of some Chinese-based pages that either take forever to load, or don't load at all (my brother is a Classic Army Airsoft gun dealer, I have to check out the new arrivals occasionally). It makes one think that they are no longer in business...I am not too concerned with the price (I'm not loaded, obviously), but if I am going to plunk down some serious green for wheels, I am going to want the highest-quality set.

 

Winters is Chinese Doc.

 

Yeah, but at least I can learn something about the winters diffs unlike Halibrand.

 

Not to sound anti-American, but made in China - or any other country - isn't an automatic turn off to me. Only if it is costing us jobs. If Halibrand had kept their US wheel production open at home and added new lines made overseas, I could have probably looked the other way.

In contrast, I once bought some Rota Wheels for my imported Plymouth Arrow (double import wammy!). I got them in the Phillipines when my ship, the USS Coral Sea, had pulled into Subic bay for an extended port call. When I got the wheels home, the guy mounting the new tires was astounded at how perfectly cast and balanced they were. He only added balancing weights to two of the four wheels. Later I found out that Rota wheels were made in the Phillipines under liscense from Campagnolo, the super smart casting guys from Italy who made wheels for Ferrari! Hell, if Campy made wheels in Italy for US hot rods, I might consider them. Perhaps I should google them, eh? Gary

 

bought a set of halibrands last year, from a suplier that i hooked up with at goodguys.....took about months to get them.....quality is good ,no problem with them..

there was not any stickers saying "made in china".....a halibrand rep once told me they were made in michigan, but i do think they are made in china....

 

I bought a set of 5 spokes from them about 2 months ago. Nice product and very nice people to work with. Yes, the web site could be better, but give them a call and they will give you all the information you ask for. I was really impressed with the screw on center caps for these wheels.
Don

 

I used halibrands on 'old bones' and took forever to get them and then had to machine the wheel stud holes for a drive stud, wouldn't go on the studs! What else are they made for?

 

Look @ Vintage Wheel Works stuff.
Made in the USA

 

????? I used to drive for a heat treater and we did a LOT of work for Winters. Their shop is in York PA. They build a lot of rears there for being Chinese.

 

Typically when setting up shop in China, all new tooling is created. So it's no suprise that the wheels coming in are nicer than the stuff that was made here from the original, patched-up tooling.
Also, many of the foundries are new as well. Foundries in the U.S. are on the EPA hit list and are watched closely for pollution ($$$$$$$). Cheap labor, no EPA regs, and no tree huggers to complain...what's not to like.

Also, ALL "American Racing" wheels are now imported from China.

 

Exactly why I put a Speedway Engineering Champ under my RPU last year. It's an American company, making their parts right here in So Cal. Some of the best people I've delt with in a lon,g long time.

 

I bought Real Rodders Wheels last year for my coupe. They are pricey, but given that they are 100% made in the USA, have high quality aluminum and a fantastic polish . . . I'm happy I did. I frequently complain that it is so hard to find quality products that are still made in the USA -- that I'd "pay more" if I just had the choice . . . guess I put my money where my mouth was.

Pat is one heck of a nice guy - will spend time with you on the phone, ships stuff right out and provides a great product with great service. I wished I could have found an original set of Halibrands, but I wanted the 16x10 rears and could not find any . . . so I went with RRW - it was a good choice.