Art & Inspiration Mag wheels, Gotta have them, Biggest trend ever

Am I the only guy (Carnut) that had/has mags(aluminium)/caps/ custom wheels on everything I've owned for the last 57 years ? First car started driving 1964 at 16. I got to thinking about this posting a thread on baby moons/black wheels. Every Car/Truck/Suv, Hobby car/daily driver including all the OT through the years, only exception would be my motorcycles, but they were kustom painted or kustom pin stripped. Apparently I like to personalize my vehicles, All Of Them ! Wheels/tires and Stance was/is the whole ball game IMO and if stock stance is used, custom wheels still make anything look better. Look at today's cars/trucks/suv's, you can't hardly buy a vehicle without factory aluminium wheels that look custom. That's where my thought came from about the Biggest trend ever automotive related.The HAMB guidelines are pre 65, The time frame of Mag/custom wheels really taking off/sales, still applies today, IMO, What's Your Opinion ? I'm an Old Timer, I still like Fuzzy Dice.

 

I'm with you except for my wife's current imported vehicle. She makes me leave it alone. I even put custom wheels on my car trailers and utility tilt trailers. I'm about your age.........maybe we are related.

 

I think the only car I ever owned that didn't have aftermarket mag wheels was my '57 Chevy in 1967, and it had chrome reverse wheels. I just never cared for any of the stock wheels.

 

Myself as well. I think initially it’s done because it a pretty easy thing to do, right? Then as we get older it’s just what we keep doing. As said it gives the vehicle your personal touch.

 

I prefer steelies in many cases. @Ryan 38 would look lame with 5 spokes

 

wicarnut - post some pics of you mag enhanced beauties - hard to find cl***ic older mag wheels around my part of the world - especially with fewer local swap meets

 

That’s a good point, many cars look better with steelies over mags, etc.

 

Go to my albums, HAMB friendly cars posted there

 

Unless it came to me with shiney wheels, it got them soon after! Other than a set of Cragar SS and a set of Keystone Cl***ics, I’ve pretty much had polished aluminum wheels on everything. While black steeliness with trim rings and bottle caps do look good on some cars, I still prefer the old tried and true Torque Thrust style 5 spokes and Ansen Sprinter style 5 slot wheels.

 

I posted these pics in another thread somewhere but here you go.

 

I put old school American 5 spokes on my S-10, and am looking for a set of 15 x 8's for my Blazer, but most of the old cars I have owned were stockers with whitewalls and hubcaps.

 

If you had your nose in a "hot rod" magazine most of your waking moments (including while in cl*** in high school) like me you had some sort of "mag" wheel on your car.
Mag wheels and Hurst shifters defined the 60's.

 

Still have both on my current ride that I've had since 1964

 

I remember to this day, calling tire/ wheel shops asking for pricing on slot mags. The first place I called, and asked a price, the guy kept ****ing with me. “ what do you mean holes in the wheels” “our wheels don’t have holes in them”. This was after I was trying to describe on the phone what I was looking for. I’m sure the guy could tell I was just a young kid, and thought he’d **** with me. Probably thought I was a dreamer not a real buyer. I went down to Modesto tire about an hour later, pissed off 16 YO and told the guy (his name was Tom) what I wanted. Tom knew in a second what i was asking for, but didn’t have it, so sent me to his brothers shop on the West side, Northern Tire and Wheel. 220 bucks later I had 8.5s and 10 inch slot mags with G60’s and L60 Kelly Supercharger tires and on my way home.
Funny I can remember names and events from near 45 years ago, but not where I put that 9/16th wrench. Mercy

 

IMHO, a set of 5 spokes would make a garbage truck look good. HRP

 

I had a set of Halibrands, 6's and 8's, found them to be un-American, so I sold them !

 

HOARDER!

 

That describes me also. Maybe all of us are distant relatives. (I must be the older brother) I actually ran Mini lites on my trailer, and have five spokes on my everyday SUV.

 

I have some Hals , 15x8 and 15x5 5 on 5 1/2 . I had American 5 spokes , polished . A real ***** where I live to keep polished

 

My stump grinder has mags

 

Everything gets steelies with ribbed rings and 40 caps or aluminum slots/magnesium.

 

Just ordered a set of American 5 spokes a few days ago. It's the price of the special front hubs that worry me though.

Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Funny we have racks of wheels like this but I prefer a good old steel wheel !

 

Oh....that's a good side of my trailer in my Avatar....those are old swap meet rusty Cragers everyone tries to buy - the old trailer is usually running at least one spare tire on it !

 

Here are some of my 5 spoke collection.There are more stashed away.

 

For me it's always been Halibrands and, as soon as I could find some, 16x10 ETIIIs (the originals). I now have a pretty decent collection that are more than enough for every car I'll ever have a chance to build or own in the future.

 

I went through the search, and expense of finding old Fenton skinny slots for my Austin build, and old ET slots for the rear. I just wanted old stuff for the build.


But when I was looking for old wheels for my current '39 Chev build I stumbled onto the Torq Thrust TTO's in the old style as cast centers, and decided to not waste time or money searching out old wheels. At $520 a set delivered to my door, with lugnuts; it was a no brainer to me.

 

ooh.. mag wheels on your car. I put 15 X 10 and 15 X 8 US slots on my ot high school car in 1978. slots were in, 5 spokes were out... didn't they stop making Torque Thrusts for a while in the 70's

 

Yes everyone quit making them. ****ed for me because I had finally saved up enough money to buy a set for my '55 Chevy.