I'll say either, or. The difference (in my opinion), is that Supremes were ONLY about mild(?) custom type/traditional lowrider cars back in late 60's-early 70's, and Cragars went on ANYTHING (Customs-Hot Rods-Race cars, etc). So, a Cragar "could" be misinterprated(mispelled) on some applications today. I hope this came out as it sounds in my head. I ran BOTH on traditional lowriders in the early 70's. But then we ran the deep dish in both cases with 5.20's
They ran Cragars before Keystones. I can prove it. I have photos. Names. Places. Dates. I know people. I know people who know people. I know people who need people because they're the luckiest people in the world. But namely I've spent some time studying the details of what made S&M cars look so sharp and classy. I've spent time studying this when I should have gotten shaved and dressed for work. I've sat in my kitchen at 4:30 in the afternoon in a greasy bathrobe pondering this. The stories I could tell.
Applications my boys, it's all about the application. I got a better question. What's better, Real titties or Fake titties?
You would be likely to see Cragars at the Oakland Roadster Shows in the late 60s and early 70s. They would be on all kinds of vehicles. They had a universal "cool" or hipness about them at the time that said something. They were a reaction to the american mag and aluminum wheels but in chrome. Chrome was not necessarily held in high esteem by serious racers. A chrome mag would tweak that dogma. I don't recall noticing Supremes much at that time. My opinion of them was they were knock-offs and imitations of something better and more expensive. Cragars were different enough to be considered a new wrinkle in wheels and carried their own cache'. Eventually they became too popular for their own good and moved down the status ladder when they began to show up on clapped out beaters. It wasn't always so. Astro had other interesting wheels on the market long before the Supremes. Some of those designs were really cool. Are any of them being made?
Hey, man I love all those old 5 spokes!!! Those Astros are great on 60's style Kustoms and lowriders! But I heard they are badly built. So u need a lot of weights to make them run straight.... The Cragars on Lowriders are cool! I just hate those Daytons... I have polished americans torq trust II with www's on my 59 El Camino... and old rotten "no-name" 5 spokes (looking like Torq trusts, but steel and aluminum...??) on my 57 Bel Air. Then I have very reversed Cragar S/S on my '55 Gomad (a Nomad that was converted into a El Camino in the 70's) in the back. I also have some Ansen Sprints and Wolfraces laying around, which are cool too! Cragars usually look "modern" when the wrong tires are mounted. With old bias ply's they look totally different I think. .... But what the hell, I start to like those jacked up 70's street machines again! (as long it's not 80's high tech!!) Dudes I neeed a mullet! Some pics again.... The 57 4speed The Gomad 4 speed. Original old paintjob, but I do not know exactly from when... anyone seen this car before? My Camino "Hillbilly De Luxe". those www's fit right here I think!
my father grew up in the Pico, East L.A. area in the 70's and was in a rather large and well known los angeles C.C. from what he's told me and a few of the older guys i work with who where basically in the same scene, was that Cragars where at the time for the most part the wheel of choice. Astro's were in for a short lived time but for the most part, they were the cheap rim to own. my father and other guys have told me that the guys with astros where often newer to the scene and didn't have much money, so they couldn't get the cragars. thats just what i've heard from a few guys, so don't quote me!! =) just tried to get some facts from the horses mouth (guys who were around and in to cars during the time)
Oh let's not forget my Opel Rekord Coupe "THE DUKE" with a Chevy V8. The centers of the S/S Wheel is painted flat black, so it looks like a race car wheel, on this little race car... The Cragar S/S is a very timeless and beautiful wheel, and can be used on different themes... As for the Supremes, I need a set for my '65 Buick Wildcat. Anyone for sale?
I like Supremes better on most older cars. The Cragers were really popular on muscle cars and cars like Rivieras, LeMans, Impalas etc. back in the '70s. I always thought the Supremes looked better though. I think there were problems with the Supremes fitting on some of the cars with front discs, which might be why the Supremes weren't as popular. I put these Crager SS copies that were made by Radir probably 30 years ago on my '54 Chevy pickup about 20 years ago. 14x6s in front and 15x7s in back. I bought them used from some guy who had them on a '67 El Camino. They do look kind of old school I guess, but more of a '70s style. For those who don't know, the Crager SS style wheels had an aluminum center section that's somehow welded to a steel outer part. They chrome plate them afterwards. You'll find a lot of the older Crager SS type wheels with the aluminum part blistered up with corrosion and rust pits on the outer part.
My car-consciousness began in about 63 or so. There is no question that in the 60's and 70's Cragars outnumbered Supremes about 100 to 1. BUT, that was because of the muscle-car-mania of the era. I think Supremes are definately the way to go on a full-size, custom, sled, cruiser or lowrider. True then - still true now.
i think they are both equally traditional...just depends on the type of car or style, etc you're after...a muscle car on supremes MAY not look as "right" as one on cragars...and vice versa..I happen to love both...on the right styled car
i have a set of indy 500 race mags that are 14x6 w 4 3/4 bolt pattern i want to sell. they are in fair condition. make an offer.pm me
Funny I just bought a brand new set of 15 Cragers 2 weeks ago off a burnt 70's Vette. I had a set of chrome "slots" (at least that is what I always called them, just a cheap looking chrome wheel w/4 big ovels) on a car I bought in 90. I couldn't get those off fast enough. That is a wheel that you never see on anything anymore. Cragars w/skinny whits just screams 70s lowrider to me..
look up The Dukes Car Club from L.A. there is a blue 56 chevy what looks to be cragers on it in a car show (1970's)? also there is another 56 chevy with a gold flaked paint job and it has cragers too. Go to gallery, then click on early days.
I can't find the pic but the image has always been burned into my memory as one of the best looking Camaro's I've ever seen. It was a black 67-69 Camaro on Astros or Cragars, think it was an Imperials car. I'm sure it's on my old computer, but not this one.
run some tru spokes or Cragar star wires with the 3 bar knock offs edit: I just realized how old this thread is! lol
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