Thanks Terry I (we) have learned a lot from your web site over the past few years. Love the constant additions and updates on your site. For some of us (younger generation) who were not around when they were first made, enjoy learning and owning part of "The 'REAL' original vintage american racing wheels" and their history! You do a great job of clarifying what can be at times confusing to many people.
all's i know is i like the stright spoke. torq trust, et's whatever. the one's that curve in look like a re-issue. and when ever a company does do a re-issue, they never quite get it right. do they honest'ly not know what people want? all's you would have to do is follow a ebay auction or ask a few people in the know before you make one more bad set of knock-off's. amiercan racing's 15x8 or 15x10 where it goes from polish'ed to cast is right in the middle of the dish. look's bad. the one's people want, it's after the angel'ed face., on the corner. also it seem people like the angel'ed face to be on the wide side. 1'' or so. but i've seen them 5/8''. oh well, that's why people will pay for the real one's.
Any wheel will get you to Town but if your Old School Kool there is only one wheel. Original American Torque Thrust.. There are a lot of Counterfit's but only 1 original. I have I have 2 and a half sets that Terry has restored for me and 1 more pair coming home in a few days. There like the Crown Jewels on the correct Car, nothing else is Correct. The new reissues are kind of close but not the same. Still shopping for one 15x6 1" offset 5 on 4 3/4" (GM) to finnish my last set. The Wizzard
I would like to know if anyone can tell me the difference between the original Torque thrusts in this style compared to the new TTO . Do the original type wheels use a shouldered nut while the new ones use a conical one? I am looking at buying a set of 15x8-1/2 and 15x5 from someone, but have read so much that they never made a 15X5 back in the day. Just what are these wheels? Are they vintage (by that I mean real vintage) or new repros by American and how do you tell the difference between old and new besides the sizes. I think these are the new ones. I once saw an old catalog that someone posted a couple of pages of it showing wheels for sale in the old times..sizes and prices..I can not find that post anywhere, does someone remember seeing it?
Terry can correct me here if I'm wrong but none of my sets of restored 60's wheels have a safety lip on them. The wheel on the left in your photos looks to be a Torque thrust D wheel. None of the early wheels used tapered seat lug nuts, all were strait shank style. The wheel on the right looks to have a strait spoke but a little different rim step. It may be just the photo angle. What does it say on the back side of the wheel? The Wizzard
He states they all say American racing. I can't tell from the pics for sure but these on this site seem to make the most sense size wise. I pm'd terry and never heard back. http://www.americanracingwheelsinfo.com/American_Racing_Torq_Thrust_Original.htm
hi Cruizznn, the wheels you posted are the new TTO's. Skinnier spokes, recessed lug holes for acorn lug nuts are the clues. The wider wheel has an extra step on the inside of the rim. I've noticed on these wheels that the 5" ones have a thinner spoke than the wider ones. It blows my mind they they can't make two different sizes look the same. TTOs Old wheels used a mag shank lug nut with a washer. 6" was the narrowest you could get. The one on the left is 6" 8 1/2" on the right.
Hi 327-365..hey! 2 great numbers!! I was thinking that is what these were. I notice your valve stem hole in a different area on the 8" too..is that the norm on an 8" one of these ? It is hard to find old wheels like these, and I am not sure I have seen hardly any skinny spokers for sale besides cragars and fentons and magnesiums and the new wheels. Are these new americans any good or do they have issues? thanks
I don't have any experience with them, I don't really like the look of them. They're better looking than a lot of the other china wheels people are running. If you can't find or afford old wheels, I'd look at the ET's. They make the early round spoke and the peak spoke wheel. My buddy has the polished peaked spoked ones on his Chevelle and they are gorgeous and made in the USA. http://www.team3wheels.com/et/index.html
Here's a photo of my old sedan delivery with early "round spoke" americans on the front...didn't match the later rears and I replaced them with later 60s "pointy spoke" Americans to match the rears. I think they made a great decision to change to pointed spokes in '66.
I know up here in Canada the original TTOs are hard to come by. Most of them were put on cars that saw way too many winters thus resulting in them pitting and being thrown out for scrap over the years because of the salt we use on our roads. When I was building the chevy I couldn't touch a set of originals because of the pricing, let alone the refinishing cost too. It was a lot cheaper for me to buy a brand new set Original TTOs from American Racing Wheels. 15x5 and 15x8.5. They are straight and true and I am happy with them. Funny story! A guy a little while ago stopped me one day and was grippeing about the fact that I had a set of new original TTOs on the car. I explained why and he still gripped so I told him to go fuck himself and he walked away. Problem solved! J
327-365,,what do you dislike about the looks of the new wheels? I kind of wanted to match the spokes front and rear on the wheels as close as I could on what I use. the price is pretty good on the americans, the ET's seem to be rounded 4's and pointed 16's unless they make you another size in a 2 piece wheel. They are a little pricey too. Have any of you guys bought Vintage Wheel works V-40's and do you have any pics of them on your car?
I don't like how thin the spoke looks. It's not as beefy as the original. Plus, the 5" wheel has a smaller spoke than the wider ones. It's like they milled the back of it to make it narrower. The V-40s are even skinnnier. Here's your pics of the TTO again. The 5" The 7" Here's another view of a 15x6 Torq Thrust Here's a 15x7 with an 8.20 tire on the back of my brother's car. Just my two cents. I don't want to sound like a wheel snob, that's just my opinion. Most people looking at these cars wouldn't know the difference.
Lets talk about JUST American Racing Aluminum Straight Spoke Torque Thrust wheel from the 60's. They are plain old "Torque Thrust " 14 x 6 or 7" and 15 x 7 or 8.5" The exception is the 15 x 6" it is a Sport Wheel. No other words are used to describe them. See the back side pictures Posted. The term TTO is for the wheel currently being produced and is similar to the 60's wheel BUT NOT THE SAME. Verbage in back is different - There is no recess between the outer barrel and the spoke area - The center cap is wide and does not fit old wheels. The new wheels take a conicle seat acorn lug nut and the old wheels take a shank lug nut and washer. The 15x8.5 new wheel has an extra hump in the outer lip. The new wheels are now MADE IN CHINA. Since I work on new and Old wheels I dont offer Opinions but every once in awhile I feel I have to throw out some facts. Any one can e mail me Terry@torquethrustcentral.com I do not get on this site evryday so please do not PM me. Terry
well the bead changed on all wheels at some point. So old wheels will not have the same bead as a newer wheel. That has to be one difference.
does anyone make a vintage cast finish straight spoke American looking wheel in a 18 or 20". I want a set for my daily driver PU. I know PS Engineering makes 17's but that is to small for my 04 chevy standard cab short bed.. would like either a 18 or 20.
Yes, my neighbor put 18s and 20s on his midsize GMC truck. They look like TT, but are not. I do not remember what brand, but they are out there.
Hemisteve, thanks they do have larger.. I need to do a brake job on it (its 4 wheel disk) and I think I am going to redrill new rotors to 5 lug (6 is factory) and run something vintage looking
Looking at this pic^^^ and a few sets that I have That one that is “Centerless” is definitely an “OG” American just like mine in the pic I supplied. Below VVVV, These are newer “VN109” Polished American Racing Wheels that have been on my 32 about 5 Yrs this Christmas. I haven’t had an issue with them yet, but the quality did actually go up as the cap screws are stainless countersunk Allen’s and the wheel mounting is conical. Something changed besides manufacturer location...
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