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HALFWAY · 05-11-2005, 07:41 AM

I got these on my 64 Lemans now and I was wondering if anyone can positively ID these.

Came with the center pieces that show Cragar S/X. They mount using three screw from the backside and two of the holes are closer, the third almost opposite the other two.

They are aluminum - smooth on the outer rim and rough grey cast in the "spoke area".

Thanks

Pictures soon.

HALFWAY · 05-11-2005, 07:41 AM

I got these on my 64 Lemans now and I was wondering if anyone can positively ID these.

Came with the center pieces that show Cragar S/X. They mount using three screw from the backside and two of the holes are closer, the third almost opposite the other two.

They are aluminum - smooth on the outer rim and rough grey cast in the "spoke area".

Thanks

Pictures soon.

mike nixon · 05-11-2005, 09:44 PM

looks like a knock-off on the orig torque thrust.

mike

HALFWAY · 05-12-2005, 06:16 AM

Hey wait a minute - there were a couple of posts yesterday thinking they were Cragars because of the three holes to mount the center cap - Where did they go?

Ken K · 05-12-2005, 10:19 AM

Those are Crager wheels. It is a torq thrust knock off. Back then there were all kinds of copies. Each manufacturer made changes to their version of the torq thrust......That is a very high quality wheel and probably rare. Is it solid aluminum or does it have a steel rim?

HALFWAY · 05-12-2005, 01:03 PM

AS far as I can tell they are all alluminum, they are really light compared to the original steel rims. The offset puts them out farther in the wheel well than the originals. I have noticed that the car is more stable in windy conditions I am not wondering all over my lane like a drunkard.

That would be nice if they are in fact rare wheels. One has some repair work on the inside outer rim. Who ever repaired it did a pretty good job. Other than that they are is really good shape, plus I got them for less than $200 for the set. Had to buy the lug nuts and a few more screws for the center caps.

The caps show Cragar S/X, if these are Cragar brand wheels are they the S/X style or what?

Ken K · 05-12-2005, 02:26 PM

I don't know about those wheels. Crager also made a 5 spoke wheel that used aluminum centers on a steel rim, I think they were called GT. The cap gives it away as being a Crager wheel. Most of the other torq thrust style wheels used a cap that was held on with 5 screws. Is it a 14 inch wheel? I collect vintage torq thrust wheels and I have never seen one of those wheels.

HALFWAY · 05-13-2005, 06:35 AM

Yes they are 14 X 6, I took the tires off the original rims and had them mounted white wall inside. I didn't inspect them for numbers, if that will help I will look, as long as they are not stamped inside, because the tires are mounted already.

The center caps have 5 screw holes and the rim has three.

Ken K · 05-13-2005, 09:42 AM

14X6 is right. Most of the vintage wheels used 14X6, 14X7 or 15X8.5..The tires used back then were more geared to 14 inch wheels. The machining on the rim past the spokes looks like the GT wheel. Some of the vintage wheels don't say anything, they can be identified by the machining, style, spokes, and lug nuts used. I have talked to people who worked in a foundry and was told they cast wheels for a bunch of different manufactures. The spokes and web on that wheel look like what might have become the US wheel version.

mike nixon · 05-13-2005, 10:36 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ken K:
I collect vintage torq thrust wheels and I have never seen one of those wheels. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

ken quick ? for you on the vintage torque thrusts.

are they aluminum?

i have a set that a previous owner buggered up the center cap mounting holes.

if they're aluminum i'll have them welded up, if they're another material i'll have to go another route.

mike

Ken K · 05-13-2005, 01:20 PM

Yes most of the wheels are aluminum. Some have a little different alloys. I have had torq thrust wheels that look like they used some kind of solder for repairs. I have had wheels welded using aluminum welding rod and tig welded. Some of the different brands are brittle. I found cracks in some. When the wheels with cracks are welded it will pull the welding rod right through the whole crack. I have also had wheels built up with welding rod when they sat in dirt and got corroded. The best wheels are the ones that say American Racing Equipment on the back, the real torq thrust. The ARE wheels never seem to need any work done to them unless someone messed with the lug nuts. You can sand and polish the welds and you will need to get right up on them to see the repair.

Ken K · 05-13-2005, 01:47 PM

There are places that cut the vintage torq thrust wheels and make custom offsets. They weld the two halfs back up......The wheels that say JAPAN on the back are almost an exact copy of the ARE wheels, the difference is the lug not holes are drilled deeper.....The US wheels have a thick pad on the back of the hub area, it's made so it can be machined to change the offset.

mike nixon · 05-14-2005, 09:16 AM

ken, thanks for the info. i'll have to look these over again and see what the markings are. i've had them for 15 yrs or so and never had the urge to use them until i bought the 65 i'm doing.

the only damage is to the center mounting holes.

the wheels i've ran on most of the old pontiacs i've owned are a set of the original 14X8 AR200's.

mike

Ken K · 05-14-2005, 10:07 AM

Post some pictures. I can probably tell you what they are.

Shadowjack · 05-14-2005, 01:48 PM

Found the site I was thinking of.

http://www.roadsters.com/wheels/

mike nixon · 05-14-2005, 08:43 PM

ken the wheels i have are twins to the one pic'd above except the center cap has 5 mounting screws in the wheel.

mike

Ken K · 05-14-2005, 09:01 PM

They are probably a little different then the wheels above. Look at the area just past the spokes, is it flat or does it have a chamfer? There is also what is called big window and small window wheels. Some wheels use a bigger web between the spokes. If the centers look like the above wheel, they might be US. Look at the back of the wheel, is there a thick pad where the lug nuts holes are? US wheels won't say anything on the back.

mike nixon · 05-14-2005, 09:21 PM

i glanced at the wheels this afternoon as i was walking by.

no markings that i could see on the rim, i didn't look in the spokes.

the pad looks to be pretty thick. i'll try to remember to get a measurment in the next day or so.

the openings in between the spokes are what i would call open.

i'd take a pic but our camera's down right now.

do you have any idea of a paint code for the grey color used on these spokes? mine have been repainted black and need this redone.

i like the grey color better and think it'll go well with the burgundy of the car.

this set is 14x6 and 14x7 i'm not sure of backspacing, i've never checked it.

if they're us wheels will the current 5 hole centers fit these rims or will i need to get something made?

thanks, mike

Ken K · 05-14-2005, 09:27 PM

The thick pads are a trademark of the US wheel torq thrust. The pads are made thick so they can be machined down to change the offset. Sometimes you get a set that has already been machined......Paint the spokes with Plasticoat Steel Wheel paint. I polish the lips, sand them down and use a buffing wheel on a bench grinder. I use tripoli for the compound.

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