Vintage Wheels
 

I plan to mount up an old set of Torq Thrust D's this week. Should these be run with tubes? I seem to remember these being tubeless back in the day, but also remember them being leakers. Any suggestions?

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

Bill..I put a set of 1966 vintage International Dragmasters on my 68 a couple of years ago. They only lose about 10 lbs setting in the garage all year. Not bad at all. Tubeless tires.

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Tubeless...no better looking wheel....

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It's never easy!!!!!! I was warned about valve stems, any suggestions as to what to use? A standard stem does not work and while I have found some that will work I have a choice between a stem that looks like it belongs a on Honda Civic with 20" rims or a stem that looks like it belongs on a Kenworth truck. I know its getting a little nutty when you worry about what the valve stems look like............but that is the nature of my mental illness with these old junks

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

I've used rubber as well as metal stems on both sets of my TT's and had no problems. Ran them tubeless. Yeah, you gotta' check the tire pressure but you gotta' do that anyway. I don't recall any obvious leak/seep problems. Make sure the stem holes don't have any burrs or hairline stress cracks.

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

You should be able to get some normal looking bolt thru crome stems...

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Thanks for the help on this. Tires mounted without tubes and no problem holding air pressure.

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Bill,

Show us a picture with the tire mounted on the wheel.

Dan.

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Here's the picture. Anyone know how to keep these clean? The center section of these appear to be bare metal? Is that the way they came originally? Also, what is the correct hardware for mounting the center caps? Thanks for the help.

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

OK another try on the picture.

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

I use Simple Green on all my wheels. Just a light spray and work it with a soft bristle brush if needed. I use Nevr-Dull wadding in a can to keep the polished area bright. For the caps I use stainless 8-32 straight slot screws with stainless flat washers on the center caps and only tight enough to hold the caps. Don't want to crack a cap ear or strip out a hole.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...heels006-1.jpg

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

427TJ, did you paint the center section on your wheels? Thanks, Bill D

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

Bill, I sent you a PM. Yes, spokes were painted silver during restoration.

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427TJ, What silver did you use on the wheel centers? Is that Rally Wheel silver? They really look good!

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

Does anyone know when the original Torque Thrusts showed up on the market? I'm thinking '63 or '64.
Did they preceed the Cragars, Internationals, early E/Ts (Wheel Centre Co) or M/T Challengers? It would be very interesting to place all the early aftermarket wheels in chronological order of their introductions.....
I'd like to see this thread continue and expand. It could be a real history lesson. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/scholar.gif
After all, it's titled <u>vintage wheels</u>
thanks

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

I agree Verne...I have a 6/67 Car Craft mag wheel article that shows a lot of wheels including the M/T #1 wheel as they call it which looks like a Rader....they differ from my set because they describe these as being heli-arc welded and the ones I have are riveted...I'd love to see some chronological mag stuff...I know a bunch of guys around here are into collecting old speed catalogs so...lets see what crops up... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

Let the good times roll.......... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif

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Romeo Palamides (dragster driver) designed and made the first five-spoke mag wheels in about 1956 and it was he who founded American Racing. The first wheels were magnesium dragster wheels but street versions were available, I think, by about 1958-59. I have an old Rodder's Journal with the Palamides/American story and I'll go dig it up.

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

[ QUOTE ]
427TJ, What silver did you use on the wheel centers?

[/ QUOTE ]

The shop that restored that particular set painted the spokes in their "special blend" silver. Here's what the wheels look like. (14x6 with a 225-70 T/A.) One of the great wheel designs of all time!
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...heels003-1.jpg

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

So Bill...when are they going on the Camaro? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

Tires and wheels are on the car. I posted a picture earlier in this thread. How do you get the picture to display automatically like the pictures 427TJ posted?

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Oh Bruuuce! Time for another one of your sure-fire Photobucket tutorials!

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Tutorial is in the comment and suggestion forum...

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Ok, let's see what happens:

https://www.yenko.net/attachments/200290-ttsmall.jpg

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

Thanks 427TJ. I agree, those wheels are the best! I wish American Racing would reproduce the correct version of that wheel.

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

Try this for a history of wheels, I haven't spent much time looking at it but at a quick glance it looks like it might be interesting:

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

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That was an interesting 1/2 hr of reading. Very informative.

Pantera

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

[ QUOTE ]
http://www.roadsters.com/wheels/#TT

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I forgot about this site until now. Great reading!

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OK...Mr70...JoeyB...you guys have old catalogs and stuff...I really love old wheels and I want to track the datelines and evolution...help us out here and post some of this stuff...I'm going to make this a sticky for a while. Everyone ditched their stock wheels as soon as they could. It would be cool to see how they evolved.... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

Bob,
That's what I was hoping this thread could turn into. I have a bunch of old catalogs as well and will try to get some wheel ads copied and sent to you (I can't post them myself). I'll send you one now that was posted a awhile back. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Verne

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

Here's a story from the July, 1961 Hot Rod showcasing American Racing magnesium wheels.

Page 1
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...lStory61-1.jpg
Page 2
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...lStory61-2.jpg
Page 3
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...lStory61-3.jpg
Page 4
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...lStory61-4.jpg

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

This American Racing wheel ad was also in the July '61 Hot Rod. Note the "Torq-Thrust" name is in use as early as 1961.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...gWheelad61.jpg

Re: Vintage Wheels
 

The earliest American ad I found in my Hot Rod collection was in the August, 1960 issue:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...heelad8-60.jpg

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I don't collect stuff as far back as 61, but here are a few cool things i was able to dig up from 66-70. Not sure if it helps anyone out in putting anything in chronological order or not, but what the heck...
https://www.yenko.net/attachments/201035-ebaypics739.jpg

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https://www.yenko.net/attachments/201036-ebaypics740.jpg

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https://www.yenko.net/attachments/201037-ebaypics741.jpg

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https://www.yenko.net/attachments/201038-ebaypics742.jpg

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https://www.yenko.net/attachments/201039-ebaypics743.jpg

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https://www.yenko.net/attachments/201040-ebaypics744.jpg

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https://www.yenko.net/attachments/201041-ebaypics745.jpg