Torque Thrust Help
 

Guys, I'm trying to figure out which wheel I want. Does anyone have a contact # for someone knowledgeable at American Racing? My local distributors aren't able to provide anything outside of distributors. I am either buying another set of Torque Thrust D's or the TTO Torque Thrust Originals. Both sets now have the same color painted gray centers. I really want to see what the TTOs look like as a narrower front wheel. The AR website shows wheels that are approx. 8&quot;s wide. My goal is to try and get close to the way the old Fenton versions from the sixties looked. I believe Fenton called their version Hustlers. My Dad had a set on his 1968 SS 396 Chevelle. He also believes they were magnesium and I am unable to find any proof of Fenton making this wheel in magnesium. I hope someone can help me. Thanks ahead fellas! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Torque Thrust Help
 

Pretty sure Fenton never made a Hustler wheel in Mg. I have had a few of these, but they have all been aluminum. I am no expert, but have only seen E-T and Americans in a Mg 5-spoke design.

Fast Lane Rod Shop is a knowledgable ARE dealer - give them a call. Great prices too.

Re: Torque Thrust Help
 

Everyone called their cast wheels &quot;mag wheels,&quot; whether they were actually magnesium or aluminum. Maybe that's why your dad remembers them as being magnesium.

Re: Torque Thrust Help
 

I like the TTO's 15X7.

Re: Torque Thrust Help
 

Agreed. I feel the TTOs are more correct if you're looking to recreate a 60s/70s ride.
The ARE magnesiun wheel had a goldish cast to the unmachined surfaces when new, whereas the aluminum versions were a light gray color. The magnesium wheels will be easy to identify. First off, they're WAY expensive IF and when you find them, but they also turn very dark gray very easily (the machined surfaces especially). REAL magnesium wheels take constant maintenance to keep them looking good.
As stated above; I don't recall ever seeing a magnesium Fenton wheel.

Re: Torque Thrust Help
 

I think it was about 1965 when American began casting TTs in aluminum. Once they did everyone else copied the TT since the process was probably much cheaper than working with magnesium. TTOs are close to original and if you cut-in the small 'step' between the cast and polished part they look great. I have a pair of skinny 15&quot; TTOs, 5&quot; I think, that were so modified and the center area around the hub narrowed to fit the older, smaller screw pattern center caps. They look cool.

Re: Torque Thrust Help
 

427TJ, That small step on the TTO between the cast grey painted area and the polished part make that wheel look different to me. What do you mean by cut-in this small step? Machine it? I've been comparing, what I can find, between the Torq Thrust D, the TT Original, and the Fenton Hustlers and the main difference that I see are that the spokes on the TTO are a little more pointed. So far, I'm thinking that the D's look closer to the Fentons mainly due to the step between the painted cast area and the polished part.

Re: Torque Thrust Help
 

This is the &quot;lip&quot; (step might be a better word) that visually differentiates original 1960s Torq Thrusts from newer versions (TTD, TTO). Modern TTOs do not have this step. This is a new 15x5 TTO that has been modified to look like a '60s wheel. The step was cut-in and the center hub was machined down to approximate the size of the old wheels. The old style smaller screw pattern cap is shown set in place in the second pic.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a234/BE427TJ/1.jpg

15x5 TTO modified to look more like the original '60s wheel:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a234/BE427TJ/2.jpg

Original 1960s aluminum 15x6 (shallow back-space/deeper front side dish) for comparison:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a234/BE427TJ/3.jpg

The TTO is a fine looking wheel but pain-in-the-a$$ wheel guys like myself can spot them immediately. Make a small modification with the lip and you can trick practically all but the nerdiest mag wheel nerd.

Re: Torque Thrust Help
 

Tim,

Here is the info you requested. The catalog is dated Jan 1, 1970.

Dan

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...P4140029-2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...6/P4140026.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...6/P4140028.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...P1010006-7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...P1010007-6.jpg

Re: Torque Thrust Help
 

Looks like the upper Fenton wheel doesn't have the step but the lower wheel does.

BTW Tim, yes, my wheel guy machined-in the step in the 15x5 TTOs.