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Ansen slots. When did they come about?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 383 240z, Nov 4, 2010.

  1. I got 15x4s on my current project I had them on my nova in 1970-1
     
  2. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Thats correct, think the Fenton Gyros came out in '69. I dont recall seeing the skinnys (15x4/15x4.5) from other manufacturers appear until after the fentons came out, with the exception of mag halibrands of course, but they look TOTALLY different.
     
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2010
  3. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Sounds questionable to me too, '66-'67 would be the VERY earliest I see them advertised or appearing on cars. Prior to that, all you see is Halibrands and the stamped steel, chromed slots.
     
  4. 40WILLYSCRAZY
    Joined: Mar 26, 2009
    Posts: 249

    40WILLYSCRAZY
    Member
    from fresno

    I have a pair of square slots that look like your ansens. Mine are made by american racing. They are tough ones to find.
     
  5. Steves32
    Joined: Aug 28, 2007
    Posts: 1,280

    Steves32
    Member
    from So Cal

    In the 60's, I ran Ansen Sprints on everything. I still like them on the right period build. Bought alot of sets from Super Shops.
     
  6. anyone have any pics with ansen sprints and knock offs??
     
  7. 1965 picture of Oddy's Austin
     

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  8. landseaandair
    Joined: Feb 23, 2009
    Posts: 4,485

    landseaandair
    Member
    from phoenix

    Those look like halibrands to me. The early Halibrands had a rounded "window", not like the newer "sprints". Doesn't anybody have any '63/'64 Ansen catalogs?
     
  9. 5SPOKE
    Joined: Oct 24, 2002
    Posts: 67

    5SPOKE
    Member

    Well I don't think that early of a catalog will help, 'cause read what I found :

    The early 1960s was a prolific time for Ansen Automotive. The owners' partnership had dissolved, leaving Louis as the owner, and he turned his attention to developing one- and two-piece aluminum wheels for race cars; in fact, Ansen's aluminum wheels were the first made of this material to be approved for use at Indy, where Halibrand's lightweight magnesium wheels dominated. Designed in 1963, these aluminum wheels were crafted on Louis's innovative centrifugal casting machine and a tracer lathe to feature a machined finish; they had five oval slots for brake cooling, as well as a visible casting of the brand name. Called the Sprint, this wheel design was quickly adapted from racing to street use in 14- and 15-inch diameters and varying widths, and its popularity skyrocketed.

    So I would say a '64-67 would help more, but depending on year depended on what Ansen, my '73 catalog shows 13"-16.5" in varying widths and finishes.........I could make copies if anyone is interested, its got some good shit in it :)
     
  10. landseaandair
    Joined: Feb 23, 2009
    Posts: 4,485

    landseaandair
    Member
    from phoenix

    Thanks for the info. I just can't stand people repeating the same stuff over and over assuming it's true. In this case it could mean more aluminum slots wearing wide whites, blahhh! Sure like to see an ad or something showing the earliest they were available to the public. I still think late 60's at best.
     
  11. OK called my sis and confirmed that the old man sold the altered in '64. She also confirmed that yes indeed he wanted to run Ansen Sprints on it but bought orthopedic shoes for the skinny kid instead. She could also be wrong of course we are both getting a little long in the tooth.

    It is highly unlikely that anyone would have run wide whites and Ansens on the street, they were race wheels not normally what you would have seen on someone's custom.
     
  12. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Really nice shot of Oddys austin with Halibrands on it, thanks for posting.
     
  13. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Wide whites were fading out in popularity by '63, I have never seen a period picture of a car with wide whites on aluminum slots. Unless the "period' in question is from 2003-2010, then they are EVERYWHERE.
     
  14. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Cant speak for anyone else, but I would be very interested to see some scans. If you want, and no-one else is interested,you could PM them to me.
     
  15. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    By far the easiest way to tell Halibrands from the aluminum slots, in sixties era wheels anyway, are the raised ribs around the slots.
     
  16. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    On Sunday I will pull some magazines from '65-'67 and post the earliest ad I can find showing Ansen Sprints.

    Oh yea, I should add, assuming this thread isnt locked by then.:D
     
  17. So where are the rasied ribs on the rear rims in that photo ?

    The ads will only show the new Ansen T.E. 5 spoke rim in the mags from those years, I just looked through a few, but post it when you find it.
     
  18. gasser300
    Joined: May 25, 2010
    Posts: 486

    gasser300
    Member
    from Ft Worth

    Mid 70's Mustang Cobras came with 13" slots. I have a pair I am hanging on to. SOmeday some 15x10's will fall into my lap andf I will have 2 sets of wheels for my lil T
     
  19. 14's make great bar stool bottoms

    [​IMG]
     
  20. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Count me in on the likin' slots bunch! Last year I was looking for a way to dress up my low mileage O/T Maverick. Slots to the rescue! A good friend gave me the 15X7 for the fronts, so all I had to do was get a pair of 15X8s for the rear, Right? Easy! Uh Uh! Remember when scrap aluminum went nuts four or five years ago... Guess where all those worthless slots went! Took me two months of looking to find a pair, then several days of sanding and polishing to make them all right. But how right they are! I might have got laid a bit more frequently driving this thing to high school in the late seventies! I'll have to snap a better picture of this thing and post it later. These are U.S. Indys by the way... And I remember my dads shop first selling Ansens around '68 or so.
     

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  21. Junior Stock
    Joined: Aug 24, 2004
    Posts: 1,891

    Junior Stock

    First ad for Sprints I've found is November 67 Hot Rod.
    Not an end all, but the 64 65 ads did'nt even list wheels.
    My scanner is broke but I'll get the ad scanned tommorrow.
     
  22. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    I havent actually checked yet, but that jives with what I remember.
     
  23. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Well, thats a pretty blurry scan, and I have an unfair advantage, as I have an article in PHR on Oddys car from the same time as those photos were taken, but the fact that those are 16" wheels are your first clue that those arent Ansens. On Sunday. I will dig out the article on Oddys car with those wheels on it, and post that as well.
    To be honest, the only well-known gassers I can recall with aluminum slots rather than Halibrands are Fred Texierias Corvette, and a couple of Rod Shop cars, both are circa '69-'71. Thats not to say there arent others, but halibrands will outnumber aluminum slots on real actual gas class race cars from the sixties & early 70s about 99-1.
     
  24. 5SPOKE
    Joined: Oct 24, 2002
    Posts: 67

    5SPOKE
    Member

    Ok well the reason ya'all can't find 'em is in '64/'65 is the after-market wheels were mostly 2 piece like Hursts wheels and Radirs, aluminum center riveted to a steel outer rim I got a Motor-Trend magazine article from April '65 discussing the safety of wheels, '66 is where it Really got started with after-market street wheels in one piece aluminum (or so) I got an American catalog from '66, and I flipped through some my old magazines Ansen started showing 5 spokes in a 1 piece cast mid. '65, but not Sprint wheels (slots) till 1st 1/4 of 1968.
    1st pic. is 1965, then '66, '67 and the Ansen ad for Mar. 1968....I've enjoyed this thread takes me back to when I started at a tire/wheel shop when I was 11....:)
     

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  25. skottyknukkles
    Joined: Feb 19, 2008
    Posts: 314

    skottyknukkles
    Member

    when did they start getting collectable? i never thought much of them. usually went on the scrape pile.
     
  26. Von Rigg Fink
    Joined: Jun 11, 2007
    Posts: 13,418

    Von Rigg Fink
    Member
    from Garage

    Did all the Ansens come with the center caps that were attached by screws that went into the face of the wheel by the hub?

    If so, who's make would look very close to Ansens, that would have had a push in cap that would have been pushed in from the back?
     
  27. 5SPOKE
    Joined: Oct 24, 2002
    Posts: 67

    5SPOKE
    Member

    All the early Slots had the bolt on caps till about 1970 depending on brand, Ansen in the 70s offered both bolt on and a metal pop-in on their Sprint IIs, also Ansen offered them polished and in direct bolt and a mult-pattern in the 70s
     
  28. landseaandair
    Joined: Feb 23, 2009
    Posts: 4,485

    landseaandair
    Member
    from phoenix

  29. Junior Stock
    Joined: Aug 24, 2004
    Posts: 1,891

    Junior Stock

    The ad that's in the Hot Rod I have says they were available in 15 & 16 inch and 7,8 1/2,10,11 inch widths.
     
  30. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    I don't think so. There were lots of '"slotted mags" that were quick to copy the design. Many guys back then and today erroneously called them Ansen's just like many 5 spoke clones were called Americans. That and the fog of time clouds our memories. I don't remember any slots with the 5 screw caps.
     

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