Thought you guys would appreciate these as much as I do. A good fellow I know had these under his work bench and pulled them out for me to view, and then let me purchase them. Needless to say I was very happy to purchase them and have been looking for these tires. The rims are 1964 cast and 15x6 rims. The tires are 8.20-15
man, those are bitchin... lotsa street racing was done on those back in the day! bucrons were nice and sticky like slicks! good going
Someone with the right period car would kill for those. I envision a museum like Garlits', etc. might just have a display car that those would look perfect on.
My first time to the dragstrip was in a new 62 Impala SS w/409cu. in. 409hp, 4 speed, positraction. And Atlas Bucrons in the trunk to put on when race time came. We ran S/S slicks ran SS/S. Those were the days. Pat
Great look, but the whitewalls have to go. I've had four sets of Cragar S/S wheels and still love them. What I could never understand is why so few of them survive rust free. What was Cragar not doing to keep these rims from not pitting and flaking. It was / is an acknowledged problem. This leads to two other questions. What would have to be done to prep theses chrome plated wheels for powder coating. Would they need to be stripped, and where would you turn for that?
The white walls are period correct for his car. The street tire dirt track racers in Central Texas used up almost every Atlas Bucron that could be found in the early 70's. That set would be great for a show car or museum car that doesn't get driven much.
Are we looking at a ''Sparkler'' wheel? I did a quick search to learn if they existed then. Still unsure. Those little slits for tread are the only difference between cheaters and Bucrons. Thanks for the close up photos.
Well, it looks like you may be right. The sparkler came out in 1970 for just a short while. It's kinda of buzz kill as I really thought they were period 1964.
Chevy dude...lol I mocked them up and I'm thinking black wall. Not sure I like the whitewall, makes it look like a custom.
Back in the day (early to mid sixties) which was the hay day of Atlas Bucrons they were always on steel wheels. Cragar wheels didn't come out until the late sixties. Bucrons on Cragars are a figment of someones imagination and an example of how someone who wasn't there thought that was the way it was back in the day.
The first of the Cragar SS wheels , were available in either chrome spoke or polished spoke. The biggest difference between regular cheaters and Bucrons is the rubber compound used. Butyl vs typical hard rubber. The Bucrons are so soft, you can sink your fingernail in them. That's an awesome pair you've got there !
When I first saw them, I thought the 'sparkler' finish was later. A friend had a set on an Impala, early 70s. Cool wheels still. Any period Cragar that survived in usable condition is a treasure. Loved the look, shit finish as far as durability. Reason I never spent my hard earned coin on 'em. The Bucrons, OTOH, are cool as hell!
In general, like you said-whitewalls for customs, or at least street cars, blackwalls look meaner, more serious. But I like whitewalls and slicks on some cars. Do what you like. It's hard to loose with a combo like you have. And while I had a set of Cragars a long time ago, they were last. The poor quality and peeling chrome keeps them off my 55 Chevy.
Back in the day I was a young teenager who never had the cash to even think buying aftermarket wheels. Neither did any of my friends. Thats why we all ran steel wheels with Bucrons. Conceivably it may have been possible to run Bucrons on Cragar S/S wheels but I never remember ever seeing that combination. I'd like to see a real picture taken back in the mid sixties showing Bucrons and Cragar S/S wheels being run together. Besides the photo of them on that Galaxy looks just funky and who would drive on 50 year old tires?
I worked in a Goodyear tire store in the 60's. It almost came to a fistfight over who got the old take-off Bucrons when a car came in with some for new tires.
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