Happy Memorial Day Fellas Anyone got detailed pics of Wheelsmths chrome oem wheels. Particularly the OEM style with outside nubs for center caps. Also anyone have any thoughts on if they are a better wheel then the chrome Wheel Vintiques 64. thanks in advance
The Wheel Vintiques 64 is the only aftermarket chrome steel wheel with the OEM-style four vents between the rim and center and the 'outside' nubs for hubcaps. All others lack the vents and look like a 'smoothie' style wheel. If you want the traditional 'chrome reverse' look those are your only choice. The smoothie centers just don't look right IMO....
Oh geez... I just went down this road. First off. No matter what the website says, Wheel Vintiques Series 64 wheels are on backorder and you'll play hell getting any this year, and maybe next. I have Wheelsmith Series 20 15x6 OEM (front) and 15x8 OEM reverse (back) on my F100. I have some pretty strong opinions about Wheel Vintiques and what they can do with ALL of their wheels based on personal experience. Their customer service model is one based on the "We've got your money so fuck off! You'll get 'em when you get 'em" principle. If I had kept the order I placed at the end of January of last year, I'd still be waiting as they told me "maybe June". So after waiting for a couple of months, and at the behest of a couple of members here, I checked out Wheelsmith and wasn't disappointed. Wheelsmith filled my order in 7 days (your mileage may vary). They're a smaller organization than Wheel Vintiques (who is owned by Coker) and WAY better to work with, with a more "family and friends" approach to customer service. Terry is the man. He has like 40+ years of experience and it shows. Carla is an absolute doll and a joy to deal with. Worked out great for me because I literally live right down the road from them and skipped shipping charges by picking them up myself. As far as the style, the vents don't look right. To me, chrome steelies with vents look like Chevy S-10 steel wheels and throw off a more modern vibe. The Series 20's have no vents and look nothing like smoothies. To each, his own. Good luck no matter which way you go.
I have been friends with the Sages and their company WheelSmith for years. They are a family owned and run business and I hope it never ever changes. Every wheel they have made for me was custom including my land speed roadster. I had one problem with a set because of hub cap attachments and they made it good with no questions asked.
Look at vintage pics and virtually all chrome wheels from the HAMB era were vented.... And yes, my wheels have been on order for several months... ... but I knew that when I ordered. They're supposedly due shortly.
Hahahaha. Is this what we're gonna do today? We're gonna fight? Yeah-yeah... and NOBODY ran raised white letters either except this guy, right? Can we please settle this thing once and for all? The "H.A.M.B. era" began in 1995 with the conception of... the H.A.M.B (Hokey Ass Message Board). Before that it was just called hot rodding and semantics were left to the politicians. Don't get your back up or feel you have to defend yourself and your purchase. I said "to me" -NOT- "since I am the authority and know better than you, my word is the law!" which is where I think most guys here get it wrong. Can't we all just get along?
Your truck looks great @ccain. I personally prefer the vented wheels, but I sure as hell wouldn't go to Wheels Vintique to get them. Myself and many, many others have been burned by them in the past. You're absolutely right that their attitude is "Once you buy them, they're yours, no one said they were going to be round."
After finding much disappointment with Stockton wheel and Wheel Vintiques, I called Pete at SoCal . We commiserated about the first two and he said he had switched to WheelSmith. I did too and have been very pleased with anything they have do for me. So have the other people I recommended them to.
It sounds like WheelSmith should consider adding wheels to their line with the four vents. There is apparently a demand for them and Wheel Vintiques has the market cornered but many people seem to not want to buy from them.
Actually, they DO have the vented wheels available in their "vintage" line. Oh, and that's the beautiful thing about Wheelsmith. If they don't list it but have access to the parts, they can make you pretty much anything you want. At the risk of sounding like I work for them, (I don't) they even have a handy guide for you to use in order to make sure you get the exact fit for your ride.
Wow, those look great, I heard all the stories about Wheel Vintiques. I’m going with Wheelsmith. What are they getting for a 15x6??
I have always had good luck with Wheel Vintiques. But………I order them from Summit. I can say the last set I ordered from Summit was cancelled, so that may be in part to what you have said.
Mine were special order, so I can't speak for the prices across the board. In my case they were a tad pricier than the others -BUT- I got EXACTLY what I wanted as opposed to what is normally available on the shelf at the other places. PLUS I didn't have to wait 7 million years to get 'em. But, when doing the research, I found their prices to be comparable.
I agree, I heard also chrome around lug area on the Vintiques varied in quality, several opinions on this as well. In your pics the chrome looks awesome
I had 15x8 custom back spacing steel wheels made for me by WheelSmith for the Willys I built, and my Coupe. No, they are not chrome, but they deliver what you ask for.
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