Torque Thrust Wheels

I know, I know....need pics. Maybe you can help me anyway. This car I'm working on has what look to be t/t wheels. What is throwing me off is the center cap isn't held on with screws, it looks to be a steel wheel with a cast center but the caps have T/T in the center. They are 14x7? Maybe knock offs? They also have what looks like a chrome perfect fit trim ring on them instead of the machined aluminum lip. Thanks

 

American Racing Equipment, ...T70's

 

They could be 14 x7 T 70s but they have a push in hexagonal center cap which says American Racing - but they are all aluminum. However, and this applies to all aluminum Torq Thrust wheels as I recall (except 15 x 6 Torq Thrusts, which have Speed Sport cast into the rim): if it does not say American Racing on the inside of the rim and they are aluminum then they are not Torq Thrust....

 

That dust cap should read:
"chinese racing equipment"
They're not made in the United States anymore....

 

No they shouldn't - those are real made in USA T70s which are not repopped....

 

They are not Americans. Americans never used any trim rings. I had some wheels that used an O ring to hold the center cap on with no screws. I think that they were Superior but I'm not certain of that.

They have been making repo American decals for years. I have some on my clone 2 piece steel and aluminum wheels so that doesn't mean much. The trim rings are interesting. I know that Hurst wheels used them but I don't remember many other 5 spoke rims that used them. Pictures of the front and back could help a lot but there were a lot of clones.

 

Thanks for all the replys. The center cap is cone shaped with T/T on them. They are plastic or pot metal as are the trim ring looking outer ring. I'll yank one off tomorrow and see whats on the back side.They do not look like a quality wheel but they do appear to be OLD.

 

Thanks for the help. Got one cleaned up enough to find some I.D. Says Kestone inside one of the spokes and the trim ring is factory and pry's off. Weird looking wheel.

 

i still want to see it.

 

American did not make any composite aluminum center/steel rim wheels. Probably the JC Penney T/T center cap as pictured here. T/T may very well have been made by Keystone for Penneys, or someone had the caps and they just happened to fit what you have.

 

That is the wheel right there. Same center cap and all! Thought that I could just pop the pitted trim ring off and sand em up and paint to look like magneseum. But that won't work. The cars owner is going to come by and pick them up to see if he can do SOMETHING with them. The "HAMB" why go anywhere else for hot rod info? Thanks.

 

Cool, I guessed one right for a change!

Are you sure it has a trim ring? On the typical Torq Thrust copies the entire "face" of the wheel is one piece aluminum on the steel rim, as opposed to the aluminum center steel rim style (like Cragar SS). I can see how this could appear to be a trim, when it actually isn't.

If so, the aluminum can simply be remachined, or even just sanded smooth to take curb rash, etc off. These look like the edge was machined when new, not polished.

 

Beat me to the punch Phillips...good job! I used to have a set with 1 center cap. but could never get any other type of center cap to fit them. How bout this wheel? This is the first ones Ive ever owned.

 

OOH those are cool. Rebel Wheel corp. Parnelli Jones was part of the company, and within the year they added the PJ cap and started doing away with the Rebel name. I have some ads somewhere, I'll scan some.

 

man you guys are great! a man discribes a wheel that hasnt been made in yrs and you all have answers.i thought i knew a little about some of the old wheels but you guys know how they were made what they were made of and who made them.shit thats good!!! the history of wheels lol damn yall are GOODlol

 

oh your too cool! Id love to see the ads, I'm missing a center cap and would like to restore them.... thought I was the only guy whos breath smelled like wheel polish...lol. I only run vintage wheels on my cars..... if @ all possible. Check out my supers I run on my 61 daily driver....

 

Better late than never, here is the PJ/Rebel wheel ad I promised.

 

I like my caps and would pay BIG bucks for another set.

 

^^^^ very nice,never seen those

 

The Trac Tamer cap, and wheel too for that matter, is mighty awesome.
And Dark Horse, do you realize how rare and valuable those P/Js are?. They are super nice too, sorta like a less edgy version of a Keystone Klassic.