Projects Steelies or mag wheels? Both are popular but what do you prefer?

I have a pair of wide ones...chrome is iffy, but they look ok from a distance. I don't have the car, but I do have the wheels, both the Cragar GTs and the steel chrome slots.

 

Jumped in the Model A yesterday and went north to Roberts, WI to the St. Croix Speed Shop. The owner, Keith Johnson, showed me some of his builds and work in progress, I especially like the red steelies on his pick up, really set the truck off, well done!!

 

That is actually a slick combo. Car is smooth too and I am not a tri five type of a guy.

 

It depends on the vehicle. I like A torque thrust style mag on my Tri five chevy. Aluminum Slots on my 64 fairlane. Steel wheels on my 60,s trucks. Never liked chrome wheels. Ive got lots of rusty Keystones , Chrome reverse and steel slots. They rust if you don't spent time cleaning them.

 

Part of the reason some guys run steel wheels on the rear of a drag car. They drill holes through the edge of the rim and screw the tires to the rim. That keeps the bead from slipping when they launch hard.

 

I can't decide either...

 

^Full floating truck axle^. Diggin' those wheels!

 

My three favorites in order are : semi-widened steelies, chrome reverses and Torque Thrusts. My '49 DeSoto has widened factory steels with earlier DeSoto dog-dishers and shallow beauty rings.

 

I'm an long time steel wheel reverser, (started in '55, at our high school metal/machine shop) Ford centers with Merc, Lincoln, Buick, Cad outer rims. Mild to deep offset, all my cars had my 'special wheels' front and rear.

My '46 Coupe (w/331 Chrysler hemi, 6-71 with Moon V-belt drive had '50 Merc centers, Buick outers (rear) and reversed '50 Mercs in front, with '50 Merc 'Ash Cans', cobalt blue car with same color wheels, black tires.
In 1962, I spent $240 on American Torq Thrusts, (magnesium) got 'em off the Greyhound bus in Santa Clara...just 40 miles from where they were cast (San Francisco) Opening the second box, I found a sheet with bold print:
"IF these wheels are used on a street driven car, they must be removed every 60 days and X-rayed for cracks."
Wow.
On the car they went, with my 7.10 X 15" fronts, 8.20 X 15" rears. Couldn't wait to cruise into the R-J drive in with my new Americans!
It was dark when I finished...Cruised up the El Camino with my new Torq-Thrusts, turned into the drive, switched headlights to park lights, (showing off my new Amber Parking Lamps, both filaments wired together, Bright!)
Immediately, at least three friends blurted, "Oh, Man! Get those ugly truck wheels offa there! Where are your dumps? Those C'Sers are UGLY!!!"
I was crushed... Took about a week for them to 'come around'. I was second in town to have 'em, Sam the Barber had the first set (on San Jose streets) bolted to his new red '62 Chevy 409. Sam ran 4 large Firestone Daytonas on his Chevy... Looked 'racy'...

 

heh...great story!

 

That's real deal traditional gasser right there.

 

I love steelies. Rears are reversed.

 

I get bored easily so I like to change it around fairly often

 

Totally depends on the car.



Case in point:


Just save me from the '70s wires please!!!!!

 

have seen cars with one style of wheel, or hubcaps, on one side - with different wheels/hubcaps on opposite side - used to make mag style hubcaps

 

I like steel wheel ,I have a set of original 5 spokes but never put them on.

 

Dayton wheels on a big truck. They are Ok but you gotta set a pop bottle along side the duals and keep loosening and tightening until you got them running true. I always preferred the budd wheels over daytons.

 

I've heard of wide-fives but I don't think these will catch on!

 

Did you sell the 55?

 

Had my new Excelsiors mounted on the steel wheels today
Wheel Vintiques 14 series with Wimbledon white powder coat.

 

I reckon my preference for steel wheels was caused by not having enough money as a kid to buy anything else.At this point I really prefer them.

 

I like both

 

Both.

 

Very nostalgic !

 

If you like to go Mag, I always found a nice 5 spoke wheel makes a good choice.

 

Steelies, Lyons, KH bent spoke and the only mags I like are Halibrands.

 

I ran junkyard steelies on my coupe until I felt that I could justify spending money on some American TTO's. It'll never go back to steelies. My stake truck, which is mostly original, has Wheel Vintiques "Gennie" wheels on it, but I had put a set of 70's Ford truck mags on it for a week, and kinda liked the look.

 

I've got quite a few set always mounted in the shed , so I change it up now and then

 

Don, don't touch your new 32. It looks great the way it is.

Gary

 

Just can't beat a set of chrome wheels and with WW's!!! Never noticed chrome wheels had left. I remember the first set of chrome wheels in my hometown of Bozeman, MT. 1964 on a yellow 55' CHevy. Wow! Not mine of course. I had reverse wheels on my '49 olds in the rear. I just took the wheels off, turned them around and lugged 'em back on. Looked great but it was a bugger to put air in those tires.