<VV> Theoretical recommendations : "mag wheels"

[Tony Underwood]

At 06:43 PM 9/1/2010, Charles Lee wrote:
>Isn't that where the term "mag wheel" originated ?
>
>Magnesium + aluminum for strong light wheels ?
>
>Charlie



Lots of the aftermarket wheels were actually cast aluminum.  Some, 
like Cragar-SS and Keystone Klassics wheels had a steel rim with an 
aluminum alloy center that was riveted or "dimple-stamped" in 
place... or in the case of some Cragar-SS's, actually welded 
(aluminum-to-steel weld, think about that).  Some Keystone Klassic 
wheels were epoxied together... bad move, lawsuits up the yingyang etc.

Some earlier Cragar one-piece wheels made in the early '60s were 
actually magnesium, can be spotted by their bronze'ish gray 
color.   I believe some other wheel manufacturers at the time also 
were using magnesium but most of them ended up with aluminum alloy as 
the material of choice, especially for those end users who liked to 
polish their wheels.   Aluminum alloy will (depending) take a pretty 
good polish, magnesium... not so much.  ;)


Long ago, I had a set of the Cragar magnesium one-piece 5-spoke 
wheels, didn't much like them because they were gray and wouldn't 
hold a polish, swapped them off.   Now I really wish I had them 
back.   The '69 Monza here is wearing a set of Cragar aluminum alloy 
slot wheels that will take a pretty good polish and hold 
it.   They're reasonably wide as well, hold a performance type tire 
nicely, bought them for cheap at the Carlisle convention.


Lots of those old vintage aftermarket wheels that had become passe' 
by the 1980s are now coming back into demand... and prices are going 
up, if Ebay is any indication.

Vintage Hands type wheels are the exception; they never seemed to 
fall out of favor and seldom ever went for anything resembling a 
bargain unless one got lucky, like a chapter member here did who 
found a filthy but excellent condition set in an old gas station here 
in town, one was in a corner standing upright atop a 2nd that was 
almost hidden by some oily car parts, guy asked if the two were for 
sale, got told something ridiculously cheap, whipped out his wallet, 
then mumbled that it would have been ok if the seller had two 
more...   "I got a couple more in the back someplace, I 
think".    Guy asked if they might also be for sale and the seller 
said sure, if he can find them, and next day he did, guy bought those 
also... for a price so cheap he was reluctant to tell me how cheap... 
but he was somewhat tickled about it.   It was hinted that he may 
have bought all 4 for about a hundred bucks.   They look mint.

They're currently on his excellent metallic blue '66 turbo ragtop.

I wouldn't mind stumbling across a set of vintage Hands wheels for a C-note...




tony..