Old Race Car Wheels

[Steve Holmes]

I'm going through a phase at the moment where I'm really fascinated by old race car wheels, and the development of them, particularly during the 1960s. Wheel development was as hotly contested as tyre development, and it was competition that drove that development. In sedan racing, the SCCA Trans-Am series was the pinnacle of competition, particularly when the car manufacturers became involved.

The Trans-Am minimum weight limit in the late 1960s was 2,800 pounds (approx 1,270kg). However, the rules stated that all original factory bodywork must be retained. Therefore, to get anywhere near the weight limit, teams had to look at ways to reduce weight with what they had. By 1967, it was becoming common practice to acid dip the majority of steel body parts, including the bodyshell itself, as the acid ate away at the metal, greatly reducing weight.

But wheel companies were also in on the act, and while many teams used steel wheels during the 1966 season, quickly they switched to alloy, or directly to magnesium, which was lighter again.

By 1969, most Trans-Am teams had switched to the 8-spoke Minilite wheel, which was produced in magnesium. But prior to that, the 5-spoke magnesium American Racing wheel was the most popular choice. American Racing still produce a similar wheel (though the company was bought out years ago), though in alloy, called the Torq Thrust. It actually differs in design to the original wheel, but is close enough that its a popular wheel of choice among historic race car owners wanting to get the look of period competition sedan cars.

I was visiting Nigel MacDonald a few months ago. Among his collection of cool '67 Mustangs, is the ex-Frank Bryan/Red Dawson Shelby built A/Sedan notchback. Nigel bought the car off David Bowden in Australia, who bought the car out of NZ about 15 years ago. Although painted white (as it was when it left Shelby) when Nigel bought it, he is in the process of returning it to its famous metallic blue, as it was when owned by Dawson.

But among the parts stored next to the Mustang at Nigels, were three original American Racing magnesium wheels, made specifically for this car in 1967. Nigel explains: "In August last year my cars featured in NZ Classic Car mag written by Gordon Campbell. Within a week or two a guy by the name of Harry rang me from Christchurch and informed me he had 3 of original magnesium rims. He had had them for about 15 years after buying them at a swap meet at Winchester (near Timaru) and they had been retrieved from a crashed track car, though not sure what. I made an arrangement to visit with him in a couple of months time when I was down on other business. He was a very genuine guy and was keen to see wheels reunited to the car and a very reasonable deal was done for which I am very grateful".



The wheels couldn't be used again for racing, but they're a nice memento to have, and its cool that they've been reunited with the Mustang again after all these years. Dawson sold the car to a buyer in Christchurch, so it stands to reason the wheels didn't travel too far. What is really neat about them, is that in the wheel centres, is reference to the American Racing customer: "Frank Bryan Racing Team". Note also that they got the spelling slightly wrong: "Frank Byran". I doubt these would be the wheels that were on the Mustang when built by Shelby, they would have had a stack of American Racing wheels in stock to bolt on all their cars. These are more likely a spare set ordered by Frank Bryan direct from American Racing, probably when he was in the US buying the Mustang.



Nigel said he was on the trail of another wheel, apparently off his car, and possibly the fourth wheel of the set. It was damaged, so may well have been. However, this wheel was in Palmerston North! How it became so separated from the other three is a mystery, but before he could track it down, apparently the owner got into a spot of bother with the law, and his collection broken up. Quite where the wheel is now, is unknown.

But I just thought I'd share this. If anyone wants to contribute, with either current pics of old wheels, or old pics of old wheels, please go ahead.

[John McKechnie]

I managed to track down 3 of the original 4 wheels off the Cambridge Monaro also from that period.
They were taken off in 1975 when George Bunce put the bigger wheels on.
The 2 rear went on the Z/28 Camaro to the SI to race ,and found them at Puke swap meet 25 years ago and I got one front wheel still at NSA where it sat since being taken off. My request to spend some time doing deep examining for the remaining wheel is still being considered

[Steve Holmes]

Thats awesome John, can you post some pics on this thread?

[Bryan]

An interesting discussion on Australian alloy wheels, including the Globe Sprintmaster fitted to the Bathurst Toranas.
Autosport Forums alloy road race wheels made in australia

[Noel]

Wheels are cool, especially ones with History. Shown above are my Berry & Chung (B/C) wheels which are going on my dragster restoration project Hombre. Only a dozen or so sets were made before the moulds were burnt when the foundry caught on fire. B/C were well known in NZ in the 60s making not only wheels but inlet manifolds, rocker covers etc. These are still being made today using the original moulds by Restospares but no wheels making these as rare as rocking horse poo. This set were bought at a Napier swap meet 20 years ago and taken to the USA by an expat Kiwi. I purchased them 2 years ago and they are now back in NZ.

[Noel]

My other interesting wheel is a trade me purchase from a few years ago. This is one of the minilight wheels of Ari Vatanen's escort from the 1977 International rally.This was given to the previous owner in a service just outside Rotorua. This was a famous drive for Ari and his co-driver Jim Scott as he crashed twice but still come back to finish second.