American made rims??
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,435
Likes: 9
From: Kalamazoo Mi
American made rims??
I am looking for some 17 inch rims for the 1980 that are hecho en los estados unidos.
I hear that the TTIIs are now made in china, which sucks. What about Cragar? do they make them in the correct back spacing?
Other brands? USA, Canadian, European, Japanese are fine, i am just not willing to buy more junk from China and Mexico.
cheers
Steve
I hear that the TTIIs are now made in china, which sucks. What about Cragar? do they make them in the correct back spacing?
Other brands? USA, Canadian, European, Japanese are fine, i am just not willing to buy more junk from China and Mexico.
cheers
Steve
Racer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 295
Likes: 2
From: Concordia KS
I am looking for some 17 inch rims for the 1980 that are hecho en los estados unidos.
I hear that the TTIIs are now made in china, which sucks. What about Cragar? do they make them in the correct back spacing?
Other brands? USA, Canadian, European, Japanese are fine, i am just not willing to buy more junk from China and Mexico.
cheers
Steve
I hear that the TTIIs are now made in china, which sucks. What about Cragar? do they make them in the correct back spacing?
Other brands? USA, Canadian, European, Japanese are fine, i am just not willing to buy more junk from China and Mexico.
cheers
Steve
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
CENTERLINE..... located in so cal...I have been talking to them, and ANY wheel they currently make or have made in the past they will make for you to fit your car. and there pricing is very reasonable. for a 18" that I want costume made is going to be ~$250 each..... they make them right there..... Paul :-)
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
The China thing is OK depending on how the quality control is done. The Chinese are quite capable of making good parts if the company that contracts them to the work is on the ball.
A good example is the Callies Compstar line. Made in China but QC is done in the states or overseen by Callies. I have seen a few of the "Chinese" Compstar cranks and rods and they are good, I mean real good.
Where it gets mucked up is when we want a 4340 forged crank for $200, it's not going to be good, if you want cheap stuff they have cheap stuff but the Callies Compstar cranks aren't cheap either so you get what you pay for.
If American Racing is overseeing the production ( they can't check every wheel ) but they can make sure the quality is there then I don't see a problem
Now if you beef is the fact they are not made in USA then you are going to have to buy a brand that is
A good example is the Callies Compstar line. Made in China but QC is done in the states or overseen by Callies. I have seen a few of the "Chinese" Compstar cranks and rods and they are good, I mean real good.
Where it gets mucked up is when we want a 4340 forged crank for $200, it's not going to be good, if you want cheap stuff they have cheap stuff but the Callies Compstar cranks aren't cheap either so you get what you pay for.
If American Racing is overseeing the production ( they can't check every wheel ) but they can make sure the quality is there then I don't see a problem
Now if you beef is the fact they are not made in USA then you are going to have to buy a brand that is
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 5,202
Likes: 10
From: cincinnati ohio
St. Jude Donor '09
Just an observation, but I don't think I've ever seen a wheel manufacturer refer to their product as a "rim", ie American Racing "rims" or Cragar "rims".
Sorry couldn't help it...a pet peeve ya know.
Sorry couldn't help it...a pet peeve ya know.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 517
Likes: 7
From: Peoria IL
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Pro
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 624
Likes: 1
From: Melbourne, Fla. 6 months- New Middletown, Ohio 6 months
It is all in fun!
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,959
Likes: 3,354
From: NYC NY
You didn't mention what the budget is so I'm not sure what you're looking to spend. You did however mention A/R TTIIs. It has been stated on other forums that they have moved the "custom" wheel manufacturing back to the USA (the wheels with backspace built to order that have wait times to go along with the build times). You can also look at www.vintagewheelworks.com as they make a wheel that is high quality in the same style a TTII. Most of the billet wheel companies - Budnik, Bonspeed, Billet Specialties, Colorado Custom, and Intro just to name a few are made here. At one time and I don't know if it's still true but the rumor was Centerline made the hoops for everybody and each company cut their own center designs and assembled the wheels. The wheels with cast centers will be priced below the wheels with billet centers. A lot of the "old school" designed centers are cast. I hope this helps to give you some ideas when you try to decide what wheels in what price range you want to spend you're hard earned dollars on. Good luck with what ever you decide.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,830
Likes: 491
From: Florida
The selection is small but Phil Schmidt's PS Engineering "Rims" are made in the US!
http://www.psvintagewheels.com/home.html
http://www.psvintagewheels.com/home.html
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,435
Likes: 9
From: Kalamazoo Mi
you are right its a wheel, at our shop we used to call the bare wheels rims, and wheels with tires mounted on them wheels. old habits i guess.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 338
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles Ca
The selection is small but Phil Schmidt's PS Engineering "Rims" are made in the US!
http://www.psvintagewheels.com/home.html
http://www.psvintagewheels.com/home.html
Thats the the wheel I went with.
Oops, just realized I'm in the c3 side.
