[Tigers] Opinions Please: LAT-70 Repro Wheels Better thanOriginals???

[garywinblad at comcast.net]

The SS wheels are made from the ORIGINAL tooling, so they look the same.
They are made with a much better casting process and/or material so they
are not as porous so they hold air and they hold their shine.  In Bill's photos,
the ones on the right are not as shiny as SS wheels at their worst.  If you take
a few minutes with wheel polish they can look like mirrors.
Also, the machining of the inside (not visible when tires are mounted) is to
1990's DOT specs (not sure but IIRC there is slight raised bead that retains
a flat tire better) so they are safer from a tire retention viewpoint as well as 
the better casting/material.  I guess you know what kind of wheels I have on
my car!
Gary

----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Waite 
To: rfraser at bluefrog.com, tigers at autox.team.net, J D Johnson 
Sent: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:16:57 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: [Tigers] Opinions Please: LAT-70 Repro Wheels Better thanOriginals???

The photos below show four of the original LAT 70 wheels.  The two on the 
right have been polished, the two on the left have not been finished.  These 
wheels were used for many years by the former owner of my Mark I (I 
purchased the car in 1979... these wheels removed in 1980 and never used 
since).   Two of the photos show the markings on the underside of the wheel 
(plus "PATENT PENDING" is also there).  These wheels are for sale if anyone 
is interested in the original ones for a car being restored with original 
parts.  I believe the Sunbeam Specialties wheels are the same "design" but 
larger diameter, etc for bigger than original tires, etc.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2009-1/1331597/LAT70WHEELS.JPG

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2009-1/1331597/IMG_0032(2).JPG

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2009-1/1331597/IMG_0031(2).JPG

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2009-1/1331597/IMG_0029(2).JPG

Regards,

Bill Waite
Grand Rapids, MI