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

[MAURO D'ANGELO]

Good to know.  With original tooling, modern metallurgical expertise, and
DOT safety certification and design, one has to seriously wonder if the new
wheels make more sense.  In the eyes of show judges, is there a way to tell
the original wheels from the reproduction wheels?


On 1/30/10 7:43 PM, "garywinblad at comcast.net" <garywinblad at comcast.net>
wrote:

> 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
> _______________________________________________
> Support Team.Net  http://www.team.net/donate.html
> 
> You are subscribed as m_dangelo at verizon.net
> 
> Tigers at autox.team.net
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/tigers
> 
> http://www.team.net/archive