minilite wheels
 

I ran across a set of ( 4 ) aluminium ...or magnesium wheels that look like the ones I have seen on the "Penske" trans am camaro..I believe the are 15" x 10"...5 lug chevy pattern...does anyone know what they went on? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

Re: minilite wheels
 

Jeff H whwre are you??? This is your bag baby!

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If they are the GM 5 on 4-3/4" bolt pattern then I guess they could be for a Camaro. But I'm not sure if you can fit the 15x10 wheels without some wheel opening modification. I'll have to search through the articles on Penske's car because I think he cheated on the wheel size. Do you have any pictures of the wheels? The new aluminum version is slightly different from the original magnesium wheels. I've got the new heat treated aluminum wheels.

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..I WILL GET SOME PHOTOS AND POST THEM....

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"Vintage" Minilite wheels (5x4-3/4) were used on both Camaro and Corvette race cars the old ones were magnesium and probably 8.5 or 9.5 wide. BEWARE 30 year old magnesium is unsafe as mag (when it gets old) is brittle and prone to crack. They are quite valuable though.
...redvetracr

Re: minilite wheels
 

I took the rims to get the tires removed and got some photos and correct measurements...I originally was told they were 10" wide ...but I understand that the measurement in taken "from inside of rim...to the inside of the same rim"....so I do not believe these to be 10" wide..but 8.5" wide....see photos
...also I think these are "aluminium" and not magnesium.
...and the holes are tappered for the lug nuts to fit.
I am posting photos of each wheel.

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another photo

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third wheel

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...oops....third wheel

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..fourth wheel

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more photos

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How can you tell aluminum from magnesium? I've got a complete set of Cragar S/X wheels from the early 70s. I've only ever seen one ad for these wheels and I've never seen another set like them anywhere. They resemble Torque Thrust D's. They're 14x6. I would LOVE to find a pair of deep dish 15x8 of them, but I don't know if they were ever made. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

Re: minilite wheels
 

...in the previous post....that is NOT a crack...it was some dirt on the wheel.
....more photos

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....another photo.....

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close up ....measuring

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They look like they could be another brand of wheel made to look like the Minilites. Here's a picture of the new Minilite which is heat treated aluminum, but almost identical to the originals. http://www.minilitewheels.com/Images...-side-2-lg.jpg

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..real close...

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what did the originals look like?
...these may be made by another manufacture.
....I'm not sure at this point.

Re: minilite wheels
 

Actually, they do look like the Minilite "Sport" wheels. Check this page for more information and some pictures of the different Minilite wheels.

http://www.minilitewheels.com/cgi-bi...m&cart_id=

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...you may be right ...the blue #6 camaro has painted wheels that look very much like these...

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John, you might want to contact Steve at Mainstreet Motorsports and send him some pictures to see if he can help you identify them for sure. He was very helpful when I was trying to decide what I wanted to do with my car.

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If you look closely at the pic of the single silver (Minilite) wheel posted above by Jeff H you will see a couple of "bosses" cast into the wheel shell about 180* across from each other, yours do not have these "bosses" so i`m thinking what you have is a set of "Panasport" wheels.
...redvetracr

Re: minilite wheels
 

That's what I was thinking at first as well. But if you look at the Minilite "Sport" wheels, they look very similar with the type of spoke and the center area being recessed slightly. The wheel I linked the picture to is called the "T/A".

Re: minilite wheels
 

...are those "bosses" where the valve stem would be?
...It looks like the "minilite wheels" have the valve stem pointing out
...where the valve stems on these wheels point to the center of the wheel...

Re: minilite wheels
 

John,
The 8 spoke wheels in your photos are not Minilites. They are a copy made by Western Wheels that look somewhat like our Sport style wheel.

Steve
minilitewheels.com

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Thanks, That is what a friend told me ....I just have not found a website or other photos on the internet... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

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Hey Steve, have you had any luck trying to document that Camaro you told me about?
Jeff

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Jeff-
No luck yet on it's early history even though we've been at it for about 10 years now. The car that I thought it was has turned up. Even with the unknown early race history I made what I felt was a decent cash offer for the car, but it wasn't enough, so I purchased an AMC Spirit-AMX with FIA Grp 1 and IMSA-GTO (Daytona 24h)race history instead. It won the Nurburgring 24 hour in the Group 1 class with 3 drivers, Lyn St.James as the main driver. It was one of a two car team sponsored by AMC and BF Goodrich Tires. We'll have it out with SVRA next year. Wheels to be fitted.....15"x 8" Minilite T/A's.
Steve

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FIAracer, Out of curiosity what group are you planning on running in SVRA 6 or 10?? ..redvetracr
[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif[/img]

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redvetracr-
The car has been approved for SVRA Group 10. Drivetrain will be a dry sump 360, T-10 and Ford 9inch. We're taking the body back to how it raced at the Nurburgring 24h (no flares) but keeping the chassis updates made after the Nurburgring 24h for IMSA. It last raced with a Traco built engine leftover from the Penske AMC-Matador NASCAR Team. I've located one of these engines but the trick will be talking the fellow out of it.
Steve

Re: minilite wheels
 

PLEASE don`t take this the wrong way but why would you want to race group 10, with "wings" & "slicks" ??
...redvetracr

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redvetracr-
No problem , it's a fair question given the cars I've worked on and restored for the last 15 years. My answer is long though.

Plain and simple: I chose the SVRA Group 10 class of "wings and slicks" due to the out of control prices of the earlier cars. Back 15 odd years ago the pre-73 big name factory T/A cars were bringing about 125K with independent T/A cars from about 85K and the B/P, A/S cars about 45K to 60K. Several of those same big name Trans-Am race cars have sold for beyond 300K the last couple years. The good independent T/A cars are at or near the mid 150K range. Even the project cars are bringing big money. Some say since the Monterey Historic's started allowing these cars into their August event this helped boost values. What I can say is that many of the real T/A cars that have sold from the East coast and Midwest have gone West. Not all but many.

The Post-72 cars tend to be more affordable and more available. So I've stepped forward 10 years in racing history and for a fraction of the early T/A cars prices, I have a very well built race car with full factory support from American Motors Corp, driven by a variety of big name pro drivers and has a winning endurance racing history.

These 70s/80s Trans-Am and IMSA cars have been slowly rising in interest. I'm seeing this happen right now with owners of the early T/A cars, so like them I'm getting into it while it's affordable. So looking forward, that's why I've also acquired a tube chassis Camaro with 1987 season Trans-Am history as well. Being on the East Coast there's plenty of track time available thanks to SVRA and HSR. Just look at the October Feature Car on this website, Tom Clary's IMSA Yenko/Thompson tube chassis Camaro. Fantastic car and I look forward to seeing and racing with it in the future. Sure I would prefer a 1967-72 Camaro, but I'm getting into the later cars now before they follow the trend of the early $T/A$ cars.
Steve

Re: minilite wheels
 

[ QUOTE ]
...are those "bosses" where the valve stem would be?
...It looks like the "minilite wheels" have the valve stem pointing out
...where the valve stems on these wheels point to the center of the wheel...

[/ QUOTE ]
I may be off on this one, but...I've seen a set of the new aluminium T/A wheels on a friends 69 Z28 and I noticed those bosses myself. Magnesium Aircraft wheels from the 50's and 60's that I used to work with often had thermal plugs in the rims that looked like those bosses. They were designed to melt and depresurise the tyre before an explosion if there was a brake/wheel fire.
It could be the original magnesium rims had these plugs, and the new rims are molded to simulate them......if indeed, thats what they are.

Re: minilite wheels
 

Leigh
The two solid raised blank bosses on our 15"x 8" T/A Minilite are alternative locations for the valve stem. Since our new aluminum T/A wheel has been modeled after our vintage magnesium competition wheel we duplicated this style. The Trans-Am wheels valve stem is further in between to spokes to prevent it from being knocked off in competition. All other Minilites have the valve stem out on the rim edge, on the raised boss area.

David Livian in Australia played a big role in helping me produce this aluminum T/A Minilite. I needed a 200 wheel order before the Minilite UK factory would tool-up for this wheel. David kicked in a 100 wheel order which helped me launch this project faster.
Steve

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And I will say they are some sweet wheels. I can't wait to get them on my car, but that will still be 9-12 months away since it's still in the middle of the restoration.

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I agree - they are cool looking wheels [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

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I found my '69 L-88 vette when it raced the Trans Am race held at Hallett OK. Is it eligable to be raced vintage with this heritige? It is still in that liverly and in fact it has the original paint on it from when I bought it. I have upgraded it to a drysump and added a forward hoop to the roll bar to make it legal for more current racing. I quallified for the runoffs at Alanta twice.

See pic attached of it at the race.

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Pantera-
I will leave this for redvetracr to answer.

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Ok Pantera,
I'll take a stab at this even though Corvettes are not my specialty and I haven't seen a current photo of your car. I've been a member of SVRA and HSR since 1989 however not very active as I should be. There's several vintage race clubs coast to coast and car eligibility does vary. If the car raced before 1973 and your paperwork's in order, it should be eligible for SVRA Group 6 (this is where redvetracr can be of help). Now HSR is a bit more loose and will probably allow the flares and dry sump. The tougher West Coast clubs will tend to require the cars to be "year of manufacture spec". So being a 69 model no dry sump because as I recall that came into play about 1971-72ish time period. No flares and watch wheel width and engine size. Basically as the car raced or would have raced in the year 1969. So if the car raced pre-1973 and you want to run with most all clubs it would need to be prepared as raced in 1969. I've had replace all four corners of my 1966 car due to this rule (thank you Steve Earle-General Racing LTD!). If it's more wild than 69 spec perhaps look into HSR. Links to their sites~~> www.svra.com www.hsrrace.com

Re: minilite wheels
 

I agree 100% EXCEPT certain SVRA events are considered
"open events" (like Road America) NO medallion (pre`73 history) required, then you have the VSCDA "wheel rule" to contend with for the other two Road America races NO 10" wheels and they measure!! (I was DNQ right there sitting third on the grid at the `00 BRIC).As far as CA, I don`t think general Steve Earle allows anything newer than `67 (Monterey was an exception for the 50th) and NO VARA does not like Flares or Drysump motors, which (I believe) only leaves you HSR-west and if it`s like HSR then anything goes and I can`t imagine anyone in a non Porsche having fun. ALL this is assuming you are willing to travel!!
...redvetracr