Day 2 parts discussion

**napa68** · #1 07-23-2011, 08:39 PM

I'll get a thread started here to separate the Day 2 cars from the parts.

I ran into a friend and his Dad today at a car show. We started talking about the 62 Corvette I just bought and some of the little things that would make you believe the car was drag raced early on. One item that came up in discussion (that I never heard of) was early scattershields. My buddy's Father (Rick) spoke of scattershields that were actually bolted to the frame rails and just protected the drivers feet (top of the bellhousing if I understand it correctly)He also told me of a scattershield he had recieved from Chris (aka SIRVIVOR) that came from his 62 409 car.

Besides the traction bars on my car (matches the patina of the chassis), the car has 2ea. 5/8 bolts welded into the frame right in the proximity of the bellhousing.

Any pictures?
Thoughts?
Old catalogs?

This discussion has me interested. My car is missing the original transmission and center section (HMMMMMMMMMMMMM). Obviously, the car was abused. I am trying to put some of the clues together.

In advance, thanks for the time and effort.

Tim

**napa68** · #2 07-23-2011, 10:55 PM

I did find this on a Google search.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=312703

Anyone have one or at least good pics?

Tim

**black69** · #3 08-09-2011, 08:00 AM

from a day 2 parts perspective, I have a chance to buy some 15 x 12 cragars to go on my challenger. They have mickey thompson indy profile n50s on them which match what used to be on the car.

Any guess on tire age?: dot code is CY6ETA35290

I read that the last digit is likely the year, but they could be 70 or 80 vintage, or even 90?

also, how do you really tell old cragars from newer ones? I am assuming the chrome plating back in the day was better than what you get today.

**whitetop** · #4 08-09-2011, 05:07 PM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: black69</div><div class="ubbcode-body">from a day 2 parts perspective, I have a chance to buy some 15 x 12 cragars to go on my challenger. They have mickey thompson indy profile n50s on them which match what used to be on the car.

Any guess on tire age?: dot code is CY6ETA35290

I read that the last digit is likely the year, but they could be 70 or 80 vintage, or even 90?

also, how do you really tell old cragars from newer ones? I am assuming the chrome plating back in the day was better than what you get today.

</div></div>

Post a pic as it's really hard to tell what you have. I can tell by the kickup in the lip and center section features. If the lug nut area is fog painted they are pre mid 1980's. All Cragar wheels before then were fog painted a very light silver in the lug nut pockets.

1. Cragar never made 15 x 12's unless special order and that was extremely rare as you had to order directly from Cragar and wait forever and it was very expensive. Most likely 15 x 10's and the seller is guestimating on the width or measuring outer lip to outer lip instead of in between the lips which would be hard since tires are on them.
2. Cragar chrome is 500 percent better today. It was pretty lousey back in the 60-80's. Crappy actually.

If the M/T have in white letters SS (soft compound)on the sidewall they are newer.
Hope this helps.

**black69** · #5 08-09-2011, 05:53 PM

I have the wheels now, I just have to return them quick if I am not going to buy them.

the chrome is consistent in the lug area, and not toned down. there is light pitting in the back of the wheel, but the chrome on the front of the wheel is perfect for my day 2 ride. actually it looks awesome, just ever so light pitting starting on one spoke, and the hub cap has one pit starting. . they are 12 inch wide.

If I can date the tires, I can date the wheels, I am assuming both came to be at the same time. the s/s on the tires is white like you say (must be newer). picture comes tonight. I did call mickey thompson, and they said the are really old tires (could not decipher the old code), likely 80s or a 90 tire at best, but cant tell. they said as soon as I drive them, they will crack under load.

**69L78** · #6 08-09-2011, 06:17 PM

Attached are pics of a pair of NOS hubcaps I just picked up and the gentleman told me to the best of his memory they have been sitting in his shop for over 20 yrs, (look at the old box). As you can see these do not have the trade mark insignia in a small circle that all the newer cragar's seem to have, maybe this will help identifying the year.

**whitetop** · #7 08-09-2011, 08:29 PM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: black69</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have the wheels now, I just have to return them quick if I am not going to buy them.

the chrome is consistent in the lug area, and not toned down. there is light pitting in the back of the wheel, but the chrome on the front of the wheel is perfect for my day 2 ride. actually it looks awesome, just ever so light pitting starting on one spoke, and the hub cap has one pit starting. . they are 12 inch wide.

If I can date the tires, I can date the wheels, I am assuming both came to be at the same time. the s/s on the tires is white like you say (must be newer). picture comes tonight. I did call mickey thompson, and they said the are really old tires (could not decipher the old code), likely 80s or a 90 tire at best, but cant tell. they said as soon as I drive them, they will crack under load. </div></div>

The soft compound S/S series tires came out in the early 80's (still being made to this day)and they still made the real N50-15 regular rubber tires into the very early 90's then stopped. Instead of S/S they said 50. Legally they tell you they will crack but depends on how they were kept = plus they want to sell you new tires. I would not drive 500 miles to a show but crusing locally would probabaly be alright. I know a guy with a mid 70's set of N50's (Kelly Springfield) and they are still going strong and he drives the car to shows all over the place. I have 4 sets of N50 pro tracs from the same time period and they are still soft with no cracks or dry rot.

If there is no trace of silver paint in the lug nut pocket they are probably post mid 80's.

**PxTx** · #8 08-10-2011, 02:53 AM

I've seen skinny Cragar wheels without the unilug dated as late as 1982. Yes, the chrome was not that great early on. Don't recall right now when it started being done in Mexico. Anyone have a set of them for a point of reference?

These wheels here i never dismounted, but suspect the caps were simply put on by a previous owner from a newer set.

I've also owned unilug wheels that were dated 1978, and they were 15x8. If I knew this, then I forgot it now, but when did the unilug start being offered? I know early ones had an aluminum insert. Have a few, just don't have a pic handy.

Those caps you posted seem to be great examples of the early generation. No "R" and the blue color is lighter (and not as consistent) as the later ones.

For a while, I was on an acquisition grabbing as many of those as I could. Lost count after 2 dozen. Despite what the part number reads, be careful of what you buy. I've had a few which did not like to fit the old wheels. Ended up splitting a few when I tightened the screw. My point being that they can be NOS for a reason- like poor fit.

Although you can't see the dates on the wheels when tires are mounted, I still like the sets I have dated form 1969 and older. I'll try to post a pic of dates tomorrow.

**whitetop** · #9 08-10-2011, 03:31 PM

Cragar has had 3 versions of unilug wheels. The first was called varilug,1971-1972 ish, and used little aluminum rings behind the wheels but those were weak so they came out with thick 3/4" thick adapter plates but these were a pita to keep centered behind the wheel when installing it. The "one piece" unilug we all know today came out in mid 70's around 1974.

Cragar was making Cragars in Mexico in the mid 70's. I have a set of NOS 15 x 10's stamped made in Mexico 1976 and the chrome is very nice but have a set of 14 x 6's nos made in USA in the early 80's and the chrome is good but not as good as the Mexico chrome.

Besides the generaly crappy chrome, early Cragars had alot of castings defects in the cast center sections and the rims also were not plated that well.

All speed parts are better made today as people are more picky and they have better casting technigues. Old intakes from Edelbrock and Weiand were horrendous in terms of casting defects if you ever compare them to todays versions

**olredalert** · #10 08-10-2011, 04:25 PM

----Im curious as to weather the whole Crager wheel was made in Mexico or only the part you saw that was stamped "made in Mexico"???......Bill S