Re: yenko chevelle wheels
The Torque Thrust was the orignal name for American's 5 spoke wheel. In late 1968 they introduced a new design called the T70 (see the January feature car for a good picture). They began having problems with them cracking due to the spoke design being a little thinner and the mounting flange being a smaller diameter. They then changed the wheel again sometime in 1970-71 and phased in what is known as the T70R. This was the same design as the T70 but they added a lip to the outside of each spoke to make the wheel more rigid and this design was last offered in 74 or 75. The lip was already being used on the new for 1969 200S wheel.
When the T70 came out American quit making both the Torque Thrust and Torque Thrust D, which as Brian stated was for disc brake cars and was different than the current version as the entire spoke was curved including the backside. The current Torque Thrust-D version only has the front of the spoke curved. The T70 was supposed to fit cars with disc brakes but not all widths would clear the calipers on 67-68 GM cars including all Corvettes from 65 and up and some Mopars. Only the 8-1/2" wide wheels would fit the GM cars & Vettes with disc brakes. To use 7" wide or narrower width wheels on those cars a 3/8" spacer was required to allow the wheel to fit. (I have spacers on my front wheels on my 68 Camaro to get them to clear.)
The new T70 & T70R also had a new design center cap. They used the same center cap as the 200S where it used one screw with a retainer cup from the backside of the wheel to hold the cap on. Then American made another change in the early 70's with the center cap design. They went to a "pop in" design where the cap could be installed with the wheel on the car. These are still offered as replacements today.
Sorry for the long post but this may give some insight to the American wheel which was first made I believe in 1961 and it was made from magnesium. A true mag wheel......................RatPack................ ..
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