Day 2 parts discussion

[napa68]

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]

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]

<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]

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]

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.

[mockingbird812]

Nice score Jeff. Those look just beautiful. Do you have some Cragar SSs to put them on?

[black69]

thanks, that helps on the decoding, I have the copyright circle on the caps. so I am leaning towards 1980/1990 vintage at this point, using the last number (0) in the dot tire code, and the copyright circle on the cap. I would think 65-70 would be the older wheel vintage period.

[whitetop]

<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.