69/70 original wheels

[1970boss]

I have a set of 4 69/70 Shelby wheels which I believe are original. Is there a way to determine this for certain? Thanks in advance for any info on this topic.

[Bob Gaines]

I have a set of 4 69/70 Shelby wheels which I believe are original. Is there a way to determine this for certain? Thanks in advance for any info on this topic.

Early repros have slight dimensional different center front side. Later repro's changed to a more exact historically exact center . The back side is the typical place to tell. Early genuine wheels had the center pressed in place and typically had epoxy squeezed out in areas. Those early wheels were discontinued because of a few instances where the center broke loose . Later genuine wheels used rivets to hold the center in place. Repro wheels came out after the DOT mandated that the wheel rim had to have a extra safety bead. The safety bead looks like a bump out around the outer edge of the rim seen from the back side. Genuine wheels do not have the safety bead. The safety bead is on all repro wheel and even on the ones that Craig Conley restores for product liability reasons. More obvious details are modern repro wheels have a steel section added to the aluminum center mold. That way the center can be welded to the wheel section.You can see the welding along that perimeter. There is no welding on the factory original wheels. In years past Specialty wheels now defunct made a reproduction that had the center held in with rivets like original but still had the modern DOT rim with the safety bead.

[shelbymann1970]

I have a set of 4 69/70 Shelby wheels which I believe are original. Is there a way to determine this for certain? Thanks in advance for any info on this topic.

Early repros have slight dimensional different center front side. Later repro's changed to a more exact historically exact center . The back side is the typical place to tell. Early genuine wheels had the center pressed in place and typically had epoxy squeezed out in areas. Those early wheels were discontinued because of a few instances where the center broke loose . Later genuine wheels used rivets to hold the center in place. Repro wheels came out after the DOT mandated that the wheel rim had to have a extra safety bead. The safety bead looks like a bump out around the outer edge of the rim seen from the back side. Genuine wheels do not have the safety bead. The safety bead is on all repro wheel and even on the ones that Craig Conley restores for product liability reasons. More obvious details are modern repro wheels have a steel section added to the aluminum center mold. That way the center can be welded to the wheel section.You can see the welding along that perimeter. There is no welding on the factory original wheels. In years past Specialty wheels now defunct made a reproduction that had the center held in with rivets like original but still had the modern DOT rim with the safety bead.

Bob, do you have a pic of the inner on an original wheel for comparison? Thanks. Did I read your post right that Craig's Paradise wheels is no longer doing wheels? Restoring or new ones?

[Bob Gaines]

I have a set of 4 69/70 Shelby wheels which I believe are original. Is there a way to determine this for certain? Thanks in advance for any info on this topic.

Early repros have slight dimensional different center front side. Later repro's changed to a more exact historically exact center . The back side is the typical place to tell. Early genuine wheels had the center pressed in place and typically had epoxy squeezed out in areas. Those early wheels were discontinued because of a few instances where the center broke loose . Later genuine wheels used rivets to hold the center in place. Repro wheels came out after the DOT mandated that the wheel rim had to have a extra safety bead. The safety bead looks like a bump out around the outer edge of the rim seen from the back side. Genuine wheels do not have the safety bead. The safety bead is on all repro wheel and even on the ones that Craig Conley restores for product liability reasons. More obvious details are modern repro wheels have a steel section added to the aluminum center mold. That way the center can be welded to the wheel section.You can see the welding along that perimeter. There is no welding on the factory original wheels. In years past Specialty wheels now defunct made a reproduction that had the center held in with rivets like original but still had the modern DOT rim with the safety bead.

Bob, do you have a pic of the inner on an original wheel for comparison? Thanks. Did I read your post right that Craig's Paradise wheels is no longer doing wheels? Restoring or new ones?

No Gary you mis understood about Craig. If you re read my post nowhere did I say anything about
"Craig's Paradise wheels is no longer doing wheels? Restoring or new ones?" As far as I know it is business as usual for Craig. Craig typically uses modern DOT approved rims for his restorations just like he has been doing for decades because of product liability reasons.

[shelbymann1970]

I have a set of 4 69/70 Shelby wheels which I believe are original. Is there a way to determine this for certain? Thanks in advance for any info on this topic.

Early repros have slight dimensional different center front side. Later repro's changed to a more exact historically exact center . The back side is the typical place to tell. Early genuine wheels had the center pressed in place and typically had epoxy squeezed out in areas. Those early wheels were discontinued because of a few instances where the center broke loose . Later genuine wheels used rivets to hold the center in place. Repro wheels came out after the DOT mandated that the wheel rim had to have a extra safety bead. The safety bead looks like a bump out around the outer edge of the rim seen from the back side. Genuine wheels do not have the safety bead. The safety bead is on all repro wheel and even on the ones that Craig Conley restores for product liability reasons. More obvious details are modern repro wheels have a steel section added to the aluminum center mold. That way the center can be welded to the wheel section.You can see the welding along that perimeter. There is no welding on the factory original wheels. In years past Specialty wheels now defunct made a reproduction that had the center held in with rivets like original but still had the modern DOT rim with the safety bead.

Bob, do you have a pic of the inner on an original wheel for comparison? Thanks. Did I read your post right that Craig's Paradise wheels is no longer doing wheels? Restoring or new ones?

No Gary you mis understood about Craig. If you re read my post nowhere did I say anything about
"Craig's Paradise wheels is no longer doing wheels? Restoring or new ones?" As far as I know it is business as usual for Craig. Craig typically uses modern DOT approved rims for his restorations just like he has been doing for decades because of product liability reasons.

Correct, I was thinking he was involved with Specialty wheels . Thanks. Do you have pics or links to original wheels? The wheels on my Vert were done by Craig in 1990 and I got them back days before the SAAC show and he sent them before he had my check(different times) and he was doing 2 SETS(other for my GT500) for me. Got them on my car and had both cars at the SAAC show in Ann Arbor.

[Bob Gaines]

Specialty Wheels was Tom Sensabaugh's RIP company. It was sold and absorbed by Wheel Vintiques I believe.

[DaveB330]

Hi folks........so I saw this thread and pulled some pictures that might be helpful. Three are of the wheels that came with my long-stored '69 500. The other is a single shot of a repro set I ordered a while back and received from Craig Conley last year. I'll leave it to Bob and Coralsnake to comment on all of this. I do think the glue line is visible in one or two of the pics.  I saved back the original wheels/centers because I plan to eventually drive the car a bit. The repro's, including the centers and lugs that I bought from Craig, they are very nice.     

[DaveB330]

two more pics coming. Haven't mastered attachments.   

[DaveB330]

one more, sorry

[DaveB330]

last one. 2x sorry.

[Dennis Y]

Just an F.Y.I. If anyone is thinking about ordering a set of wheels from Craig, don't think about it too long. I had been trying to decide between buying the repops and getting mine redone. A couple of years ago the pops were I believe $500 or $550 and restore was $400. This past May I contacted him for an update and now $600 and $450 and like a dummy I hesitated. The other day I figured let's spend some leftover Christmas cash and now $750 and $500. and he doesn't know how long he can hold that price. Needless to say my order went in while I was on the phone with him. A number of factors are affecting this but 1 thing for certain, they aren't going to come down so............

[Bob Gaines]

Just an F.Y.I. If anyone is thinking about ordering a set of wheels from Craig, don't think about it too long. I had been trying to decide between buying the repops and getting mine redone. A couple of years ago the pops were I believe $500 or $550 and restore was $400. This past May I contacted him for an update and now $600 and $450 and like a dummy I hesitated. The other day I figured let's spend some leftover Christmas cash and now $750 and $500. and he doesn't know how long he can hold that price. Needless to say my order went in while I was on the phone with him. A number of factors are affecting this but 1 thing for certain, they aren't going to come down so............

That is too bad. I hate to hear about another big car part price increase.

[1970boss]

I wanted to follow up on this topic. No rivets on these wheels and they all have 68 date codes. Vinnie has deemed these to be original wheels.

[69 GT350 Vert]

Just an F.Y.I. If anyone is thinking about ordering a set of wheels from Craig, don't think about it too long. I had been trying to decide between buying the repops and getting mine redone. A couple of years ago the pops were I believe $500 or $550 and restore was $400. This past May I contacted him for an update and now $600 and $450 and like a dummy I hesitated. The other day I figured let's spend some leftover Christmas cash and now $750 and $500. and he doesn't know how long he can hold that price. Needless to say my order went in while I was on the phone with him. A number of factors are affecting this but 1 thing for certain, they aren't going to come down so............

I've been waiting for the prices to drop on Craig's 69 shelby wheels.  I'm still running around spinning the tires every chance I get on the original, glued, non-riveted rims.  They are a bit pitted and rusty in areas, but that patina helps squelch the critics at local cruises that say my car must be a clone, in spite of the Marti report being displayed.   

[shelbymann1970]

Just an F.Y.I. If anyone is thinking about ordering a set of wheels from Craig, don't think about it too long. I had been trying to decide between buying the repops and getting mine redone. A couple of years ago the pops were I believe $500 or $550 and restore was $400. This past May I contacted him for an update and now $600 and $450 and like a dummy I hesitated. The other day I figured let's spend some leftover Christmas cash and now $750 and $500. and he doesn't know how long he can hold that price. Needless to say my order went in while I was on the phone with him. A number of factors are affecting this but 1 thing for certain, they aren't going to come down so............

I've been waiting for the prices to drop on Craig's 69 shelby wheels.  I'm still running around spinning the tires every chance I get on the original, glued, non-riveted rims.  They are a bit pitted and rusty in areas, but that patina helps squelch the critics at local cruises that say my car must be a clone, in spite of the Marti report being displayed.   

of all years the chances of a 69-70 being cloned is a LOT LOT less than other years. Much harder to due due to many more parts and I don't recall every part being available at one time and some parts never reproduced or a very limited amount maybe once or twice over the decades.