Hooniverse Asks: What's the Greatest Iconic Aftermarket Wheel?

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Road wheels are about the last, and easiest, modes to altering the look of your car, and over the years an entire industry arose to support this customizing opportunity. In the earliest days of the automotive age, wheels were just wheels, typically wooden spoked affairs that might be tarted up with paint and pinstriping, but otherwise generally looked the same from one car to the next. It was the hot rod craze that really put the wheel at the forefront of automotive personalization, and out of that came a number of names that we know still today.
Not just hot rods, but everything from sports cars to family sedans seemed to be improved by the addition of certain aftermarket wheels, and today we want your opinion as to what has been history’s greatest, and hence most iconic non-factory wheel. What do you think, what is the most venerated aftermarket wheel?
Image: Mooneyesusa

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  1. GTXcellent Avatar
    GTXcellent

    I’ve professed my love for Cragar S/S wheels many, many times – but they truly are the greatest aftermarket wheel ever made. They instantly transform the most clapped out road hazard into a legitimate ride.
    http://content.belletire.com/wheel_image/cragar_s_s_super_sport_chr.jpg

    1. Tanshanomi Avatar

      My immediate thought, too. Maybe it reflects my age, but I spent a good portion of my life seeing Cragars on everything, from otherwise-stock Chevelles and ’57 Chevys to lowriders, pickups and custom vans.
      http://img.myconfinedspace.com/wp-content/uploads/tdomf-2/474479/Blown-001-700×479.jpg

    2. nanoop Avatar
      nanoop

      They look a bit like polished Fuchs wheels, but less baroque.
      http://berndpletzer.de/media_upload/wagen_bilder/36/DSC_0993%20ba.jpg

  2. PotbellyJoe★★★★★ Avatar
    PotbellyJoe★★★★★

    So they were kinda sorta factory, but they have been a boon for Ford in the aftermarket:
    https://fordperformanceracingparts.com/images/part/full/M1007R58.jpg
    Cobra R wheels. You would think these things carry 40 extra horsepower each with how many Mustangs, Thunderbirds, and even F-150s and Rangers wound up wearing them.

  3. PotbellyJoe★★★★★ Avatar
    PotbellyJoe★★★★★

    So they were kinda sorta factory, but they have been a boon for Ford in the aftermarket:
    https://fordperformanceracingparts.com/images/part/full/M1007R58.jpg
    Cobra R wheels. You would think these things carry 40 extra horsepower each with how many Mustangs, Thunderbirds, and even F-150s and Rangers wound up wearing them.

    1. Preludacris Avatar

      Plenty of replicas out there too. I even see them on Hondas.

    1. Tomsk Avatar
      Tomsk

      Torq Thrust FTW. Especially early magnesium ones (even though they do start to tarnish the nanosecond you finish polishing them).

      1. JayP Avatar
        JayP

        The were so awesome that Ford had them as 17″ and 18″ OEM styles in thru the 2000’s.

    2. Roody Avatar

      Beat me to it. The staple of affordable, recognizable, “oh that’s a muscle car!” wheels.

    1. hubba Avatar
      hubba

      Them’s Minilite copies. Often imitated, never duplicated.

      1. JayP Avatar
        JayP

        I blame google images!

  4. smalleyxb122 Avatar
    smalleyxb122

    Since my first, second, third, and fourth choices have all been taken, how about Dayton wires? They ain’t my thing, but they are unquestionably iconic.
    http://image.lowridermagazine.com/f/features/1306_1981_lincoln_mark_vi_coupe/44697985/06-1981-lincoln-mark-vi-gold-dayton-wire-wheel.jpg

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      Make sure to buy them at least 2 sizes wider than the tires you plan to stretch onto them!

  5. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    Minilites. Hands down.
    http://minilite.co.uk/dynamic_images/g_8_l.jpg

    1. engineerd Avatar
      engineerd

      Also, the wheel of choice for the ever-sexy LoCort.
      http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/colinrnk/RNK/DSC00270-1.jpg

      1. fede Avatar
        fede

        and countless minis

  6. tonyola Avatar
    tonyola

    Magnum 500/Rostyle wheels. Maybe not the greatest but certainly popular in the ’70s.

  7. SlowJoeCrow Avatar
    SlowJoeCrow

    No discussion of wheels is complete without the most polarizing wheel, the Ronal Teddy Bear
    http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c127/ExonicJay/MiataPictures007.jpg

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      Ronal Polar Bear, in order to be polarizing…

  8. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    The answer’s got to be in there somewhere…
    http://www.roadsters.com/wall_500x408.jpg
    http://www.roadsters.com/wheels/

    1. Batshitbox Avatar
      Batshitbox

      I’ll go for the Ansen Sprint that became the classic simple, cheap, dished slotted mag.
      https://oldcarjunkie.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/010-5.jpg

      1. GTXcellent Avatar
        GTXcellent

        Man, I do love me some slot mags

        1. Batshitbox Avatar
          Batshitbox

          They’re on EVERYTHING! Honda, Mazda, Mopar, Chevy, Americar… anything you can think of. And made by every operator in he market!
          https://oldcarjunkie.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/010-5.jpg

  9. Dean Bigglesworth Avatar
    Dean Bigglesworth

    BBS RS and Minilites were already mentioned, I’d probably go with one of those.

  10. Synchromesh Avatar
    Synchromesh

    I’m a huge fan of the RPF1s! They’re very light and just awesome all around. Had 15, 16 and 17inchers!

    1. Preludacris Avatar

      RPF1 all the things!

  11. longrooffan Avatar
    longrooffan

    I’ll go old school on this one…Kelsey Hayes wire wheels on anything from the 50’s does it for me.

  12. Manic_King Avatar
    Manic_King

    In Europe ATS five spokes were The aftermarket wheel for the small cars.

    View post on imgur.com

  13. Alff Avatar
    Alff

    Your answer probably depends upon your age. For those who may have been married in a powder blue tux, reverse chrome steelies are it…http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachments/40-20gmc-jpg.2037282/

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      He looks better in the T-shirt…

  14. theskig Avatar
    theskig

    OZ Superturismo in white/red

    1. JayP Avatar
      JayP

      I wanted those on my B5 A4 for the BTTC look but the Borbet C2T won for the RS2/968 Cup look.

  15. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    http://bangshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Dodge-Powerwagon-1978-Omaha-Orange039.jpg
    So many great options have already been listed, but I will say, if I ever get a vintage truck or SUV, it’s most likely getting a set of wagon wheels.

    1. Tanshanomi Avatar

      Ooooh, good call. And if you’re of a certain age, you know them as “Jackmans”
      http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/timhicks55/jackman_wheels.jpg

      1. Maymar Avatar
        Maymar

        Well, now we know what Wooderson bought to replace Melba Toast.

  16. JayP Avatar
    JayP

    Save me grippy penis wheels!

  17. CraigSu Avatar
    CraigSu

    I’m a sucker for 20-spoke Alpinas, especially when they’re on a B8 wagon.
    http://germancarsforsaleblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Alpina-B8-wagon2.jpg

  18. Preludacris Avatar

    I find the Desmond Regamaster pretty iconic. It was a very simple, clean design, forged instead of cast – in Russia, interestingly – and available in a range of sizes that all looked good. Like all the greats, it’s now widely copied (Rota Slipstream, etc). I’ve never seen it on any car where I felt it was out of place, but then they’re so expensive on the used market that you don’t choose them by accident.
    http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7378/8720146126_64b936100c_o.jpg
    http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj580/Terrin_Belosowsky/9A753CC1-253D-437D-84A9-CED4B430A0D6_zpsia0feqeh.jpg

  19. Van_Sarockin Avatar
    Van_Sarockin

    Any magnesium or beryllium alloy wheel will do just fine.

  20. wunno sev Avatar
    wunno sev

    maybe it’s just a Thing Of The Moment In My Head, but anything looks good on TE37s, made even more impressive by the fact that it’s a six-spoke wheel, and i normally can’t see why someone would bother with a six-spoke wheel. the TE37s just look right.
    otherwise…..blades. i remember seeing these all around chicago as a younger-ster, seemingly getting bigger and chromier each year. they look awful, but they are truly the most successful wheel i can think of. fittingly, this image is from “rim financing dot org”.
    http://www.rim-financing.org/uploaded/liquid_list/Milanni/448rocket.gif

  21. boxdin Avatar
    boxdin

    These Oak center wheels were offered by Appliance in 1982. Of course there is a steel center behind the oak. Never saw another set anywhere.