Take a look at those cool wheels on the ’69 Alfa boattail Duetto above. While they may look at first glance like legendary Panasports, they are in fact Rota RBs, riffing on the original.
That homage in style demonstrates how often certain aftermarket wheels become iconic. Whether it’s Pannies, five slot mags, or charm bracelet-cute Minilites, there are a number of aftermarket wheels that have gained classic status. The question for today is, which in your mind is the most classic?
Image: alfabb
Hooniverse Asks: What's the World's Greatest Aftermarket Wheel?
By Robert Emslie
Apr 18, 2016
Kamil Kaluski 
Jeff Glucker
BBS RS.
https://www.kauffmantire.net/prodimg/bbs-wheels-rs-gold-machined-large.png
I was going to post this myself. Go ahead, call me an artless Philistine, I think these BBS wheels are awesome – gold finish and all.
A single wheel style that would look good on either of my cars — a Honda minivan and a near-classic Merc. That’s saying something.
Now also available as (Chinese?) 885 wheels…..
https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=CrE7sJbkYV-bKMtiiYtjomuAP1pi7qAfWjKOJowKu2ZnKugQQASD917IeYPf53AKgAeaAx_0DyAECqQINDbA8dPSyPuACAKgDAcgDmQSqBPYBT9DpExMpVadNc2vLvW65P0wCzchcY822VLhfqEBZdiW41ss29hUyPxpglzTV_1KonLwCXPkOS-g63uKSTPiP2ueMxTfN22nNzEkLBsLwnrth8UX710WW1dIReNyLD1A-BLx-PWmXoB0AQanK7iUohkCfpkZROAmDGb46yNhMzdB3b–Li7lKuvc6PfiTE791Ly-VDcPbkLqNz0az3E2-C_SciyDMVxgTqWeou2ExJZxrw91TlNdsTJTv7kyH6eZCdXPQKCxZrv2SOlfUGHOJXyJ6bmKlGJVbVOdcCb7nvCr4x4-MnfaQ36XGnpy5CheDukKWA8dO4AQBiAYBoAYCgAeC_7gCqAemvhvYBwE&num=1&cid=CAASEuRoL6k3oaGkhZ9I_iaYgKkU7Q&sig=AOD64_0gWj-Kc3o_klj2FknGAgUkmyAJdw&client=ca-pub-5122835522879330&nm=1&nx=110&ny=58&mb=2&adurl=http://www.vannetukku.fi/vanteet-alumiinivanteet-c-24_165.html%3Fkoko%3D–%26jako%3D–%26language%3Dfi%26Submit%3DHae%26advanced_search%3Dtrue%26wb%3D885%26category_depth%3Dsearch
https://www.vannetukku.fi/images/885_4.jpg
I’m really dating myself here, but I have to say Cragar S/S, followed closely by Jackman white spokes.
Those ended up out of order for no apparent reason. Thanks, Disqunibbles.
Cragar S/S was definitely one of the first ones that came to my mind as well.
This answer got me to thinking … for a brief time in the 1970s one could purchase Cragar S/S style mags, albeit with wood spokes. I think they sold mainly to the vanning crowd. Do you remember those? The Internet seems to have forgotten.
I don’t think anybody ever made them in regular production. You may be thinking of the Munster Koach. Dick Dean put wood inserts into the spokes of some Raider Astro wheels, but it was strictly a custom one-off thing.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/apennyworth/munsters/KoachRimandWheel.jpg
This was a production item – the brand name is on the tip of my tongue. I saw them advertised regularly, probably in Hot Rod. As an aspiring hoon of 11 or 12, I had a subscription.
I remember seeing ads for the wheels with the wood look spokes as well. So no you are not the only one to remember them. To me it seems like it could have been Keystone that offered them though I do not know that for certain.
Torq Thrust. http://wheelimages.americanracing.com/images/wheels/xlarge/American_Racing_105D_TorqThrustGray_MachinedLip_1000.jpg
An aftermarket wheel so awesome that the Bullitt was created for it.
I’d read (and can’t remember where or if it was reality) that the designers came up with the torque thrust looking factory wheel, liked it enough to make the 2000 Bullitt concept car. That led to the 2001 production Bullitt. That clean design lent itself to the S197 which looks way more like McQueen’s Bullitt than the New Edge. Then the 2008 Bullitt came along- which started out as a Boss specialty car but was deemed unBoss worthy. The torque thrust looking wheel was offered all the way thru the 2009 model year in 17″ and 18″.
I can remember all this but I can’t remember where I put my car keys.
While not the best, these are bearable.
https://media.performancealloys.com/images/products/wheels/600×600/teddysilver.jpg
These give me paws….
‘Ow could ‘oo not wike him’s widdle smiwing face? Isso cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!
https://media.giphy.com/media/kTBjwh6IWbLPy/giphy.gif
Dodge Omnivore wheels
I had to search very carefully for these. http://a38898d4011a160a051fb191.gearheads.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/thewheel1083367567.jpg?dc1e0f
Well if you get those you’re very ballsy.
Maybe he mentioned to get these and something was lost in translation. http://www.total911.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Porsche-930-LE-wheel.jpg
WTF?
I hate my phone. Mentioned = wanted.
Fuchs wheels btw.
My bad – I was too lazy to type out “What the Fuchs?” I used semaphore instead.
They are, without doubt, the MOST bearable.
Under $60 and can be pounded mostly back into shape on the trail to get you home. There is nothing better than the Cragar Soft 8.
http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/mediumlarge/CRR-3975850_WB_ml.jpg
Speedline Montecarlo
http://www.speedlinecorse.co.uk/pics/ret2015.jpg
Advan SA3R
Wires. No other wheel has the potential of looking good on so many different cars.
… or they can be the icing on an already ugly cake
Oh, yeah, things can always go horribly wrong.
OZ Superturismo
Surprising lightness coupled with good looks: two reasons why you see Enkei RPF1s at every autocross.
I can’t believe that no one has mentioned the classic aluminum slot mags. It seems like most companies made a version of them back in the day. With a high polish and a deep dish they are one of my favorites, along with the Torq-Thrust and Cragar S/S.
American Racing still makes these, calls them Ansen Sprints.
http://www.tirerack.com/images/wheels/arahr/arv_ansen_sprnt_pol_pdpfull.jpg
They were mentioned. I don’t think Rob using it as an example in the post counts as an official nomination, though.
American Racing Daisys are a favorite of mine:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachments/1-jpg.1866940/
Also, those Panasports have a uniquely awesome look on a meatier car:
http://themustangsource.com/timeline/69-70/70/ParnelliJones.jpg
Or Minilites, the original. And,now, most copied. From a time almost before all other alloy wheels. And fitments from Minis, to Jaguars, Porsches, Corvettes and racing classic anythings.
http://www.historictransam.com/images/RoadAmerica11/_RAC2481.jpg
http://minilite.co.uk/assets/jagpic%20trim.JPG
http://only-carz.com/data_images/gallery/01/mg-b-gt-v8/mg-b-gt-v8-06.jpg
http://minilite.co.uk/assets/prepfabpic%20trim.JPG
http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/attachments/c3-general/47866443d1424783341-pics-of-mini-lite-wheels-on-c3-s-149432_10151640612256019_210161107_n.jpg
http://www.tyresave.co.uk/carpix/minilitedeepdish1.jpg
http://www.triumphspecialtuning.com/image/cache/data/2008_061411VC0016-500×500.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/de/1d/5b/de1d5b265827330cb36c83015995564b.jpg
ARE Libres. As found on the Datsun 510 racers, among others.
Desmond Regamaster.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6050520646_37a06446c6_o.jpg
Keystone Classics. When the Cragar S/S is too common.
http://texasthinktank.net/KimbroImages1/Keystone_Mags_small_1.jpg
They do not translate well into larger, modern sizes, however.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/jeffaary/IMG_1530.jpg
Enkei ek86
AZEV and AEZ Icon 5, I had Mazda 6 with Icon 5’s once….
http://img4.fotos-hochladen.net/uploads/foto2h4zqxwkb52.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/waiob8.jpg