Trying to find Five Spoke Aluminum Clear Coated wheels for 68-72 A-Body

[blckgrffn]

Please help me find the right set of 17x8 and 17x9.5 wheels.

I've read through some great posts by others on here, but I must have missed a specific answer for this...

My Dad and I are working on our resto-mod of our 1969 Chevelle and after languishing for 15 years we've finally found a good shop and thousands of dollars per week later, it is finally coming together.

Our builder saw the wheels we had ordered, some Polished Aluminum Ridlers ( http://www.jegs.com/i/The-Wheel-Group/306/675-7961P/10002/-1 ) and was unimpressed, indicating that we would be constantly trying to get them polished and shiny. Rather than resorting to chrome steel wheels (ugh) I am looking for a set of similar wheels (the five spoke torq thrust II type look) that are alloy, shiny and lower maintenance. There are PVD American Racing Wheels ( http://www.americanracing.com/wheel/10546/vn815-classic-torq-thrust-ii-1-piece ) but when I use their configuration tool it only has up to 17" x 8" wheels listed, even when I try to configure a staggered set. If the PVD is better than straight polished and I could get help selecting the right 9.5" wheel for my application (looks like they only have two available with the right bolt pattern) I would probably go that way.

We already have BF Goodrich g-Force COMP 2 A/S in 245/45R17 for the front and P275/40R17 for the rears, so I think we need to stick with a 9.5" rear wheel. I checked the Wheel Survey here and I think 9.5" wheels should work without much issue.

Of note, we have this brake kit: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/rsd-afxdc51cs

Our builder is... wanting to keep this moving and not drag out the search. I have a budget of ~$250 per wheel max, but would be open to hearing about any options.

*Thank you* for any assistance!

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

Some people just hate polished wheels for some reason, it sounds like your builder is one of them, and he's WAY overblowing the polishing deal. "Constantly" polishing... no way... not unless you're driving it in harsh winters and salt. I won't even list off the hotrods I've built, they don't see the miles to even begin to dull, but out of the last 15 years, only the last 2 have I had a vehicle with clearcoated wheels (my new Ram), the other 13 years have ALL had polished wheels. With daily driving these cars, rain, brake dust, dirt, washing with the dirt, etc, I could get by with a once a year polishing, sometimes twice a year if I wanted to. Which sometimes, I wanted to. Sometimes it's nice to take a couple hours and polish your wheels, it's a nice rewarding task. But I'm saying, it's your car, if you like the Ridlers, you should run them. I can guarantee you, as a toy, or even moderate driver, you won't be polishing the wheels every weekend.

[blckgrffn]

CampbellshotrodsAZ - thank you for the input - I will definitely take that into consideration and pass your advice along! This car is likely to be driven 5-10k miles per year. It's set up to be a driver, but will not be a daily driver and should not see salt etc.

[65 drop top]

If you live near the coast, salt air will oxidize wheels almost instantly. I live about 10 miles from the beach. I could polish up my wheels and they'd stay shiny for a while. If I cruised by the beach, they'd be oxidized by the time I got home. It didn't take much time to repolish them though.

[astroracer]

The real issue with clear coated wheels is rock chips and any compromising of the clear coat that lets air touch the aluminum.
Look at any factory wheel that is a couple of years old. You know how they start to oxidize and spider etch under the clear coat. THAT is what you will have with any clear coated aluminum wheel that gets driven regularly.
With the clear coat covering the aluminum there is no polishing it out unless your remove the coating. leave them bare, you CAN polish them and, if you use the right polish it will last for long time. Go to O'Rielly's or Advance Auto and ask for White Diamond Metal Polish. This stuff works wonders and it leaves a protective film that lasts for quite a while.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/WTD0/00001/N0454.oap?ck=Search_N0454_WTD_-1_-1&mn=White+Diamond&mc=WTD&pt=N0454&ppt=C0209
Mark

[alocker]

Just an FYI you can get the Ridler 675 in chrome.

I would take clearcoat over polish any day of the week if you are driving the car.

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

Very few cars can pull off chrome, IMO. And in many cast wheels, the chrome seems to amplify waviness of the wheel, and I think generally makes the wheel look "heavy".

Polished is pretty much the standard. I honestly am not aware of any aftermarket hot rod style wheels with a clearcoat, every non-chrome wheel I've ever run with a "polished" look has been just bare aluminum.

[alocker]

Very few cars can pull off chrome, IMO. And in many cast wheels, the chrome seems to amplify waviness of the wheel, and I think generally makes the wheel look "heavy".

Polished is pretty much the standard. I honestly am not aware of any aftermarket hot rod style wheels with a clearcoat, every non-chrome wheel I've ever run with a "polished" look has been just bare aluminum.

Forgeline is one that offers it.

http://www.forgeline.com/products/accessories-finishes/center-and-monoblock-finishes/optional-finish/c-polished-and-brushed.html

Everyone's idea of maintenance is different. For me polishing aluminum to the standard I prefer on an item like a wheel is just not worth the work. I can tell the finish is compromised in the first cleaning of brake dust. I prefer to machine polish them and that is difficult on the car. I will never own a set of polished bare aluminum wheels again unless I don't care what they look like.

[csouth]

First when you're the one investing in a wheel, get what you want. You're the one that has to look at it everyday. Second, check out wheel shield. I've used it on polished and chrome wheels its non corrosive and It makes cleaning and maintaining wheels a lot easier.

http://www.topoftheline.com/wheel-shield-protectant.html

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

Forgeline is one that offers it.


Wasn't aware of that, but Ridler wheels are around $200 each... Not really thinking $1500 a piece for the Forgelines are going to be cross shopped, lol