"aae" Knock-offs

[RICH18P]

I HOPE SOMEONE OUT THERE CAN HELP ME OUT. I HAVE A SET OF 4 KNOCK-OFF RIMS WITH AN "ANSEN AUTO ENGINEERING" STAMPED ON THEM. CAN ANYONE GIVE ME SOME INFORMATION ON THESE PUPS.

[Bob Broberg SPF667 460BB]

From Google Search:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ansen Automotive Wheels
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Ansen Automotive was started in 1948 in Los Angeles, by Lou Senter.

A gifted mechanic and engineer, Senter produced an extensive line of innovative speed equipment that included pop-up pistons, competition shifters, and the first NHRA-approved bellhousings.

The most popular Ansen wheel was the Ansen Sprint, which was introduced in 1963.

The Sprint was the first "aluminum slot" wheel, being centrifugally cast, a technique seldom used in the wheel industry back then. They were produced on a tracer lathe and shipped in their natural, machined finish.

Ansen Sprints featured five slots in the side of the wheel. This design was later copied by many wheel companies, including American Racing Equipment, Cragar, Fenton, Mickey Thompson, Superior, and US Indy.

All Ansen wheels were made of aluminum and had their name cast into them.

Ansen produced some five-spoked wheels were unique in having no provision for the standard five-screw, bullet-shaped center caps that were originated by American Racing Equipment. Instead, Ansen used their own smaller, round center caps (along the lines of the caps used on the American Racing 200-S "daisy" wheels). Another Ansen five-spoked wheel used a center cap that interchanged with American Racing caps. Ansen five-spokes were only produced with rounded, as opposed to peaked or creased, spokes.

Another company, American Dragmaster, produced a unique version of the aluminum slot wheel, using a rounded, bowl-shaped face with six slots. As far as I know, this is the only style of wheel they ever made other than a Torq-Thrust copy. I've seen four sets of 14 by 7-inch American Dragmaster six-slot wheels, but only two pair of their 15 by 7 and 15 by 10-inch wheels.

Bob

[RICH18P]

THANKS BOB. MUCH APPRECIATED.