Pin-Drive Torque Thrust - Source

[1985 CCX]

Where does one find Pin-Drive Torque Thrust for a Cobra?
Seen a few on cars and love them, assume they are only in alloy ?

CSX2162 (Mag)


CSX7003 (alloy)

[spdbrake]

I've only come across these, although E-T may do a custom set for you.

ET Wheels by Team III Wheels V

I did find a couple of threads and one of the members has a set.
http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/data/500/008_.JPG

American Racing Torque Thrust 'D' Wheels --- New Same As Vintage?

Torq Thrust knock-off fitment

[RodKnock]

I remember hunting and purchasing original bolt-on Torq Thrust D's for my '66 Corvette and also for an early P-car and they're very expensive. Quite rare.

I have never heard of an original pin-drive Torq Thrust D, so I'm being educated that they do actually exist.

I saw an original 1960's Cobra at the same shop where my Kirkham was being completed and it had bolt-on TTD's. See below.

As I'm sure you know, they could have been made in aluminum or magnesium.

[mikeinatlanta]

American Racing still makes undrilled Torque Thrust II. Check their web site and look for "blank" in the bolt pattern.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by 1985 CCX

CSX2162 (Mag)

Those spinners sure are small and the ears close to the spokes. Must be stressful hammering them on tight.

[LMH]

I don't think I've ever seen pin drive Torque Thrust wheels, though having not seen them doesn't mean they don't exist. Original's used a Rudge spline adapter on the wheel, then the wheel went on the stock splined hub. Same as the wire wheels.
Larry

[krausewich]

Hi Jeff,
These are the only references that I've run across. You see the one variation (15x6) with the spline adapter bolted to it, but the other (all black 15x8) has it built in, if not tapped from behind. Either way, splined.

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/99ue7wrol...hmpW0EigMF-P6a
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/7cwf7bpvm...wyVNriWhhJPnua
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/7k4ak3vz5...0NOai2TOrcnIfa

Mike.

[1985 CCX]

Great info guys....

There was a 4000 car on this site with them as well...
I do have spline drive hubs for a 289 that I could use...

Think CSX7003 was pin? No?

[spdbrake]

From the thread link I had posted above
American Racing Torque Thrust 'D' Wheels --- New Same As Vintage?

Old 12-30-2009, 01:26 PM
cobraviper_99 cobraviper_99 is offline
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Here are my TTD's. I don't think there's a better looking wheel on a Cobra when matched with white-lettered Billboards. Always lots of good comments on them.

[CompClassics]

Jeff,

The "Torque Thrust" wheels you are inquiring about were optional on 289 street Cobras. The wheels came in two forms, one with exposed lug nuts and one without visible lug nuts. The wheels have a adapter that bolts to them that has the spline drive integrated into it to allow it to be used on the Cobras stock splined hub. There was also a steel insert that mated to the spline drive adapter which essentially sandwiched the wheel casting, this also was the surface that the knock-off engaged with to secured the wheel to the hub. Shelby also provided these wheels for use on "Dragon Snake" Cobras in wider sizes than the stock width for running slicks on Cobras that had radiused rear wheel openings. Ken Miles had experimented with Torque Thrust that had been modified for use as pin drive wheels but typically Torque Thrust wheels as supplied by SAI for use on Cobras were the spline drive version, even on the Dragon Snakes.

[1985 CCX]

John

Whats on 7003?
These are pin also.....

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/data/500/008_.JPG

[CompClassics]

I am not sure as I have not inspected either Cobra in person. I do like the look of the Torque Thrust wheels though!
I might ad that when the Torque Thrust wheels were used on the Dragon Snakes the rear wheels were equipped with the visible lug nut style wheel as it was stronger than the wheel that had the hidden bolts.

[moore_rb]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

I saw an original 1960's Cobra at the same shop where my Kirkham was being completed and it had bolt-on TTD's. See below.

I'm copying that picture to my phone, and from now on, I'm going to flash it every time someone asks me "When are you going to convert your car to pin drive hubs?"...

[1985 CCX]

Cobra viper was 6 pin.

[1985 CCX]

CSX4252 pre paint clearly pin.

[Dan Case]

I'll expand on John's comments.

Original 1960s wheels wise, American Racing published this advertisement. I have only seen it in old magazines twice. The wheels were made of a cast magnesium alloy.



Shelby American wise three versions are known, two “spline drive” versions used on works prepared street and race cars and one “pin drive” version was made for Ken Miles to use on CSX2431. Legend says that only two sets of pin drive wheels were made for Ken’s use, he used one set and they cracked because there just wasn’t enough strength around the pin holes, and the second set Ken didn’t use is said to have been obtained years later by a privateer Cobra racer.

Shelby American offered two similar “spline drive” mounting system design versions of these wheels for production street and race Cobras. They were a popular option. They were made with offsets appropriate for Cobras, clearance for their disc brake calipers, and extremely important clearance for steering arms/tie rod ends; both styles were sold on new cars. Both styles were offered in ½” width increments between at least 15X6 and 15X8.5 for Cobras. (American Racing offered 15X6.5 and up in their speed shop catalogs.) The 15X6 front wheels appear to be unique to Cobras and cleared the steering arms and their tie rod ends. (Most magnesium race wheels Shelby used on the front of Cobras required steering/steering arm modifications to get tie rod ends away from wheels.) A fairly common practice was to use 15X6 wheels in front and 15X7 wheels in the rear. If care was taken choosing tire sizes the owner might not have to enlarge the rear fenders for clearance.

The first version had a hidden splined steel adapter fixed to the wheel central hub with bolts threaded into blind holes in the magnesium. These wheels seemed to do okay with street and road racing use but had a problem develop during drag racing. People that have experienced the trouble first hand tell me that the threaded holes in the magnesium wallow out on rear wheels if used with drag racing. The holes enlarge, the adapters get loose, and the wheels get loose. The second design, often called the “drag wheel” design, and is so described in some old SAI parts lists, “bolt through” style adapter mounting. Now large bolts pass through the webs of the central wheel hub and magnesium wheel type lug nuts and washers clamp the wheel hub to fix the adapter in place. The second works Dragon Snake used them.

Front side of “road race” style 15X8.5 wheel.


Back side of “road race” style 15X8.5 wheel.


Front side of the “drag” race style 15X6 front wheel.


Back side of “drag” race style 15X6 front wheel.


I will mention that the American Racing Equipment spline drive magnesium wheels are not exactly light weight. An all steel 15X6 70 spoke (center laced) Dunlop painted wire wheel for a Cobra weighs in at an average of 23 pounds. The 15X6 drag style American Racing / Cobra wheel averages a little over 18 pounds I believe. The 15X6.5 six spoke Halibrand made pin drive wheels I weighed were around about 13-14 pounds if my memory is correct.

Other notes, early castings have hollow spokes and later ones have an extra rib added inside the rear of spokes.

For a while there was a vendor taking the modern aluminum American recreations of the curved spoke wheels being sold commercially and modifying them for Cobras. The wheels I looked at had been reworked by filling the standard bolt on lug holes, metal finishing to cosmetically hide that work had been done, the wheel remachined to used Cobra splined adapters, and Cobra style adapters added. Since the 1970s one shop has adapted not only American Racing five spoke wheels of several designs to original Cobras but several other brands of similar looking wheels.

[1985 CCX]

Dan

Again, thank you.

[moore_rb]

The picture that RodKnock posted above, and this pic of CSX2357, along with the awesome supporting information offered by CompClassics and Dan Case about the 5-lug spine drive adapters, inspired me to give myself, and my car, a Christmas present...


CSX2357:



My new look: I had to make my own 5-bolt adaptors in order to fit the flat, 2-bar spline drive style spinners to the wheels' center cap mounts, but I think it turned out pretty nice...

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