HOT ROD & PERFORMANCE WHEEL HISTORY

[johnl]

I was surfing the net and came across this site:  http://www.roadsters.com/wheels/  I've been through this site prior but it has been a while, so I started at the beginning and read through it again. 

Growing up in SoCal in the early '60's and seeing all of the cool cars of that era I was always taken with certain wheels.  The cool ones were American Torque Thrust and the ultimate was the Halidbrand Mag wheel, in my book it was then and still is today.  Read the section on the Halidbrand wheel and you will learn why they were probably the best.  What the article doesn't reveal is that one time Sihilling Metal Polishing in Santa Ana, originally owned and operated by John Sihilling and today by his son Charlie did the polish work for Halidbrand.  As I remember Charlie telling me once the company relocated to Colorado (if my memory is correct) freight became an issue and the relationship ended after countless years.

In a way I feel this history does relate to the wheels used then and today for VW application.  A side note on this for me is that back in 1971 when I landed my first American Mags for VW application I took them to John Sihilling who polished the outer portion for just a few bucks.  They were so bright they would glow in the dark....   

[mg]

John I had Halidbrands on a 33 tudor and chopped 37 flatback Ford in the 80s.
I ordered a set of 15x8 front wheels for the 37 new from Halidbrand's shop in (San Diego/El Cajon) the late 80s.
After waiting a couple months they called me to pick up my wheels.
When I was at the shop I was commenting about the uneven polish job on the wheels.
It was shiny but had valleys and peaks you could see and feel.
The Halidbrand employee related that is was part of the character of the wheel.
He said the wheels had so much porosity it was up to the wheel polishers to remove the surface porosity and polish the remains.  
I liked the wheels but didn’t care for the porosity is character pitch.