Senior S550 Owners Like Black Wheels?

[Bikeman315]

Probably because when we were younger most of the muscle cars were sporting these.
If you weren't running Cragar S/S wheels, your car was crap. I'll still keep my black wheels.

S/S’s were everywhere. That why I liked Torq Thrusts.

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[Norm Peterson]

This is sort of funny, I read somewhere that for the first time they were not gonna include a silver chrome wheel with the new corvette. In the past it had come with silver or chrome wheels because the older crowd that bought them that was all they wanted. but now that younger people are buying corvettes the silver wheel isn't such a best seller any more. funny why is it older people want chrome and silver wheels ? Hell Im almost 50 and I hate, absolutely hate chrome and silver wheels. They are so tacky may as well put gold rims on and curb feelers. LOLOLOL OK just giving ya crap there "old guys" but really why do people over a certain age seem to like chrome and silver wheels ????

Probably because some preferences get set fairly early in life, often without conscious awareness of why they are what they are.

Having first seen the light of day in 1947, I'm solidly in the age group for Cragars - and I never cared for the things at all. Or for chrome in general. By the time I could actually spare the $ for non-OE wheels, aluminum wheels had become available at reasonable pricing, and the more subtle aluminum (in some cases painted silver) finish has always appealed to me at least partly because it isn't as bright or "look at me".


I'm OK with the OE dark grey wheels on our new WRX, though I still think I'd have gotten a natural aluminum finish had that been available. I'll know better some time in the next couple of weeks when the cooler-season silver wheels and tires go on that car. My wife and I both preferred the silver over the black, and there was a gunmetal grey that might have made for a tough choice except that it didn't come in a wide enough width.


Norm

 

[Hack]

OK, so there is no separate senior folder yet (and maybe there will never be), but this question is targeted at 50 and up owners. Do you like black wheels? It's fairly obvious they are more popular with the younger crowd.

I did not like them at all when they first became prevalent, but they have grown on me somewhat on cars in certain colors. (Mean look with magnetic.) Even so, I would only consider gloss black because you know when they're clean. Also, mesh style or any intricate spoke pattern seems pointless since it's difficult to see except up close. Black PP1 wheels come to mind. In most cases a charcoal or graphite will show the spoke pattern much better while still giving a darker look.

What do you think of them?

I thought black wheels were cool about 10-15 years ago, but they seem played out now. I tolerate them. I'm not into chrome either, but black is so unimaginative and boring.

I think bronze, gunmetal and a few shades on that order are cool. Too bad they are only typically available in the aftermarket.

 

[Deleted member 35644]

To each his own. For reasons unknown to me, black wheels are all the rage right now, but the first picture below is what I think of when I see a perfectly nice car with black wheels. It takes away from the looks, IMO.

The 2nd picture is the only car I'd own with black wheels. They actually look weird with anything else.

 

[accel]

I'd still love to have something like s/s, but could not find any that would be lightweight.

 

[Ruby5.0]

Well, I'm 67 and have owned a lot of cars during those years (70+) and I have never been keen on any rim that wasn't either chrome or silver. To me the black wheels take away from the car, not add to it. Not to mention that is all anyone seems to have these days. I prefer to stand out. The black rims also are more intricate with the design which makes cleaning them a royal pain in the a&&. As an earlier post said, when I was young, I had a 70 Boss 302 and was tearing up Orlando, Fl with it and I ran Cragar SS rims with Gillette 60's tires on the back. I just couldn't get the 50's on there without them sticking out of the fender flare, which to me looked like hell. Yep, everyone was running those Cragars at the time, but they really added to the car appearance. Especially if you had the deep dish rims on the back. When I bought the Boss from a guy in the Navy who bought it new, it had chrome reverse rims on it. They were ok, but just didn't pop like you would expect. I kick myself in the butt every day when I think of selling that car given their value today. But, there were plenty of others I should have held on to, as well. Anyway, I have been looking for a nice set of chrome rims for my current GT that are similar to the Cragars, but they are few and far between. Especially in the 19" factory size that are on there. The closest thing I can find that looks good to me are the Shelby Super Snake rims in chrome. They come in 19" so that may be what I end up with. Is anyone else running these on a 15 GT premium without the PP ? I'd be interested in seeing some pics on a car.

 

[Bikeman315]

Well, I'm 67 and have owned a lot of cars during those years (70+) and I have never been keen on any rim that wasn't either chrome or silver. To me the black wheels take away from the car, not add to it. Not to mention that is all anyone seems to have these days. I prefer to stand out. The black rims also are more intricate with the design which makes cleaning them a royal pain in the a&&. As an earlier post said, when I was young, I had a 70 Boss 302 and was tearing up Orlando, Fl with it and I ran Cragar SS rims with Gillette 60's tires on the back. I just couldn't get the 50's on there without them sticking out of the fender flare, which to me looked like hell. Yep, everyone was running those Cragars at the time, but they really added to the car appearance. Especially if you had the deep dish rims on the back. When I bought the Boss from a guy in the Navy who bought it new, it had chrome reverse rims on it. They were ok, but just didn't pop like you would expect. I kick myself in the butt every day when I think of selling that car given their value today. But, there were plenty of others I should have held on to, as well. Anyway, I have been looking for a nice set of chrome rims for my current GT that are similar to the Cragars, but they are few and far between. Especially in the 19" factory size that are on there. The closest thing I can find that looks good to me are the Shelby Super Snake rims in chrome. They come in 19" so that may be what I end up with. Is anyone else running these on a 15 GT premium without the PP ? I'd be interested in seeing some pics on a car.

Check out American Muscle...
https://www.americanmuscle.com/shelby-chrome-alcoa-19x85-2015.html

I think they look awesome!!!!

 

[Robracer]

NO NO AND HELL NO. they just don't give the car character and look to bland. I'm going silver soon

 

[1MEAN18]

Black is just classy and goes with everything...chrome looks ridiculous on any late model car in my opinion. silver is meh, boring and only for those people who must love wiping the brake dust off their wheels after ever single drive.

 

[barkingspud]

Black is the new chrome . I am not a fan. I prefer a Silver wheel .

 

[EcoVert]

Probably because when we were younger most of the muscle cars were sporting these.
If you weren't running Cragar S/S wheels, your car was crap. I'll still keep my black wheels.

We always called them Cragar Go Fast wheels

 

[EcoVert]

It depends on the car but for the most part I like bright wheels my Mustang still has the 50 year Appearance package wheels

 

[Bikeman315]

5 spoke, a little black, a little silver. Perfect!

 

[frank s]

Every year or so I get to revive my "Wheel Theme" album: See it here.

I reckon that eventually these original black wheels will get the Silver Ring treatment:

 

[saleen367]

I don't dislike black wheels at all, however I think they look better with a contrast of lighter colors. What I'm not fond of is matte black because for me they always appears (brake dust) dirty.

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