My previous post on another forum
Starting around 1960, American began selling a 5-spoke wheel called the Torq-Thrust. The spoke crest of a Torq-Thrust wheel was straight all the way from the center to the rim. It did not clear disc brakes without a spacer. It was offered in both aluminum and magnesium.
American first began advertising the Torq-Thrust "D" wheel in 1966. This wheel was a variation of their earlier design called the Torq-Thrust. Yes, the "D" stood for Disc. The spoke crest of this "D" wheel was shaped like an eagle's beak. The "D" wheel fit disc brake Corvettes without a spacer as it was designed to do.
This first version of the "D" wheel was offered in 15x6" and 15x7" sizes from 1966 into the seventies. Most were made of aluminum, but some sets were made of real magnesium. A two-bar spinner center cap was offered by American as an option to their standard round chrome center cap with a small diameter screw circle. The wheel stud holes were a smaller diameter than the other wheel manufacturers used at the time, but I don't remember this diameter exactly.
Initially American cast their name and the wheel design / size into the back side of each wheel. While sales were booming in the late sixties, however, they subcontracted some of the casting to Japan. These Japanese castings did not have the American name cast into the back side.
During the early nineties American decided to again sell a wheel called the Torq-Thrust "D". They chose this name for marketing reasons only. The actual wheel design they used was first called the GT when it was sold by American in the early sixties. This wheel design has a spoke crest curved like a banana. This is the design now sold under the Torq-Thrust "D" (Series 105) name. It does not clear Corvette disc brakes without a spacer. It is also drilled for a larger diameter center cap screw circle and uses a larger lug nut diameter than the 1966 "D" wheel.
It only took 10 years, but around 2000 American finally realized they had made a marketing error in using the "D" name for a wheel which does not clear disc brakes. They then began selling a two-piece wheel design called the Torq-Thrust II (Series 505) which looks very similar to the modern wheel they called the "D". The spoke crest design of this wheel is still shaped like a banana, but it does clear Corvette disc brakes without a spacer. Since these wheels can be bought with gray painted spokes under the Torq-Thrust II Classic (Series CL205) name, some people think they are exactly the same as the nineties wheel called the "D", but the II is a different design.
American then added another confusing term to their sales catalog. They recently started selling a wheel they call the Torq-Thrust Original (Series 309). This wheel has a straight spoke crest and will not clear Corvette disc brakes without a spacer.
I know it is mess, but American doesn't care if you're confused as long as you continue to buy their wheels.
In summary, those with disc brake Corvettes have these 5-spoke wheel choices from American:
discontinued 1966 version Torq-Thrust "D" wheels (eagle's beak spoke).
1990-up Torq-Thrust "D" wheels with a spacer( banana spoke).
2000-up Torq-Thrust II wheels (banana spoke).
2000-up Torq-Thrust Original wheels with a spacer (straight spoke).
Last edited by jerrybramlett : 04-11-2005 at 09:48 AM.
