| "Wheelskin" is a relatively new term.
| |
| | larger selection of designs became
|
| Wheelskins were invented in the late
| |
| | available and prices decreased.
|
| 1990s to provide an inexpensive way to
| |
| | Chrome, the final fashion statement, was
|
| put chrome on styled wheels.
| |
| | applied to all varieties of styled
|
| If you would like to read this article
| |
| | wheels. This option is popular but
|
| with pictures of classic cars that
| |
| | expensive, in the range of several
|
| illustrate the examples given, go to
| |
| | hundred dollars per wheel. Unfortunately,
|
| After WWII, auto racing enthusiasts
| |
| | one of the drawbacks of actual chrome
|
| introduced new technologies and materials
| |
| | plating on auto wheels is its tendency to
|
| to every aspect of race cars to reduce
| |
| | corrode when exposed to winter salt
|
| weight and improve speed and handling.
| |
| | driving conditions. Hence the fine print
|
| One of those improvements, 'mag wheels'
| |
| | caveat in the warrantees of chrome wheel
|
| remains in the vernacular to this day.
| |
| | manufacturers: "Do not drive chrome
|
| Halibrand magnesium wheels carried every
| |
| | wheels in snow!" and "Salt can
|
| car that won the Indy 500 from 1946 to
| |
| | deteriorate and corrode your chrome."
|
| 1963. Those early wheels were made of
| |
| | Wheelskins were invented in the late
|
| magnesium, which was far lighter than
| |
| | 1990s to provide an inexpensive way to
|
| steel, and a even third lighter than
| |
| | put brilliant chromed plastic covers on
|
| aluminum. The major drawback of the true
| |
| | styled wheels. Precision molds were
|
| magnesium wheel was the need to polish it
| |
| | designed to produce inexpensive corrosion
|
| regularly, because magnesium reacts
| |
| | resistant covers that perfectly match the
|
| rapidly to air and water to produce a
| |
| | geometry of styled wheels, and 'fit like
|
| heavy surface oxide, which then pits. The
| |
| | a glove' or like a second skin. There are
|
| shift to aluminum alloys reduced these
| |
| | several manufacturers of wheelskins, the
|
| problems.
| |
| | two best known are the Impostors (TM)
|
| Early aluminum alloy wheels were made in
| |
| | and the Wheelskins brands. There is only
|
| fairly simple designs. As more
| |
| | one model of Wheelskin that matches each
|
| sophisticated, high strength molding and
| |
| | specific styled wheel, and that wheelskin
|
| forging processes were developed, more
| |
| | does not fit any other wheel.
|
| intricate and artistic designs became
| |
| | Styled Wheels do not have the normal
|
| common. The original purpose of decreased
| |
| | recess inside of the bead for standard
|
| weight for track performance
| |
| | hubcaps to mount into. Therefore,
|
| metamorphosed to style and expression.
| |
| | Wheelskins were designed with metal clips
|
| Adoption of "styled" alloy wheels became
| |
| | to grab the outer edge of the rim or
|
| widespread in high-end street machines of
| |
| | wheel, the way a wheel weight does. The
|
| German manufacture, and as expensive
| |
| | latest Wheelskins models use center clips
|
| aftermarket options for the rest.
| |
| | that grab the wheel at the base of its
|
| Finally, major American and Japanese
| |
| | spokes.
|
| manufacturers began offering styled alloy
| |
| | Wheelskins have become the best-kept
|
| wheels first as options, and in the late
| |
| | secret in the wheel fashion industry.
|
| '80s as standard features. The top models
| |
| | Once installed, you can not tell the
|
| of even the economy brands offered styled
| |
| | difference between them and real chromed
|
| steel wheels.
| |
| | wheels from more than 5 feet away.
|
| The advent of styled alloy wheels opened
| |
| | Thousands of sets are sold to new and
|
| a new range of stylistic expression to
| |
| | used auto retailers, who mount them on
|
| auto owners. Spoke and swirl patterns
| |
| | the vehicles on their lots. Those
|
| could extend seamlessly to the outer edge
| |
| | thousands of vehicles are sold to
|
| of the wheel. As computerized machining
| |
| | customers who are very happy they have
|
| technology advanced, it became less
| |
| | purchased chrome wheels at a bargain
|
| expensive to engineer the molds, so a
| |
| | price.
|
