Just Ordered Aftermarket Wheels

[Craig]

After a lot of looking both in Savannah, and on the Internet, I finally ordered a set of wheels for my bird Attached is a photo manipulated picture of what my red 2003 will look like when they arrive. I looked and looked, and finally found a place in California that has what I want.

Many places have European and Japanese wheels, but the Thunderbird is an American Icon, and should have American Wheels.

I remember as a kid when I first started my love affair with cars and Fords in particular seeing a picture of a 1957 T-Bird with American Racing Torque Thrust D's, and one with Cragar SS's. When I went to Island Dragway in Great Meadows N.J. There was a 57 that raced and it had Cragar SS's on it. American Racing was no help, and the wheels they offer are just too 80's for my taste. Thanks to the kid who does my yard, I found this place in California, and they carry chrome plated 17 inch Cragar SS's in the correct bolt pattern and the correct backspacing and offset.

I like this cast SS because it is a modern rendition of the original wheel, like the car. It is like a modern edition of that 57 that ran super stock back in the 60's.

For any of you that might be interested the following are the wheel specifications for the 2003 Thunderbird Chrome Premimum Wheels:

Bolt Pattern- 5X4.25in. (5x108mm)
Offset- (High Positive) +38mm
Backspace 5 3/4in.
Hub Bore 63.99MM (?)

I was able to confirm everything from more thatn one source except the hub bore. Let me know if you are interested in my posting pictures of my bird after the new wheels arrive

Craig Shaffer
Savannah, GA

2003 Torch Red Hardtop
1995 Polar White Mustang
1987 Corvette Convertible (It is being sold)

This page contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated. As an eBay Partner, and Amazon Associate I may be compensated if you make a purchase at no cost to you.

 

[FUN X 3]

Those a cool-looking wheels, nice photo manipulation. Also, good decision dumping the Vette for the Bird.😀

 

[cool57]

wheels

Craig those look great! I 've also been toying with the idea of wheels, and keep coming back to those Cragers you've chosen. Looks like I have good taste!😉 I also would like to see T-Bird type
whire wheels on a new 'bird, can you you photo shop them?😀
Wheel Vintiques makes a 17" wire that resembles the original but is not lip-laced (tubeless & airtight).

 

[Craig]

At your request

That was fun! Had to rebuild the photo of the wheel because the company's name was superimposed across the front of the photo of the wheel. Hope I got the color of your car right!:😀

 

[cool57]

thanks!

Actually my car is '02 T-Bird Blue (some call it Turquoise)
Those wires look pretty sharp! Now how about adding whitewalls
(not too wide) and/or Vogues!!😀

 

[Julie Butler]

After Market Wheels

I love the wire wheels..very classy looking! I saw white walls on one of the older thunderbirds that i see now and then driving around town. They stood out as much as that beautiful car did. I would love the wire wheels and whitewalls on my 2002 blue bird.

 

[InfernoRed]

Also....if you want an authentic American Wheel Manufacturer....there is Boyd Coddington out of California.He does the whole range........From chromes to Billet Aluminum to wire wheels.He manufactures to fit any car/truck.

Depending on what you buy.....well,they can be average cost to fairly darn expensive.I bought his "Coddzilla" design Billet Aluminum from his "Signature Series".These are by far your modern day hot rod style...and in sixteen inch cost me 458 dollars per rim.

I coupled those up with a set of custom made tires from Diamond Back Classics.....out of South Carolina.They made me a set of tires to fit my '01 PT Cruiser.They are a set of "Red Lines" like the 60's muscle cars...remember the ones????Had a thin red line instead of the white traditional stripe.This company makes wide white walls,yellow lines,red lines...even antique tires to fit Model T's and such.

Back to my Red Lines though,it really highlights the red coor of my paint.I could see a set on a red T-Bird............

InfernoRed

 

[Tbird eh]

Craig, could you please post the email address and cost for these wheels, they look great.🙂

 

[Craig]

The name of the place is Custom Wheels Market. Their web address is :**** Then click on the Cragar Logo. Or to go to the exact page of the wheels for the T-Bird the address is: *******

The Thunderbird takes a 17X8 Wheel with a 5.75 backspace High Positive Offset +38mm and 5 by 4.25 (108) bolt pattern. The person I delt with was Joe, and he seemed very knowledgable and knew exactly what I needed. The wheels are $280 each with free shipping. There is a 2 to 3 week shipping time as these wheels are custom made by Cragar. 😀 Apparently Custom Wheels Market is just arround the corner from the Cragar Factory.

I'll post photographs when the wheels arrive and get on the car 🙂

 

[TennEngr]

Can't make up my mind! (Wire Wheels vs Your Cragers)

I like both the wire wheels and the Cragers that you've selected. I have always like wire wheels; are they available for the 03' T-Bird? I think that the Crager wheels will look better on my red T-bird so I am in a quandry about it.

I think I will wait until you post your T-Bird with the wheels on it!

 

[LON O'CONNELL]

TennEngr - Dayton makes a set of wire wheels that fits the 02 - 03 T-Bird. They do not have knock off spinners in the center but instead the cenetr cap with the T-Bird logo from our wheels will snap right in.

 

[Craig]

Top and bottom comparisons

TennEngr

The Dayton wires also look very good. Here is a comparison so that you can look at both. I think it really depends on when you first fell in love with cars, as well as what aspect of the car hobby you fell for. If you were into drag racing and the muscle cars of the late 60's then the Cragar's are the right choice. If you were a rodder of the late 50's early 60's, or into european sport cars then the wires are the right choice🙂

Hope this helps you make a choice.

 

[Tbird eh]

Craig, did you get your wheels for your car, any pictures, how do you like them?

 

[Craig]

🙂 The wheels were on backorder, just received notice that they were shipped on the 21, with an estimated arrival date of July 28. Will post photos asap, and will post when they arrive,😀

 

[Craig]

Wheels Arrived

After waiting all day for UPS to deliver the wheels they arrived at 8:45 tonight. Very dissappointed to find that they were made in China. The boxes were not printed by Cragar, just plain white boxes. Overall, not what I had expected. Even an
American Icon like Cragar comes from overseas.

They came two to three weeks after promiced delivery. Will post pictures as soon as possible. They look a lot better in the picture than they do in person. Before trying on the car, I have concerns over being outside front fenders🙁 , and concerns over caliper clearance😡 I wonder if anybody ever put these on a Thunderbird to see if they do fit. Oh well, hopefully a good nights sleep, and a trip to the tire store will brighten my spirits. If they clear the calipers, and are inside the front fenders, I'll probably get over the made in China. 😕

 

[Tbird eh]

Some times they will ship in lower cost boxes, is there a part # stamped in the wheels? Could they have shipped the wrong ones? I hope it all works out for you. I will look for the pictures tonite.

 

[Craig]

Tomorrw morning is the day

😀 😀 😀 Well, after a very busy week that didn't allow for any recreation, I am finally taking the bird to the garage to have the new Cragar wheels mounted. Will drop car off in the morning then go to see a new doctor. Over the Forth of July weekend I was dealing with the possibility that I only had five months to live. 😡 Doctor I was seeing for Rhumatoid Arthritis ordered tests for Wegner's Grandularmatosis which is treatable, but I can't tolorate the drug used to treat it. After waiting a week for the blood tests to come back, I went to the office and demanded to see the doctor, or the office manager. The office manager invited me in her office and ordered my chart. Low and behold the blood test results were in the chart, however she said they only came in that day 🙄 the doctor had not even seen them yet 🙄 the test was negative. Thank you very much, I'll look for a new saw bones😛

😀 Anyway back on track, took a few before pictures tonight, and hopefully before Savannah has its daily downpour tomorrow I'll get pictures of the bird with the new wheels. so here are the before pictures😀

 

[Craig]

Pix 1

This is the bofore 1

 

[Craig]

Pix 2

🙂 This is before 2, sorry for the bofore, I'm from Savannah, not Bo-o-o-ston🙄

 

[Craig]

Pix 3

😀 This is pix 3, note that the Thunderbird and the V-8 are shaved. That is the first thing that Chip Foose did on Speedbird, and what SVC did on their concept supercharged T-Bird. It's very easy to do, then just store the plastic piece so that the car can be returned to original in the future with the factory piece. If any body is interested I'll give directions on how to do it and more on why I did it. 😎 Let me know?