The 4th type of lemans wheel

[jcar302]

So over the years it has been suggested that there were 3 types of lemans wheels.
Rumor had it there was a 4th (wasn't really a rumor to me, since i have the 4th type).
Except it was thought that the last one was a USA copy of the chinese version.

I currently have 5 USA wheels (1 brand new, all the same type), and 4 Italians.

The chrome was ruined on 4 of my USA's, so i had it removed recently. Took and compared them to pics of the other usa (the ones that kink towards the spoke a little bit like a cobra R) and the chinese (there is one on ebay). I'd say zero chance it matches the other USA and Personally i don't think it's a direct match for the chinese, but i could be wrong, i don't have one here.
Then i matched it up with the Italians that are on my foxbody and they are a near perfect match.
Only difference appears to be the USA i have is 1/8 deeper with a straight edge across the wheel to the face.
I'll be having the fronts refinished soon so they will be off the car for a better pic, but the place that will refinished them, removes and reinstalls the tires, so i won't be able to get a pic of them both with no tires.

I'd say in most if not all cases it would pass as an italian just without speedline in raised lettering.

If you see something i'm missing, please say so.
The first wheels that is stripped is my USA
Second is the Chinese
Third is the other USA.
4th is the italian currently on the car.
Unfortunatly the car is up on my lift and i can't hold a wheel up and take a pic, lol. So a direct comparison will have to wait until the remove the wheel and install new (and better sized) tires.

[jcar302]

Just had the fronts redone because they needed new tires.
They were a little beat up, but since the place is only a few miles away and they mount and balance the tires in the cost, i figured what the hell.
Turned out to be worth it.
They are Italian set currently on my car.
And they did NOT sand blast off the speedline or Saleen lettering.
They actually sounded perplexed when i asked them to be careful and kinda suggested i was nuts and it would never happen.
When i returned the next morning to pick them up, the lettering was fine. They told me the blast with plastic (if i heard them right, because i have never heard of that before).

[Dave]

Those look very nice sir. What color of silver did you choose?

[jcar302]

Thanks, I didn't really pick a color, told them to match the original as close as possible and note my account so when I take the rears they will match. Looks very close to the NIB wheel I have on hand.

[jcar302]

BTW, if anyone needs to know which center caps will fit, i bought a few sets, some were close but nothing truly fit right. The front section of the center cap is indeed 60mm (on both my italians and USA wheels), but the back is 54m (where the clips go).
Forcing larger back section caps in does not work, even if it's only 2mm. You can't get away with bending the clips, they break (even with heat).
After a couple clips are broken they will go in and probably stay, but the cap is clearly pushed to one side.
This set finally fit right. I'm going to run them with ford center cap emblems.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/121898185097