{Chrysler 300} FYI - Aftermarket Wheels on early 1960's Chrysler's

While I am still thinking about it…a little tech info for anyone now or in the future…

There are some nice and reasonable priced aluminum wheels on the market. These tend to be cast and not forged. Many use a 60-degree conical nut just like the steel wheels, albeit they are longer nuts to fit down inside then lug holes.

There is problem however in that the stock wheel studs are all about 1inch long. The depth of aftermarket wheel lug holes is much deeper so, one needs to use Extended Thread (ET) lug nuts to get the full 10 turns as required for thread engagement. Fine for the passenger side. For the Driver side left hand thread…this is a problem.

I suspect that some people are running around with less than the full thread engagement and may not realize it.

After a day looking around it turn out that the only company making Extended Thread Â½-20 in a left-hand thread is legendary.

If you try to use regular mag nuts, you will only get 8.5 turns. Not safe.

Now this can bring up another issue. The swedged studs. These stock studs have a base that is larger in diameter than the rest of the stud. It protrudes from the face of the drum about 0.140-inch. Aluminum wheels with extended thread lug nuts sit flush with the back of the wheel. When you go to mount the wheel the end of the nut will hit the swedge and the wheel cannot be mounted. My solution was to order up a set of custom wheel spacers, about 0.190 with the stud holes large enough to go past the swedge. That seems to solve the problem.

So, this is just a heads up note to anyone running a 1960’s MOPAR with stock factory one inch studs who wants to use an aftermarket aluminum wheel. File this in the back of your head of useless little bits of information. Just in case you decide to run mags on one of your cars.

James