In a message dated 12/30/1999 11:02:17 AM Pacific Standard Time,
stuart_brennan@agilent.com writes:
<< I also find it interesting to note that one source suggests that the
Westerns are a copy of the Shelby wheels, while another source suggests that
Western made the Shelby wheels. Anybody know the whole story? >>
I suggested that Western made the Shelby wheels simply because they are
identical in casting form and I couldn't imagine Shelby actually
manufacturing wheels. Shelby seemed to outsource everything on their cars,
from TMC for traction bars to Edelbrock for manifolds to Koni for shocks etc.
etc.
I guess this is a chicken and egg kind of deal: which came first, the Shelby
wheels or the Westerns? If you follow the genesis of any number of popular
'60s wheels (Cragar, Keystone, LAT 70) you will find that any number of dies
were run at one manufacturer, sold, run again, sold etc.
I believe the Shelby wheels were not produced at the time of Tiger
manufacture. I also believe that Shelby outsourced the production and simply
labeled them "Shelby" as a means of generating cash flow off his name and
branding a rim for sale through speed shops and Goodyear. I guarantee I
bought the "Shelby" minilite type rims in the '80s through a discount wheel
shop in the East Bay for fitment on my 240Z and that the wheels were
identical to the "Shelby" minilite type rims on my Tiger, except for rim
width.
I think we are grasping at straws here, trying to find some reason to believe
that Shelby went to the trouble of producing a limited run of wheels
specifically for the Tiger, which, IMHO, is less than highly unlikely.
Mike
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