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[2]If you dig vintage ads, check out this cool Cragar S/S wheel magazine layout from 1971. Arguably the most popular design in custom wheel history, the Cragar S/S is still a favorite of gear heads around the globe. In fact, this picture came all the way from Europe via German website Chromejewlen [3] and shows that old school American cool is alive and well.
The Cragar name originated in California in 1930 when owners Crane Gartz and Harlan Fengler, combined the first three letters of “Crane” and the first three letters of “Gartz,” forever altering hot rodding’s lexicon.
When the Cragar 08/61 S/S Super Sport was introduced in 1964, it was one of the first aftermarket wheels to combine a cast aluminum center with a rolled steel rim, both of which were dipped in chrome. General Motors introduced similar technology when it offered “Sabre” wheels [4] on Cadillacs for 1957.
The stout design of the S/S incorporated reinforcements near the hub and the result was a wheel offering a load-carrying capacity unmatched in the aftermarket wheel industry at that time. Its classic five spoke styling made it an instant hit with drag racers, hot rodders and custom car builders.
The original S/S soldiers on as the backbone of Cragar wheels along with several variations for late model applications. Visit Cragar’s website [5] and check out their latest lineup of wheels.