Close



Results 1 to 12 of 12
  1. #1

    Default A little TRX history

    Hey All,

    Just want to share what little I know about the TRX wheel from back in the day.

    My Father was an Application Engineer with Alcoa trying to get more aluminum into the big 3's cars. His specialty was radiators but he worked alongside the forging group.

    They developed a process for forging car wheels from aluminum billet. Probably a variation of the forged truck wheel. The Michelin TRX tire was available and so a design was matched to the tire. I know the gentleman who did the design and he is as fine an Industrial Designer as can be.

    The advantage to the wheel was that it was tougher than a steel wheel by a large margin and weighed less. Less unsprung weight, better gas mileage, less likely to bend from a pothole hit, what wasn't there to like?

    Can't help that Michelin didn't give much support.

    Name:  image.jpg
Views: 122
Size:  25.0 KB

    Anyway, that's what I know for the record.

    W

  2. #2

    Default

    Thanks for the info, it is a beautiful looking wheel.
    Cheers!

    Mike (TopGear85)



    Have:
    85 Saleen #73-GT,2R,TuTone,Cruise,Pos,5spd,Charcoal
    ***August 2015 ROTM Winner!***

    Had:
    79PC-San Jose #2890
    86GT-9L,TuTone,5spd,T-Tops,Sand Beige
    86GT-9L,TuTone,5spd,T-Tops,Charcoal
    90LX-Oxford Wht,5spd,Sunroof,5.0 Hatchback
    90GT-Oxford Wht,5spd

  3. #3
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Pittston PA
    Posts
    223

    Default

    A guy I know has tons of these tires left over in a trailer from the 80s. My uncle told me people used to come in his shop and order American racing rims or 10 holes to replace these because of tire prices. He said at one time he has like 200 TRX wheels then scrap went up and he junked them. He regrets it because they'd be worth at least 100 a set now for clean ones

  4. #4
    FEP Super Member IDMooseMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Nampa ID 83686
    Posts
    4,923

    Default

    Thanks for the history lesson. I love learning stuff like that.

    MMAracer, you know a guy who has "tons of these tires left over..." I wouldn't mind trying to get a set of tires for show purposes. I'm not sure I'd trust a 30+ year old tire for street duty.
    Craig "IDMooseMan" Peters
    1979 Mustang Ghia Notchback, 2.3L, Holley 5200, 4-spd, 3.08:1 7.5" diff, A/C, PS, PB, AM/FM/8-Track, Sunroof, Rear Defroster
    USAF SSgt 63170 1983 - 1992; Co-Founder, Vice President, Omega Delta Sigma, ID-A 2/2015
    To those that serve and have served, "Thank You", to those that haven't, "You're Welcome"
    2.3L Horsepower Potential Thread
    Buyer/Seller Experience Link
    Build Thread
    The Four-Eyed Game - 2018 Version

  5. #5
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Pittston PA
    Posts
    223

    Default

    Let me see what he says he has a 82 gt he dailies in the summer

  6. #6
    FEP Super Member IDMooseMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Nampa ID 83686
    Posts
    4,923

    Default

    Awesome! Thank you. City State Zip info is listed, just in case.
    Craig "IDMooseMan" Peters
    1979 Mustang Ghia Notchback, 2.3L, Holley 5200, 4-spd, 3.08:1 7.5" diff, A/C, PS, PB, AM/FM/8-Track, Sunroof, Rear Defroster
    USAF SSgt 63170 1983 - 1992; Co-Founder, Vice President, Omega Delta Sigma, ID-A 2/2015
    To those that serve and have served, "Thank You", to those that haven't, "You're Welcome"
    2.3L Horsepower Potential Thread
    Buyer/Seller Experience Link
    Build Thread
    The Four-Eyed Game - 2018 Version

  7. #7
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Pittston PA
    Posts
    223

    Default

    DuPont pa18641

  8. #8
    FEP Super Member IDMooseMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Nampa ID 83686
    Posts
    4,923

    Default

    Sorry, I meant my info is listed, for shipping cost estimation.
    Craig "IDMooseMan" Peters
    1979 Mustang Ghia Notchback, 2.3L, Holley 5200, 4-spd, 3.08:1 7.5" diff, A/C, PS, PB, AM/FM/8-Track, Sunroof, Rear Defroster
    USAF SSgt 63170 1983 - 1992; Co-Founder, Vice President, Omega Delta Sigma, ID-A 2/2015
    To those that serve and have served, "Thank You", to those that haven't, "You're Welcome"
    2.3L Horsepower Potential Thread
    Buyer/Seller Experience Link
    Build Thread
    The Four-Eyed Game - 2018 Version

  9. #9
    FEP Senior Member Matt J's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    620

    Default

    I'm holding on to my TRX rims in the hope that someone someday either makes a repro that will fit the wheel (or another new car needs a 390mm tire), or in the slim hopes that the folks at Coker realize they would probably make a lot more money if they just charged $200/tire and sold 10X as many of them. Needless to say I'm not holding my breath.

  10. #10
    New User JimmyBADCAT's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Westland, Michigan, United States
    Posts
    41

    Default

    Hey, you CAN still get new TRX tires,.. ouch.

    http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/...B-Mustang-Tire
    1983 Mercury Capri RS aka - The BADCAT

  11. #11
    FEP Super Member IDMooseMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Nampa ID 83686
    Posts
    4,923

    Default

    Ouch is correct. $515 for one tire.
    Craig "IDMooseMan" Peters
    1979 Mustang Ghia Notchback, 2.3L, Holley 5200, 4-spd, 3.08:1 7.5" diff, A/C, PS, PB, AM/FM/8-Track, Sunroof, Rear Defroster
    USAF SSgt 63170 1983 - 1992; Co-Founder, Vice President, Omega Delta Sigma, ID-A 2/2015
    To those that serve and have served, "Thank You", to those that haven't, "You're Welcome"
    2.3L Horsepower Potential Thread
    Buyer/Seller Experience Link
    Build Thread
    The Four-Eyed Game - 2018 Version

  12. #12
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Dunedin 9011, New Zealand, South Pacific
    Posts
    3,961

    Default

    Or for brand new tires, half that 210 dollars US for a kick ass modern TRX replacement, the Dunlop SP Sport 2000E TD 230 55 ZR 390. There is also the 26.5" tall 220/65VR390 Avon CR39 which fits any Fox, for USD 363.79. Save $US 1200 to US 600 bucks on a set of four...

    Gotta look at alternatives. The total package cost of wheels and tires in TRX sizes has dropped massively due to inititial dissaffection with the package (starting when Ford shunned the packge for SSP cars in 1982, then failed to go to the 415 mm tires size when the 4V 5.0 HO and Lincoln LSC came out), and then we had a whole bunch of this networking knowledge and suddenly, this realisation that the original 515 dollar remoulds are still around and that there are 210 and 364 dollar brand new alternatives, and used TRX's with half inch tread for as little as 100 each. Since the exodus from the TRX rim, the ability to use other common, comparitively cheap factory TRX rims with
    5 on 4.25" stud (108 MM) from Ferraris,
    5 on 120 MM stud BMW's(82-87 F-car, Opel/Holden/Catera/later G8 and GTO stud pattern
    5 on 4.75" mm and Jaguar XK and XJ and GM (intermediate and large car) stud pattern,

    means you can slap on a full set of TRX type tires with good rims for less money than ever before.

    Here are the non TRX millimetric examples:-

    http://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/...90-dunlop.html



    the price conversion from Euros to USD makes € 157.95 it about 209.41 USD211 landed in the US each.

    http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/...rom=EUR&To=USD

    Its a hard core, modern looking tire with great compound, and exists because people still have 390 mm tires on there BMW's or Jag XJ40'S and still do 130 mph on the autobahan.

    See http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/230-55-390-tyres

    or http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page...avon-cr39.html

    or http://www.stuckey.com.au/news_200902-03.aspx



    220/65VR390 Avon CR39 is only 239.00 GBP = 363.791 USD each


    If you convert to the Ferrari 5 or 108 mm, or Cadillac Catera/Holden based Pontiac GTO/82-87 Camaro/Firebird BMW 120 mm five stud or Jag 5 on 4.75" IRS stud pattern, you can pick up the nicest set of wheels around for next to nothing. Even a 1982-1987 Camaro BW 78 axle conversion and PBR front hubs allows the uses the the people who got scared of the TRX tire find wheels and new replacment tires are easy to do if you think laterally.

    Aside form the wheel spacer kits for 100 bucks for a set of four, there are simple redrill templates on the net

    http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/s...des/4-5lug.jpg

    http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/s...es/4-5lug2.jpg

    See http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...9626&showall=1

    The 515 each dollar cost of genuine TRX branded Michelins makes you consider 210 and 364 dollar Dunlop and Avon options, surely.

    With the Ferrari wheels, you can keep one of the four 4.25 inch 108 mm centre studs, and just redrill the other four to allow the 390 or 415 mm star wheels be a direct bolt on.

    Food for thought!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •