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  •  » FYI Ford, Classic Mustang Tech Discussion
  •  » Wheels Differences between 95-04 and 01-06

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    4/18/2014 9:15 PM  #1

    Jim B
    Active Member

    Offline

    From: Sedalia, CO
    Registered: 4/19/2014
    Posts: 8

    Wheels Differences between 95-04 and 01-06

    Hey everyone,

    This is my first internet forum post after lurking for years, and luckily there are no dumb questions!  Steve told me to post on here because then he doesn't have to answer the same question quite as often, so here we go.

    I have a 70 Mach 1 with a 351c 4v, 4 speed, louvers, spoilers and a shaker.  I bought it back in 76 and have worked on it some, driven it less and mostly stored it over the years.  I have had most of the parts off of it at one time or another, but it is a Colorado car that has spent most of its time in the garage so hopefully  it is in fairly good shape body wise.  We'll find out in the next few years.  I have finally reached the stage where I can make progress and bring it up to date a bit.

    I talked with Steve and bought his front GT and rear Cobra brake set up, his disc/disc MC and his wheel cap conversion kit.  I very much like the look of the wheels on his car and have spent way too much time on ebay lately trying to discern the differences between various refinished wheels.  Steve suggested that I stay away from newest stuff for backspacing and appearance reasons. 

    I know that American makes a nice wheel also, but I'm drawn to stay with the Ford wheels.

    My questions are:
    1)  What is the difference, if any, between the 95-04 and 01-06 wheels?  According to the ebay listings below there is a crossover and I am a bit confused. 


    94-04 Textured Finish
    ebay search:  ebay.com/itm/190670851667?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

    94-04 Smooth
    ebay.com/itm/281235244816?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

    01-06 Wheel
    ebay.com/itm/161240692804?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

    2)  Will either work with my MS GT/Cobra brake setup?

    3)  Does anyone know if Steve has smooth or the textured finish?  Are his grey?  I see different descriptions, grey, argent, charcoal, quartz, pewter etc. on little tiny pictures.

    If Steve's are textured then the rest of this is not applicable for me because I'll just buy the textured ones in the top link.

    4)  If I finally decided to go with the Americans would the mustang wheel caps (already on their way -I just couldn't wait) and the MustangSteve cap conversion kit work?


    Thanks,
    Jim

     

    4/19/2014 6:57 PM  #2

    Ron68
    Senior 24-7 FYI Addict

    Offline

    From: Mukilteo, Washington
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 1,624

    Re: Wheels Differences between 95-04 and 01-06

    MS and I have the same wheels - I got mine from a 2003 or 2004 GT (can't recall but same wheel). They are painted argent with the appearance of a texture, almost like a very fine metal flake, but the paint is smooth. I know that the later wheels have a deeper offset or backspacing, as the wheel hub outboard side is inset only an inch or so, while the earlier wheel hubs have a greater inset (as view from outboard). My wheels fit my 9" rear end on my 68 with no fitment issues. MS and I had our front wheels cut down from the stock 8" width to a 7" width. That way I was able to install the wheels without the use of spacers which would have caused rubbing issues in full throw turns. The wheel inside rim clears my upper control arm by about 5/16". (sorry about the giant picture)

    Last edited by Ron68 (4/19/2014 7:04 PM)

    68 coupe - 351W, 4R70W, 9" 3.25 -- 65 convertible - 289 4v, C4, 8" 3.00
     

    4/19/2014 7:31 PM  #3

    MS
    Forum Originator

    Offline

    From: Canyon Lake, Texas
    Registered: 1/24/2013
    Posts: 12,374

    Re: Wheels Differences between 95-04 and 01-06

    Most of the original GTs that had Bullitt wheels like Ron's were a different color than mine, which are smooth, metallic anthracite, like the original Bullits had from 01-04.  The wheel is the same except for the color.  It looks like Ron's were the lighter gray color and maybe have the larger metallic look.

    The 01-04 and the 05-current physical differences in the wheels are mainly in the backspacing.  The 01-04 17x8 has 5.72" backspacing and the newer ones have 5.95" backspacing.  Those will require a deeper wheel spacer to get them to fit without hitting the UCA.  Beware of American Racing TTII wheels as they do not clear the calipers.  The TT-M wheels look just like the ones on my car but will bolt on without a spacer as they have the correct backspacing for the 70.

    The pic below is my 66.  It has the 01-04 weels, but the 06 and newer caps.  The wheel in the pic has been narrowed 1" on the backside so it is now a 17x7 wheel with 4.72" backspacing.  It bolts right on without having to use the 1" spacer.

    Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
     

    4/21/2014 6:13 PM  #4

    Jim B
    Active Member

    Offline

    From: Sedalia, CO
    Registered: 4/19/2014
    Posts: 8

    Re: Wheels Differences between 95-04 and 01-06

    Ron and Steve,

    Thanks for the big pictures, that helped me figure out what to do.  I also learned some things that you undoubtedly know.  I tried to do some p/n decoding and got it figured out all the way through the suffix.  Some of the wheels had an AA suffix, others a BA.  I assume a BA is a later revision level but never found that written anywhere.  I ended up buying P/N 1R3Z1007AA which are a 2001 p/n and I suspect the same wheels you both have.  I also figured out what the Hollander number means, the interchangeability number.  The later wheels that I saw (advertised as 2008 and up) had a Ford p/n with an 8 at the beginning,  and a Hollander number of 3468 so that made it easy for me to figure out which ones were interchangeable.

    Anyway, thanks for the help.  Steve, your parts showed up today but I wasn't home to sign for them so I'll go get them tomorrow.

    Jim

       •Thread Starter
     

    9/06/2014 6:30 PM  #5

    jkordzi
    I FYI 24-7

    Offline

    From: Sequim, WA
    Registered: 12/28/2013
    Posts: 927

    Re: Wheels Differences between 95-04 and 01-06

    MustangSteve wrote:

    Most of the original GTs that had Bullitt wheels like Ron's were a different color than mine, which are smooth, metallic anthracite, like the original Bullits had from 01-04.  The wheel is the same except for the color.  It looks like Ron's were the lighter gray color and maybe have the larger metallic look.

    The 01-04 and the 05-current physical differences in the wheels are mainly in the backspacing.  The 01-04 17x8 has 5.72" backspacing and the newer ones have 5.95" backspacing.  Those will require a deeper wheel spacer to get them to fit without hitting the UCA.  Beware of American Racing TTII wheels as they do not clear the calipers.  The TT-M wheels look just like the ones on my car but will bolt on without a spacer as they have the correct backspacing for the 70.

    The pic below is my 66.  It has the 01-04 weels, but the 06 and newer caps.  The wheel in the pic has been narrowed 1" on the backside so it is now a 17x7 wheel with 4.72" backspacing.  It bolts right on without having to use the 1" spacer.

    Glad I saw this - so it looks like the wheels I want - the torq-thrust II won't fit the 2008-13 GT brakes.  Are you saying the torq-thrust M will fit?  I've pretty much decided to go conservative with 225/45-17X7 but still trying to figure out the backspacing.  Thanks.
     

    Cheap, Fast, Good:  Pick Any Two
     

     

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