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The Cragar Timeline
1930: Cragar founded by Crane Gartz and Harlan Fengler to make automotive cylinder heads. The name Cragar is derived from the first three letters of "Crane" and the first three letters of "Gartz"
1955: Cragar assets are acquired by Roy Richter's Bell Auto Parts Company.
1964: Cragar Equipment Company founded by Roy Richter.
1964: Cragar S/S® Super Sport Wheel introduced and quickly gains a prominent position in the custom wheel industry.
1965: Car with Cragar S/S® wheels wins the Sports Car Division of the annual Pikes Peak Hill Climb Race.
1967: Cragar introduces their new Cragar Wheel Care cleaning product, designed to help keep your "Mag" wheels in top shape.
1969: Cragar, Dodge Motor Company and Car Craft Magazine introduce yearlong nationwide contest where a new Dodge automobile with Cragar's Swinger Wheels is to be given away.
1969: Ground is broken on 90,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Compton, CA.
1969: Cragar introduces their new "Cool Blue" Headers. Designed by racers and engineers, these new headers set the standard for maximum performance from a custom exhaust system. The top names in racing including Prudhomme, McEwen, Snow, Nancy, Johnston and Burkhart all turned to Blue Power for maximum horsepower.
1970: Cragar establishes S.A.E. guidelines and specifications for one and two-piece aluminum wheels.
1970: New Super Trick Wheel is introduced.
1970: Cragar S/S® Wheels are used by pace car at the inaugural California 500 at the new Ontario Motor Speedway.
1970: Cragar shocks the competition with the introduction of the new Cragar Super Power Package. This new high performance Distributor and Capacitive Discharge Ignition combination is designed for the strip or street.
1970: A new world land speed record of 622.407 miles per hour is set by Gary Gabelich with his rocket engine powered Blue Flame outfitted with specially designed Cragar wheels.
1971: Tom Shedden succeeds Roy Richter as President of Cragar Equipment Company.
1971: Cragar voted Pro-Stock Sponsor of the Year.
1972: Cragar Five-Second Club founded for first sixteen 'Top Fuel' dragsters that take the 1/4 mile strip in less than six seconds.1972: Tommy Ivo becomes first member of the Five-Second Club.
1972: Cragar is voted Manufacturer of the Year by Car Craft Magazine.
1974: Frank Bradley becomes last of sixteen members of the Five-Second Club.
1974: Cragar equipped cars win 302 of 377 eliminator victories in major NHRA, IHRA and AHRA sanctioned events.
1974: Cragar S/S® Wheels are now used by many amateur and professional custom car exhibitors.
1975: Roy Richter announces semi-retirement.
1975: Cragar founds new Five-Second Club for the 'Funny Car' drivers running the 1/4 mile in under five seconds.
1975: Don Prudhomme becomes first member of the 'Funny Car' Five-Second Club.
1975: Cragar equipped drivers win 22 of 24 drag race World Championships in NHRA, IHRA and AHRA.1978Roy Richter announces retirement.
1981: Tripp Schumake becomes last member of 'Funny Car' Five-Second Club.1984Kenny Bernstein first Funny Car driver to break 260 MPH barrier.
1989: Cragar celebrates its 25th anniversary
1992: Kenny Bernstein becomes first Professional Drag Racer to exceed 300 MPH (at 301.70) in a sanctioned 1/4 mile run.
1996: Kenny Bernstein sets elapsed time record of 4.598 seconds in a 1/4 mile run.
1996: Kenny Bernstein wins Top Fuel Points Championship on Cragar wheels. Is the first person to win both Top Fuel and Funny Car Overall Championships. Both were won on Cragar wheels.
1999: Cragar celebrates its 35th anniversary.
1999: Cragar licenses Weld Racing the rights to produce and distribute Cragar forged aluminum wheels.
1999: Cragar licenses Carlisle Tire and Wheel Co. to produce and distribute Cragar steel wheels including the nostalgia line and wire wheel line.
2000: Cragar finalizes a license with Performance Wheel Outlet to design, develop, market and distribute Cragar one-piece cast aluminum wheels.
2001: Cragar licenses Playing Mantis the rights to include Cragar wheels on a new Cragar series of Johnny Lightning die cast replicas.
2001: Cragar licenses Racing Champions/Ertl to produce a line of Cragar branded 1/18th scale replicas and 1/18th to 1/25th scale model kits, all featuring Cragar wheels.
2002: Cragar licenses Model Rectifier to produce a replacement wheel kit for replica vehicles.
2002: Cragar licenses Georgia Marketing and Promotions to produce replacement wheels for 1/10th through 1/43rd scale die-cast replicas, as well as 1/24 and 1/43rd scale die-cast vehicles with Cragar wheels.
Reinventing the Wheel
From the earliest hot-rod cylinder heads to Bell helmets and Cragar wheels, a huge chunk of the speed-parts industry grew out of one modest storefront in L.A.
By Brock Yates, 1993 Car and Driver
The buildings stand blank faced, iron-barred, and ignored in the midst of a seedy Hispanic neighborhood. For nearly 60 years, they served as the epicenter of high-performance madness for the entire Los Angeles basin, if not the whole nation. Bell Auto Parts--once located at 3633 Gage Avenue in the L.A. suburb of Bell, and now dispersed and fragmented into several multimillion-dollar industries across the country-was for years the mother load of speed for every hot rudder, sports-car nut, dry lakes competitor, street racer, round tracker, and crazed backyard wrench wizard in America.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are the wire wheels originally produced to fit 1983 to 1984 Cadillac FWD vehicles (commonly called "Elbows") available?
- Are Cragar Louvers or parts for Cragar Louvers still available?
- Are Cragar "blowers" or superchargers (or parts for them) still available?
- I really love the 980 series wheels. Are they still available?
- Will the Classic S/S® wheel fit my front wheel drive vehicle?
- I heard a rumor that Cragar has been sold. Is this true?
- The XLS series of wheels would be perfect for my vehicle? Can I still get them?
- Can I buy wheels directly from Cragar or through this website?
- How can I get pricing on new Cragar wheels?
- What's the best way to care for my Cragar wheels?
- How do I know what wheel will fit my vehicle?
- I see that your website has a section called "Licensing". What does this mean?
Q: Are the wire wheels originally produced to fit 1983 to 1984 Cadillac FWD vehicles (commonly called "Elbows") available?
A: These wheels are not currently available new. You might check flea markets, swap meets, and eBay.com, as these wheels are often seen there.
Q: Are Cragar Louvers or parts for Cragar Louvers still available?
A: Cragar has not marketed louvers for many years, since Cragar was part of the Mr. Gasket Company. As such, no louvers or parts for them are currently available. You might try contacting Mr. Gasket, www.mrgasket.com, for more information.
Q: Are Cragar "blowers" or superchargers (or parts for them) still available?
A: Sorry, but once again Cragar has not been in this business for many years, so no units or parts are currently available.
Q: I really love the 980 series wheels. Are they still available?
A: The 980 series wheels are no longer available. However, new "modern" Cragar designs are available. Check out the "Cragar Performance" tab for these wheels.
Q: Will the Classic S/S® wheel fit my front wheel drive vehicle?
A: Due to the offsets involved, the answer is usually no. However, there is a new Cragar S/S® wheel that does fit many import and front wheel drive vehicles. Be sure to check it out under the Cragar Performance section.
Q: I heard a rumor that Cragar has been sold. Is this true?
A: No, this rumor is not true. Cragar has licensed three high-quality companies to produce Cragar branded wheels. Carlisle Tire and Wheel (a division of Carlisle Industries) produces the full line of Cragar Classic Wheels (including S/S, ® Star Wire, True Spoke, Keystone Klassic,® and Street Super Trick wheels). Performance Wheel markets the Cragar Performance line of cast aluminum wheels; including the chrome finished cast aluminum S/S and wheels that fit many import and front wheel drive vehicles. Weld Racing produces the highly polished forged aluminum S/S, Drag Star II, Superlite II, and Cragar Forged Alloys. All these wheels may be viewed under the appropriate section of this website.
Q: The XLS series of wheels would be perfect for my vehicle? Can I still get them?
A: The XLS wheels, as well as parts for them such as center caps, are not currently available. You might check flea markets, swap meets, and ebay, as these wheels are often seen there.
Q: Can I buy wheels directly from Cragar or through this website?
A: Cragar wheels are sold only through authorized dealers. You can find the dealer nearest you by checking the dealer locater under each category of wheel.
Q: How can I get pricing on new Cragar wheels?
A: Prices are set by individual dealer. Please check with your local dealer.
Q: What's the best way to care for my Cragar wheels?
A: You should always clean your wheels with a mild wheel cleaner. Harsh solutions, including those that claim to specialize in removing brake dust, often contain chemicals that can be harmful to the finish of the wheels. You should clean the wheels immediately after they become exposed to harsh elements, such as road salt. The wheels should be polished frequently with a mild wheel polish with a low abrasive content to "seal in" their good looks.
Q: How do I know what wheel will fit my vehicle?
A: To ensure the best possible fitment, consult with your authorized Cragar dealer. The dealer can work with you to make sure that elements such as offset, backspacing, and brake clearance are considered when deciding on the best fitment for your vehicle.
Q: I see that your website has a section called "Licensing Opportunities." What does this mean?
A: Since 1930, the Cragar brand has been a premier brand in the automotive aftermarket. It has been used successfully on a wide array of products, including:
- Wheels and wheel covers
- Polishes and waxes
- Helmets
- Exhaust and intake manifolds
- Headers
- Ignition systems
- Exhaust systems
Cragar is now in discussions with prospective partners in dozens of partners in many, many categories to license the Cragar brand for use on high-quality parts and accessories. Check back here often to see what's new. Who knows, there might even be special offers available here for Cragar enthusiasts!