Looking back through history, it’s easy to understand how inspiration has been driven by necessity, back to the invention of the wheel itself. And while the creator of the first wheel is unknown, the passion still resides in those building and restoring wheels to this day.

Well aware of the popular wheel designs that rolled through history, Tom Sensabaugh’s inspiration came from muscle cars of the ‘60s and early ‘70s. These cars will always stick out in the automotive world, as they had real personality, right down to the wheels. While other wheel manufacturers sought to reinvent history and create all sorts of new designs, Sensabaugh focused on reliving the past, one wheel at a time.

A successful insurance agent during the day, Sensabaugh began spending evenings refurbishing Magnum 500 rims in his home-based shop back in 1983. He cut the centers from used wheels before restoring their surfaces and finished them off with new chrome plating and paint. From there, he pressed these centers into new outer rims and welded them into a single unit.

With hours of effort in each wheel, Sensabaugh’s intentions were to rework wheels for his own cars, but as time passed, his friends saw the finished product and wanted a set of their own. After restoring a great number of these wheels and building a reputation, the demand for his classic rims grew immensely. To keep up with the demand for his handiwork, Sensabaugh ventured from his home in Sandy, Oregon in search of well-worn Magnum wheels to restore.

In the years that followed, Sensabaugh’s shop was enlarged three different times, and by 1990 his wife Dolores came up with a more suitable name for his company—Specialty Wheel. The company expanded to include several vintage wheel designs and by 2004 was honored with the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) New Product Award for the 17-inch Magnum. Sadly, Sensabaugh passed away the following year and there was some speculation as to the company’s future, but alas his hopes and dreams rolled on.

Motivated by a new team of automotive enthusiasts, Specialty Wheel is in great hands. The new crew is committed to the heritage, great quality and customer satisfaction Specialty Wheel is known for, and they strive to improve the company in every way possible. From fully restored classics to high-tech street machines, Specialty Wheel provides timeless styling to these unforgettable rides in a way that keeps customers coming back.

Keeping the dream alive is the key element for Gregg Robinson as general manager at Specialty Wheel. As a machinist and life-long racer, tuner and fabricator, this family man knows how these products impact the lives of his customers. The same can be said for Ron Cumiford, the company’s robotic welding specialist. Machinist Jeff Cannon is responsible for various aspects of manufacturing including resurrecting vintage wheel centers, while Kelly South handles sales and marketing for Specialty Wheel when he isn’t restoring vintage cars, motocross bikes and guitars.

Forever entranced with cars of all types and especially Fords, long time car guy Wade Hamann follows in the tracks of his coworkers, laying down fine finishes on every wheel in the company lineup. All would be lost without the efforts of Julia Chambers, a sales assistant and purveyor of shipping and receiving.

Empowered with a new business plan and the infusion of investment capital, Specialty Wheel is a thriving company focused on expanding its scope with new possibilities and opportunities, while keeping the founder’s vision intact. Necessity is the catalyst for inspiration, and Specialty Wheel fulfills the needs of automotive enthusiasts with each and every wheel that rolls out the door.