I need to restore some Mickey Thompson Rader wheels which are the aluminum center and steel rim riveted together. The rims need to be removed and rechromed then reinstalled. I have seen posts about this but I would like to hear from some one who has actually had this done or knows someone who did, and of course what person or company they used.
I have a set also that need this done. Here's some of the ideas I've came up with. Of course I haven't done anything with them. Idea #1 Polish the aluminum center, paint the steel outer black (or whatever color) and run a ribbed trim ring. Idea #2 Polish the aluminum center, have the steel outer done in that new spray on chrome. Idea #3 spray the aluminum center, and the steel outer with the new spray on chrome. http://www.alsacorp.com/ Idea #4 Sell them to somebody else and let them figure it out.
I recently bought some steel wheels with trim rings and tried your #1 and it looks ok and would be better if they were chrome rings. When the weather warms up I'm going to test some of the rattle can chrome paints. The alsocorp stuff is a might expensive to test.
Certainly not a restoration, but here's what I did to my Sears Raders. When I got them, they were natural spokes with rims painted flat black and didn't look good to me. Gary
Lookin mighty good on that gasser. Sears Rader wheel is indeed a rare piece. I'm stuck with 1 excellent tri rib and 1 nasty single rib for the front of my 62 Catalina NSS. No Radir for this car. Hopefully I'm able to attend Meltdown Drags with Class Reunion this year.
I did the whole 9-yard restoration. Drilled the rivets w/ a 5/16" carbide bit (buy several!), knocked out the centers and had them rechromed and reassembled them by drilling and tapping new 5/16" bolt holes in the web. Drilling is tough, those rivets are HARD!! Take it easy and they will eventually drill out. Then getting the webs out is tough too. They were installed with extreme interference fit. I found just beating with a rubber mallet did the trick. Don't try to press them out; you will just collapse the steel rim. The webs will polish to a great shine no matter how gnarly they look now but have them chromed too. To reassemble, have a machine shop turn the outsides of the webs to a tight press fit in the rims. I read an interview with Rader and he said that's how he got the wheels back together when he reversed the rims for the deep look on the original Batmobile and other show cars. Said it was impossible to get them back together otherwise. Incidentally, Rader was a high school shop teacher who cast up some centers for a couple student's hot rods who couldn't afford the real magnesium racing wheels sold at the time. His were the first non-race only custom wheels ever offered. He had a rim shop in town make the steel rims and press and rivet them together. When he needed to modify them, he was in the same boat we are! After the webs are turned, put them back into the wheel (backward looks great - get the deep dish look that never came from the factory) and offset the holes in the web from the holes in the wheel and drill in fresh aluminum. The holes you drill out will be damaged. Drill new holes in the webs, tap them then assemble with button-head grade 8 bolts and red LokTite.
I have a thread on here some years ago, on how to get the rivets out with using a welder, and truck lug stud, nut, and imact wrench. Those are called hammer drive screws.
Bringing up this old thread to learn if anyone has some more input. Yesterday I saw a pair of single rib vintage ones for sale, with a sign and chained to a mailbox. I failed to take a pic but they are 15'' with rusty chrome. No caps. Looked to be larger pattern than Chevy. No one home at the house. I might go back today with my wheel pattern. I'm thinking $100 absolute max dollar. I welcome all opinions on that.
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