So im checkin out pics of the Rufi streamliner and checkin out other racers whom look like they have either fashioned there own or used old airplane wheel covers and wondering if there are any specialty shops that put out these wheel covers or how hard it is to locate an original pair? hell ill probably end up making my own but who knows. heres what i need them for, though im sure youv all seen it a thousand times.
Those are old washing machine lids...........something similar, look at Kevin Lee's SPUN Brand wheelcover.
Go to the Rally America site at rallyamerica.com and look at "old school accessories". They sell them and are Alliance vendors. They're great to deal with.....Mike
These discs are off a World War 1 Curtiss Jenny Fighter. They are 18" The car pictured is the Beck Brothers car which they rebuilt from the wrecked Bob Rufi record setting streamliner.
Man this place is an info gold mine, I am blown away with the knowledge here every time I log in. Very humbling place! I love it here. Doc.
What a cool world - question from the US, answered completely and with incredible detail from Australia - another day in the life of a HAMB'er!
PS, The Jenny was not a fighter. It was the US basic trainer, the WWI version of the Boeing Stearman or DeHavilland Tigermoth. Doc.
That cover is not from a Jenny. Most contemporary pictures show Jennys with exposed spoke wheels. There are a few original unrestored Jennys, some have covers. The covers back then weren't metal but dope covered fabric, ususally linen, that were laced to the rim. Generally there was a good-sized hole in the center for the axle. There was usually a bound or finished hole for the tire valve stem. The cover on that lakes car is metal, screwed to the wheel. Anyway, this doesn't answer the man's question about where to get new covers. Given enough time out in the shop, it might be fun to make some.
Here is what Kevin's covers look like. They are more like the Hilborn streamliner. I really like these. Clark
If its looks you are after, Ebay has some full disk covers. I bought a set thats spun stainless steel and working on polishing them.
"speedway has those brushed aluminum snap-on salt flats covers" nah i cant do it, it needs to be not so typical. Im realy after the crude do it yourself look with a hint of functionality.
The flat lakes style covers are sometimes called "lacquers" because the originals were made from lacquer coated master recording blanks.I drilled mounting holes in some for Bill Honda in the "50"'s, he had a slight dish spun in them. And I believe the covers in the photo were or are washing machine lids
Ok it looks like Tman was right, I asked Terry Baldwin Also front wheels on Rufi's car were 20". Jim & Terry probably know more about Rufi's car than just about anyone alive. http://www.ahrf.com/news.php?id=37 So sorry about my previous post stating they were Jenny covers, I had referenced articles that were obvious wrong. Cheers Jimmy
The Jalopy Journal
