TECH - Wheel Reversal, Buick Hoops/Ford Centers

I wanted to take a crack at making a pair of wheels the "old-timey" way and capture the look. As most of you know, many of the new reversed wheels today don't have that good looking slope you see in the little books. Back in the 50's Buick wheels were a popular choice to rob for hoops due to the wider width.

Here is how I did it:



I started off with a pair of mid 50's Buick wheels.





Note the slope of the wheel hoop, this is important and will make sense later.



Center punch the rivets.



Drill out the rivets but don't go all the way through, knock out the rest with a punch.



Hell, get your girlfriend involved.





Knock out the center.



Here is the early Ford/Merc center going in.



Clean up the drop center with a grinder.



Knock the center in the front side "reversed" of the wheel hoop and line up the holes (sometimes they do) for the rivets. They didn't in this case because I wanted a certain back spacing.



You can now see the "reversed" deep dish look with the beveled hoop.



Now spin the wheel and check to see if it runs true. With a dial indicator get the runout to less than 1/32", adjust as needed.



Tack it up and check it again, then finish weld watching your heat.



Teach your girlfriend to weld and then weld up the rivet holes last.



Grind down her boogers if needed.





You can see the difference from the wider Buick hoop and the deep dish look from being reversed.

 

Looks good. Nice tech article

 

Great tech. Love the look of a true reversed wheel. Killer!

 

Nice job, thanks!

 

Good stuff. this ones a keeper.

 

looks great , stupid question but did you just leave the valve stem hole on the back , or weld it up and move it up front ?

 

I just left the holes on the back. You can weld up the originals and drill new ones up front if you'd like. It's a cleaner look with them in the back IMO.

 

OK someone's gotta say it, Great picture of your girlfriend drilling the wheel. See I did notice the drill and the wheel.

 

I saw the drill too! I promise...

 

Great post ... I've got a pair of wheels I have already separated, just haven't welded them up yet. One thought did cross my mind though (maybe you did this) ... before you bolt the wheel onto something in order to check runout before welding, make sure to check IT's runout first. Would be a horrible thing if you "squared up the wheel" using a bent axle or warped rotor.

 

Nice!!!

(note to self; get girlfriend like that )

 

Glad he posted that also. Them painted toe nails had me there for a bit . But all is good.

 

Baahahahaha, I had to go back and check for the painted toe nails.
Great tech, subscribed for later use.

Scotty.

 

Nice tech, man.

 

drill tool?????????????

 

Great tech, but ya kinda lost me here.

 

Now that I think about it.. I should have made a tech about making a cheap and easy frame jig out of a trailer frame.

Crud.

 

Nice tech

 

Un-Fair advantage, You will win Tech of the week.

 

Pretty sweet!!! ...on both counts!

 

Buick hoops are the best looking hoops in my opinion. Nice job and nice write up!

 

I've been looking for Bob Bleed's old tech on this, but the pics are gone, Thanks, I have some '56 Ford wheels I need to reverse on themselves (2" BS), and The pics help a lot... especially the drilling one...

 

TIGHT! I love the deep dish.

 

BTTT...just for the "drilling"! DD

 

Nice work!
I think you may be trying to sway some votes !

 

Nice.... and the wheel tech was pretty good too.

Great info.

 

Anyone know what all year and make wheels have the taper, and what widths?

 

Nice work!
Are the centers and hoops from 15" or 16" wheels?