Technical CHROME REVERSE, HELP NEEDED

I need the power of the HAMB today. I ordered my wheels form Wheels Vintique on 4-6-2020. I received the fronts but not so lucky on the rears. I was told this morning that it may be November at the earliest. I need them now as my truck project is stalled until I have them. This is the wheel I need;

In order to match the fronts. It has vents and dimples (not smoothy). A direct bolt pattern. I need them chrome or my guy will plate them for me.

Fitment: I need them 15 X 7 on 5 X 4 3/4 Chevy bolt pattern. It is imperative they be minimum back spacing. I ordered them to be 2 inch back space, I believe WV said 2.250" is the minimum but they would set them back as far as possible.

They built a set and shipped them but they were not reversed and 4.125" backspace. Those have to go back to them for credit. Wheels Vintique said to try Wheelsmith and US Wheel. Wheelsmith does not have vents, US wheel does not custom build. Both are a no-go!

Help!!! @Moriarity I saw a picture you posted of the museum you call a house and I saw chrome reverse wheels in one of them upstairs. Any chance they fit the bill (no pun intended)? Anyone else out there with wheels like I described? Anyone have hoops and centers? Weld me up some wheels! Buick hoops are cool...someone help a buddy out.

Here is some inspiration, this is the front that I need to match.

 

Jeg's, Summit, quite a few WV dealers. Have you called around? What's the delay on your wheels. When was it originally promised? Covid has coughed on a lot of operations but November does seen like a wait.

 

What about another vendor like http://www.petepaulsen.com/home.html ? Maybe not the same but close? Unless you have a show coming up, why not just use "wheels" instead of "WHEELS"?

 

I got wheels from Pete, no issues at all. In fact they balance out without the tires or wheel weights.

 

Check out www.heywheel.com if you're interested. They sell blank hoops if you have centers. I have no affiliation with them or anything. Just a web address I saved long ago for a future need.

 

No one has wheels "off the rack" with custom back spacing. I have looked. What I hear is their supplier has been shutdown for COVID cases discovered there and WV has no 15X7 hoops in stock. That is what I am told

It is the back spacing, I have to make sure the wheels fit the rear fenders before I disassemble the bed and prep for paint.

Calling him next, Thank you

Again, thank you. I will call. I don't mind buying in pieces and putting them together if I must. I never thought something so easy could turn into such a nightmare.

 

Well www.heywheel.com comes up with an empty page. You sure you typed it right? If so they might have rolled on out of business.

I will have to call tomorrow, he seems to keep barber hours. I think that just dated me.

 

He seems to be selling the 'standard' Wheel Vintiques offerings. I've been looking for some too, and the lack of backspacing options is disappointing. They appear to be the only manufacture offering a 'correct' center with the vents. Wheelsmith used to, but after their fire they dropped those. So did WV actually offer to custom-build a set, or was it just a misunderstanding? And if I may ask, how much of a premium did they want for the custom backspacing? I'm not in a huge rush, I can wait if need be...

 

The offset fee was only $44.00 each so $88.00 total added to their price of $177.00 for each wheel. They also took off $46.76 for my HAMB Alliance Discount and shipped for free. Cant argue with the price.

And we may have a fix. Mark Moriarty came up with the idea of sacrificing the wrong rims they sent me (and not yet returned) and cut the chrome centers out. I will do this tonight, then I will send them to Wheelsmith (who has agreed to oblige me) to weld into his 15X7 chrome hoops with minimum back spacing possible. And like the English say "bob's yer uncle"!

I will let you know

 

Who's Bob?

 

Have you contacted Stockton? I think you're looking for their "Milner Special" at the bottom of this page.

The "disease which shall not be mentioned" has made dealing with vendors a little difficult. Good luck. And let us know if you find a vendor that can get it done.

http://www.stocktonwheel.com/smoothie.html

 

Stockton Wheel has had uneven reviews in the past, and there doesn't seem to be any recent ones. Read into that what you may...

 

Uncle Bob

 

Yeah, I had called them early on in the ordering process and they did not offer a custom reverse for my rear wheels. it doesn't seem all that tough of an order but it has proven to be. Also, WV will not sell just the center or the hoop for that matter separate, nor use your own hoops or centers. Been there, tried that. It is starting to look like if you are after this look, buy a new pair on-line some where cheap like summit or ebay and cut the centers out then use WheelSmith to build them on his hoops.

Another caveat in this "as the wheel turns" process is the aftermarket 15" hoops that I have located all require a 12.625" diameter wheel center. That appears to be industry standard on the aftermarket stuff, not sure on an old GM wheel center's diameter. Also, if an old used center will fit but it is pitted - the chrome shop cannot use copper, only nickel and chrome in the process or they won't weld properly (Wheelsmith).

Aint nothing cool that's easy and vise versa.

 

Check with hamber "Phillips" he sold me some 15x4.5 chrome wheel shells when I made my Cragar S/S wheels. The shells were super nice and excellent chrome. Final radial run out was like .018 when I welded them up. He send me a PM tonight he can get 15x7 chrome shells in standard and reverse offset. If you have donor center, you may be in business.

 

I typed it wrong inside the link. (Stoopid fone.) Try typing in “www.heywheel.com”. I checked it before I posted and their site was up.

 

Still don't get the link to work...

https://heywheel.com/

 

Those wheel shells have a ID of 12.480, the GM centers/shells have a 12 5/8" ID where they press together. I believe the shells I purchased from "Phillips" were 12 5/8" (12.625) and would accept standard GM centers.

 

Oh, I do now. See below.

I will check in with them tomorrow. Thanks for double checking that address

I got home from work and a bit of cutting and some heavy hammer work, and viola...we have wheel centers.
The donor is a new 4.125" back space wheel

De-rimmed, un-rimmed?

Already chromed (and well done) so they are ready to be welded into some chrome reverse hoops. I'll add some bubble wrap and cardboard and they will be ready to ship.

WheelSmith has 15" reverse chrome plated hoops. In a couple of days he will have new chrome centers and shortly thereafter I should finally have my rear wheels. There are likely cheaper ways to pull this off but why change the way I build cars now?

 

Try this

https://www.heywheel.com/

I just typed the www.heywheel.com into the address bar

 

Wow! Money and time. Tell us how you manage this uncommon scenario.

 

Time is the hard part as I work all day, working all day though helps a lot with the money portion of the equation.

 

Glad this is coming together for you Billy!

 

Good call Mark! I already shipped them off. Custom chrome reverse in no time.

Now what to do with the hoops. Put a cheap neon clock in the centers? Mount fans in the centers? Honda exhaust outlets? Garbage can base and top for disposable bag (tie em together with steel rods)? Put them on the HAMB classifieds for guys looking for chrome "rims"?

 

This is just me but I wouldn't sweat a detail like vents in the front but no vents in the back, if it made a difference of having to have now or waiting for over a month plus. But your religious dictates may be different than mine.

 

This man thrives on details! If it weren't for details he'd probably be drinking brown water and playing golf all day!

 

Many a wheel has been turned into a garden hose hanger, why not have a pretty one (or two), it may even fly with the HOA.

 

These are close but they’re old vintage the tires are 9 inches wide

I h

 

Do you think the "For Offroad Use" tag is just for a "CYA" for liability purpose or what do you all think the problem could be using one of these hoops?