a few weeks ago my girlfriend and i went to a new pick-n-pull that just opened up here in town. as it turns out it was an old junkyard filled with all kinds of cars. but among the rust i spot 2 exceptionally bright objects glinting in the distance. as i approach them i see they are 2 decent hubcaps on good wheels. SCORE! but something seems odd. wait. these seem to be a larger diameter? whoa! they are 18" hubcaps. but look like a 58 Studebaker Lark cap and a 56 Buick cap, only larger. how in all this destruction and chaos did i find these? maybe they found me!? ok. in all reality I'm pulling y'alls leg. actually these ARE stock 15" lark and 56 buick hubcaps that i modified. i am building these for my Studebaker truck. with the suspension design i have to run a larger-diameter wheel, but i want something simple, classic and understated. no billet or streetrod crap! so heres my solution. i made adapters to put a 15" cap on 18" steel wheels. i recently got a job in an engineering dept in a sheet metal fabrication shop. i am programming the metal cutting lasers. this job is a godsend, as i have been unemployed for a few years. just doing odd jobs and temp work, to make ends meet. but what is my favorite part? i get to do stuff for myself in my free time. a few days agoi finally got these programmed using up all my free time (after work at home, breaks and lunch). i still have a few bugs to work out, tho. id like to find an 18" diameter stainless trim ring. i still have to have the back-space corrected (these have WAY too much). and i have to figure out the valve stem placement. what do you guys think?
thanks. i really like them. the easy part is done. i think im going to have to have the wheels reversed. i hope i can find someone local to do it. i have a lead on a place that thinks they can. should be interesting
The Jalopy Journal
