No matter you will need the adapters to put a modern rear in and still use wide five wheels. I am just selling the covers to make it look better if you decide not to run caps which are spendy in themselves. I could sell them for less but no profit margin is a bad business decision and if I am going to work for nothing I will just work on my hot rod and forget about it. For the front there are many options. I) use original brakes, 2) use Wilson Welding backing plates for self energizing option, 3) disc brakes and adapter with the front cover that I am working on, 4) wait for a while longer and use the disc brake wide five front hub that I am designing and hope to have out this year. I am a hot rod builder at heart but I also work on street rods for a living so I live in both worlds and understand what it is to build a car on a shoestring and one that costs in excess of $100,000. There is a world much larger than the HAMB that I want to tap into so that I can build my hot rod on a shoestring doing all the work myself because that is the only way it will get done. Jim (55willys)
Sold first pair of rear covers and am working on the pattern for the front covers and the disc brake hub. Here are some pics of doing a swap from 5.5 to wide five. Jim Ford
I am starting to get the pattern put together as I am doing the front caps and the full disc brake hubs with the same pattern. I finalized the rotor and caliper choice today. So that is not holding me back anymore. Life and work still get in the way though along with cash flow. Jim Ford
I like the rotor but the caliper is too bulky IMO. Back to more research. I will try to get some pictures soon. Jim Ford
I just got moved into my new house and now have a shop to work in. I have not been able to start on the front pattern yet. I got a shop smith that is sortof set up for wood turning, Still need the tool rest and some chisels. I have worked out the design in CAD for the disc brake caliper and disc adapter for wide five front hubs and have a meeting with a local machine shop this morning to get started on this along with wide five adapter plates. I was getting my adapter plates from **** Spadaro but unfortunately due to health reasons they are closing the shop. I did talk to his brother Frank about the adapters and got the go ahead to make my own so that is what I am going to do as my covers won't do much good without them. Jim Ford
I would like to know how many out there are needing wide five adapters? I will be having them done in the next month. They are similar to **** Spadaro's adapters with one improvement, the studs will be flush on the back so there is no interference with any brake drum. The price will be a bit higher due to the extra machining required. $85 each or $165 a pair. They are 1/2" thick so they will widen the track width by an inch, the studs are 1/2 x 20. I would have liked to continue to buy them from **** but as the shop is closed and they are no longer available I have taken it on myself to fill the void. Disc brake kits are coming soon. Thanks, Jim Ford
Check out this 36 hub and wheel, I was thinking about using the design and modifying it to fit 37-39 spindles. I would cast it in 357 heat treated aluminum and it would take a disc brake rotor instead of a drum but it could be setup to work with drums as well. Feed back is appreciated. Jim Ford
I am having adapters made this week to attach the rotor to a stock hub and am building a hot rod for myself that will use the wide fives with the disc adapters on the front and my wide five adapters and covers on the rear.
Any updates on the wide 5 adapters for from 5-1/2" to Wide 5 ford? Edit: understanding it's a very old thread...
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