The Antique Nats inspired me to finally do something with my Model A... My dad always wanted to put the KH Wires on it... so that's the direction I think I'll go with it. bent spoke Kelseys, blood red, no caps, red oxide prime (thats' on it) finish up the interior and put the rumble seat back in it. I will run the 4.50/4.75(?) 16"ers on the front... but for the back, I think I want to run a 7.00x16 on a 5" rim... so, I need to have two of the KH wires widened. Who can do it?? I have two KH wires that I got at the last P-Town swap... the outer bead is TOASTED on both rims... but the centers are fine... can they replace the entire outer rim and use the spoked centers? Does anyone have a full service wheel shop that can true them, widen them and powder coat them?? Anything bad about powder coating spokers?? I've been wanting to change the car a bit... I got burned out on the whole "big tire" tubbed look that the car has going on now... I toyed with the idea of putting the body on a '32 frame... but after Palmdale... on the way home... I thought of how neat it would be to do the car the way my dad would have done if he was still alive... besides, if I did the whole frame swap thing... my kids would be too old to ride in the rumble seat by the time I finished it. Whatdayathink?? Sam.
Make sure she eats lots of unhealthy greasy food, McDonalds works, and NO DIETING, that should widen her up pretty good. Oh, you mean wheels??
Sounds awesome Sam, but I like the caps- otherwise it looks like a '32 shell with no insert to me. You gonna have to change rearends? Don't bother powder coating, I'm really bummed how off the color on my Kelsey's is, if it was paint it wouldn't be such a big deal. Also the caps went on REALLY tight and I know I'm gonna chip the **** out of them the first time they come off
Sam - You could look for a pair of 4-1/2" wide Kelseys, might be cheaper than having someone widen a pair of junkers. 4-1/2" should be fine with 7.00's or even 7.50's. I like the plan, but I agree with Jim on the caps. Neal
Yea, truth be known, I'll run the caps... and maybe rings too. I may even run straw colored wheels... I just don't know yet. What I do know, it the car is going to change... I'll finish the '65 this summer... build the triumph in my spare time, sell the Roach Rod to pay for the changes... and be stylin' by summer time! Sam.
[ QUOTE ] Sam - You could look for a pair of 4-1/2" wide Kelseys, might be cheaper than having someone widen a pair of junkers. 4-1/2" should be fine with 7.00's or even 7.50's. I like the plan, but I agree with Jim on the caps. Neal [/ QUOTE ] Maybe I should go home and measure what I got. It's just that I kind of want the bulge front and rear to match... I have a set of halibrands to sell (off the car) to pay for it all... so I may buy a set of chrome reversed wheels so I can change it up once in a while. Kinda like switching the hand you hold your "reading material" with, if you know what I mean. Sam.
Yea, I think if I dig down deep enough... my subconcious is telling me to build my car like that. Sam.
[ QUOTE ] Kinda like switching the hand you hold your "reading material" with, if you know what I mean. Sam. [/ QUOTE ] Gettin' some "strange"
[ QUOTE ] Maybe I should go home and measure what I got. [/ QUOTE ] Easy way to tell the 4-1/2" wheels are from the back. They have the extra 1/2 to the inside of the rim and they typically have five 1/4" studs welded on the backside of the wheel. No one has ever been able to explain their purpose though. Does anybody know what the studs were for? Hope this helps. Neal
Mine are 4"ers then. So, who can widen them? I have five good ones... and two ****py ones... I want to widen the ****py ones. Also, the car is going to get a shole new rear suspension... transverse spring, ladder bars... so I can put the rumble seat back in it. Sam.
Try Gary McLean. (559)322-2128 Here is a link... http://www.rallyamerica.com/wirewheelrepair/index.html Neal
For reference...550 fronts 700 rears on 4" bent K-H powder coated wheels. I personally love the bulge. I had sone 35 Ford wheels widened. A 3" band added. I wanted them for some stagger block dirt track tires. Shipping would be a ***** but The Wheel works did mine quickly and reasonably. Florence, N.J. 609-499-2233
from the engineering standpoint.. if you are running wires... and those spokes are ancient.. and the material has brittled and fatigued over the years.. not to mention rusted and weakened... and then you widen the surface area of the tire and give it more "hook up" footprint... will those spokes hold up? I thought about this not too long ago... just throwing that out there...
Dad found a shop here in Calgary that did his '35 ford wires. I can quizz him as to who it was, but I'm sure there's got to be someone closer to home for you.
Try Stockton Wheel... http://www.stocktonwheel.com/ Had friends use 'em before. Pricey but good work.
To Be Honest, I think the Canary color would look washed out on the Red Oxide Primer, maybe I just can't picture it. I would go with the red, I think the two are more complementary. I couldn't see dad driving a primered A, put some paint on that thing you lazy bum.
Sam, try Bob Munroe, 2974 Bonnie Ln Pleasant Hill, CA (925) 934-4731. He's an old hotrodder friend of mine. He builds a lot of Arlen Ness's bikes. He's widened wheels in the past for himself, and others. Dean
I've got some widened bent spokes. from the 50's I was told. Smaller bolt pattern and wider than 5". Wana trade? I need a 16 x 4 to replace the ones that got wrecked in my coupe crash. I am in Santa Cruz and you can call me at work if you are into it. (831) 426 8783 TRUE ART. FLIP
I wonder if the 1/4 studs on the inside of those KH wheels were for wheel weights. Rolls Royce and Bentley wheels in the 1930's used this setup. Different weight washers were placed on whatever area needed the weight. I'm not a fan of powder coating wheels, built a spinning fixture and paint them.
Flip, I think 5" is about as wide as I want to go. Why are they a smaller pattern? Are they IDENTICAL to the bent spoke Kelseys? Did you pick up that '34 sedan in Kansas yet? I know, a lot of questions. Sam.
Sam~ Yes I did go to Kansas it was a fun little road trip. And the wheels I have no clue about? They would be awsomwe for someone running cheeters and a late model rear end. I think that they are like 6" or 7" wide?? FLIP