Hi, tried a search but came up with nothing of help with this, so can anyone tell me the original manufacturer/application of this 16" wire wheel, please? It looks '35 Ford-ish, and came with some Ford ones but it is definitely not a regular Ford or Kelsey Hayes one. It fits the 5-on-5 1/2" Ford hubs. The centre hole is distinctive so may help with identification?
Didn't one like that show up here about 7-10 weeks ago with a what is it question.Don't remember the outcome.
Never seen any wheels with the odd-shaped center hole like that. Anybody know of vehicles other than Fords and Chryslers with the 5 on 5.5" bolt pattern.
Thanks guys, it is the same as the one lodaddyo found - I'll have to see if he wants another one I guess my search didn't work as I used 'Ford' in it . . .
It's a model A wheel with the nose cut off, the top of the hub of another wheel welded on, and put into a smaller rim.
Looks like a mid 30s Studebaker wheel made by Budd. They had a funky center opening in them. 35 stude wheels should be 16 x 4 1/2. If that's what they are they are stupid rare.
Ha, I have a hack-job a bit like that, but this is a nicely made production part, exactly the same as the one lodaddyo has in this thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/wire-wheel-id.997911/#post-11396459 Not Ford or Kelsey-Hayes Found a discussion on them, but the pics I saw were slightly different to these. Thanks guys, but still not identified!
I take back my previous reply as I now have some Model A wheels here so had a look, and can see what you mean when looking at the back of them. So was this a professional manufacturer who bought up new or used Model A wheels and fitted their own centres, spokes and rim to them? Doesn't sound like a route to making a fortune?
Hey Rem, have you asked the question over on the AACA forum? A tremendous amount of obscure info there. .
The plot thickens. That 'pentastar' in the middle may have been the start of Chrysler's recent trademark! On a more serious note, I HAVE seen that star shaped hole before. Didn't recall lug pattern being 5-1/2", though.
That's good to know! I have a set of A wheels that are cut down to 16" and I was afraid they were Shay wheels. Thanks.
I've seen a few of these wheels in my area, they aren't too rare but are easy to miss because they look like ford wires. What I've heard is that there was a jig made and sold by a company that would help make these wheels. My dad says that my grandpa, who had a small welding business, had one. The only reason I can see for doing the extra work of cutting the nose off instead of just using the original Model A spokes is being able to use a larger hubcap.
Thanks Jimmy, that's shed more light on them. I guess they're another example of 'make do and mend', from a time when people didn't just run down to the mall and buy new Chinese replacements when something got a bit worn, and someone saw a way to use available resources to supply a demand!