OK , J-J and HAMB is a "go to" place to reach a lot of people fast. This is a survey to determine if this item is worth putting into production. So I'm soliciting some input from those interested in the following part. We have prototyped an adapter to allow the use of wide 5 , 1936-39 Ford passenger car wheels to later style bolt pattern hubs. They can be made any bolt circle but this was chosen as a start. This part is a 1/2" aluminum adapter to run wide 5 wheels on a 4 1/2" bolt pattern hub. This is made using the correct 1/2" studs not like the large stud stock car style adapters that are on the market for the street stock guys now. This part is black anodized to prevent corrosion. Pictured loose and on a Super Bell hub for reference. Question posed: Is there enough demand for this product or is it a one off part that only a couple guys want? 2nd question is related to pricing and I know we are all "conservative" but realizing you have materials and machine time to account for, if these are sold as a pair what would be an expected price range per pair? Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks for taking the time, Dick
I 'd be in on a set - not sure if I would buy more than that though. I think they could also be used to spin balance wide fives, so another market could be available there. I do think someone would have to make them available at a comfortable price point to make it make sense to us to use 'em. I have a friend that had a set made from scratch for about 400 bucks, he wasn't happy about the price but he needed them, then he didn't use them!!! Been trying to get 'em from him since!!! (I don't want to pay 400 bucks either!!! ) There is a market, just not sure how big. Put me on the list!
We made a bunch of those back in 1987....6-pin sprint to wide-5. Of course we used the 5/8" bolts for the race wheels. They worked just fine.
Just to put this in perspective back when I was buying adapters to run 17" vette wheels on S10's(I know I know) they were running 275 per pair for goo quality adapter/spacers. I'd guess soemthing like this was going to run 80-90 per wheel. I personaly don't see much call for them, but it would make it easier to run early style wheels with modern brakes. Shane T.
Speedway's steel ones come in 2 sizes. One is a dual pattern 5X4.5 and 5X 5.0. The other size is 5X 4.75. They're $49.95 each.I like Spadaro's aluminum ones if the price is right.Spadaro also has excellent,honest service even though Dick sometimes sounds a bit crotchety on the phone (maybe he's a real busy guy). Both he ,and his salesman Bill are well schooled in old Ford parts .I would buy a set of 4 for my '36 phaeton from him....Mike
I think the whole mistique around wide5's is the hub...very few are going to run them and cover them with a cap, which you would have to do with these and the others on the market. Just my 2 cents, we thought about producing these as well, you obviously have the name and demographic to make damn near anything sell though.
No offense,but I politely disagree. To me, it's the hubcap, not the hub.I own a '36 phaeton and will eventually run a bolt pattern other than stock. I'll run wide 5's, rear wheels widened 1 1/2 inches and stock hubcaps. There's a lot of '36-'39 guys that would like to run "stock" hubcaps/wheels with their different bolt patterned drums or discs...........just my opinion....Mike
What about 5 1/2 BP to wide 5 wheels? Would be interested, wide 5 wheels really change the look of the car. Also if they would fit 9" Ford rear and F100 fronts.
I think its a good concept. I think a set priced in the $175 to $225 is about right for machined adapters.
I know this is an old thread, but does anyone make a wide 5 hub to 5 on (4 1/2 or 5) wheel adapter. The reverse of what is specified above?
I like the wide 5 with it's hubcap but would think that most people may be upgrading from a Ford bolt pattern (original hubs) to the wide 5. -Sounds like you will have the ability to machine in the selected bolt pattern when the customer comes looking... Me, I would use these on my Model A (Ford Truck bolt pattern) and I think a lot of guys would go the same route. I also agree that lots of people like running the wides without a hub cap so in that case possible a 'fake' center hub might be an option but that would probably be thin pressed steel and fit behind the wheel thus covering the flat aluminum adapter. By the way Dick, thanks for continually bringing good quality Ford stuff to the market. . .
if you are putting wide five hubs on an early ford, why not just switch the reg. 5-1/2 hube to wide? thats what i did.
Yes, it would indeed be a strange looking adapter. I think most people would probably just do the 40 hub swap and go from there. Was just curious.
I would buy at least 2 or 3 sets . But I would like to leave off the anodise. Thank you. I like the 1/2 studs because the5/8 stud 1 inch hex lug nuts just don't look right.
Did anyone ever get some? Looks like website has been shut down and this is an old thread anyway.. Speedway doesn't have the 5-1/2" (1940 Ford) pattern to wide 5..
You can make a neat version of this with old 2 piece wide 5 drums, separate the 2 pieces and buy the available adaptors, i saw several sets with minor googling. Knock the studs out of the wide 5 drum bit, then you can bolt the drum face between the wheel and the adaptor. The adaptors studs stick through the drum face to give the correct look
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