15 x 10 Steel Wheel Build:

I needed a pair of plain steelie wheels for my '64 Galaxie that is built Nascar style. They had to be 15" x 10" with a 5 x 5" bolt pattern to fit the Frankland quickchange rear end. The aftermarket wheels I found had a dual bolt pattern that I did not like, plus they were abut $160.00 each. I decided to build my own.

I found 15" x 10" steel wheel "shells" from Speedway Motors for $39.00 each. I had some plain steel wheels with the correct 5 x 5" bolt pattern, so all I had to do was remove the centers from the wheels on hand and weld them in to the new "shells".

Here is the new wheel shell, and the wheel I would get the center from. The I.D. of the new shell was 12 5/8", and the O.D. of the center was 13 1/4". Some machine work would be required:


The wheel center was spot welded in with eight spot welds. The welds are located and center punched. The welds are then drilled with small drill bit at first, progressively getting bigger until a 3/4" drill bit is used:





The center is then persuaded out with a large hammer:



The center is then bolted to an axle that is chucked up in a lathe and the outer edge is turned down to 12 5/8":


The machined center is tapped into the wheel shell, and the backspace is set, which in this case is 3 1/4":


I use an old spindle with a hub on it bolted to a workbench to true the wheel before welding. A dial indicator is used to get as little run out as possible. This wheel had .020", which is really good:


The center is tack welded in four places, and then welded solid alternating welds from side to side to eliminate any warping:


Here is the finished wheel waiting for sandblasting and paint. Total cost about $100.00 for two wheels:


Here is the car they are going on:


Here is one of the 15" x 8" front wheels built using the same method:

 

You could have bought rim with a 13.260 ID
Jimmy

 

I didn't realize that they were available, but then I should have called you and asked. It was alot of fitting, but I thought it was fun.

 

That's really great tech there, thanks for posting it.

 

Nice job..thanks for the tech.
cleared up some of my questions

 

Great tech.
Looks very period correct !
For those folks without access to a big lathe , speedway has #278547.. 15x10, 5 on 5, 3" back spacing for $49.
A little more modern looking..Still Nascar style though.
Dave

 

Hey thanks for the tech. I heard somewhere that you could build a 15 by 5 chevy wheel from a vw beetle rim shell and the cent of a chevy wheel. That is if you have trouble finding a 15 by 5.

 

how true did you get the wheels?
and how long did it take for you to put it together? (wheels wise)

 

I am impressed, there is a lot of work to do that. Now that is keeping the work in house. Nice job

Jon

 

nice work. nice nascar flavor.

 

About .020" of run out, which is really good since I have measured new wheels with .060" of run out. I have about 1 1/2 hours in each wheel.

 

shit...020"!..thats great
heck there could have been that much in the ring you bought..
I say.. nice job man

 

thats what I like to see..............done it in my shop.................

 

Very cool project (the Galaxie), keep us updated on this!!

 

Hmmm, i'm gunna be making some wide 5 alums in the future, good to know about the runout, i was wondering how much was acceptable

 

Here are the wheels painted and ready for some tires:

 

Very nice work. I can't say I would try it. You are very smart. My older buddy says it to me all the time. "What the hell it's only metal, some other guy tried it before you & didn't die"

 

Nice tech stuff. Thanks for posting.

 

Cool thread and great idea, even if they were already available in some other size.

 

From where? Speedway is the only vendor I have found to sell hoops.
Are you talking used? Do you sell hoops?
thanks!

 

Awesome!!!!

 

Check the MRT site for wide stuff.
Miller Tire has narrow stuff.

 

Hey thanks! I've seen the Miller site. The MRT site is great but I did not see I.D.'s posted. No problem I'll contact them.

 

great post buddy, find something you need and build it!!! final product looks awesome too

 

Hoops? Here ya go, and in stock. http://www.mrt-wheels.com/catpages/wheel%20parts.html Ask me how I know.

 

OK, so it's been 7 years since the last posting...but I think I've found the proper replica stock car wheel for all those Holman-Moody enthusiasts...like me. It's the Speedway Motors Vintage Series steel wheels, and they come in 15x8" (4.00" backspace), and the wider (and much more visually appealing) 15x10 (4.25" backspace), all with the vintage-correct 5 on 5.5" bolt spacing! Here is their 15x10: https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Vintage-15x10-Steel-Wheels-5-on-5-5-4-5-Inch-BS,283808.html

With a little TIG welding to add some "period-correct reinforcement welds" to various locations at the juncture of the center section and the hoop, and I think you'd be all set! Speedway specifically mentions that they use the '40's-era style lug pad which from what I've read is exactly what Holman-Moody used in their race wheels...although they doubled-up on the center sections to reinforce them for racing purposes. Similar to the Ford truck center sections used from '48-'64, apparently.

Here are two photos from their website...along with a couple shots of the real wheel. Hope this helps all you H-M wheel aficionados!

 

I'm digging the "Firestone" painted over the Goodyear.

 

Nice catch! That's actually a Bruce Canepa restoration: http://canepa.com/photo-gallery/1968-ford-torino5135/

You do what you have to do! :-D

 

I'd probably still drive it. Hahaha