Hey everybody, I’m putting supremes on my 64 Pontiac Grand Prix, it has the original 8 lug wheels, the rear is good to go but the front wheel connects straight to the spindle, I need help with the front hub situation so it will be a 5 lug. Anything down this rabbit whole will help. Thank you
Not sure I understand what you mean. Your are removing the aluminum eight lugs drum/wheel set up entirely ? If so you need to go get standard iron brake drums and hubs etc off any other 63 64 B body pontiac. The regular 5 lug drums in front get rust stuck to the front hubs typically. What are supremes ?
Ya the problem is the front wheel bolts straight to the spindle, so once I take the wheel off I have no lugs
OK well as I was saying you will need a donor car to provide the standard iron hubs and drums or the better choice would be do a disc brake upgrade on the front using the stock spindle like the kit from scarebird or elsewhere. if you were in Texas I would trade my 63 stock stuff and $$$ for the 8 lug stuff though https://scarebird.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=63&product_id=231
I think you mean you need 5 lug front hubs and drums not spindles. Front Spindle above Hub and 8 lug drum below.
Yes, I’m saying the original 8 lug bolt straight to the spindle. And what I need help with is how to get the front to a 5 lug. I can’t seem to find anything. The only thing I’m able to find is a front drum, which I will need but does me to good because it has nothing to bolt up to hahah
Like in the picture above, that drum is also the wheel, once I take the wheel off all I have is a spindle
you need a drum and hub assembly for the same car with 5 lug wheels. yes they came both ways. This should not be that difficult . Call French lake auto parts . they should have everything you need. It is a salvage yard in Annandale Mn that has been in business since the 50's. It is owned by Hamb member @396skip https://www.frenchlakeautoparts.com/
And I will add that to a Pontiac collector like myself you are devaluing the car by at least what you are spending on wheels and conversion parts. Again just imo. Regards, Randy Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Agree!! I shouldn’t be but for some reason it is!! I’ve searched high and low and called 5 different Pontiac specialist and it’s gone no where, I’m doing my best and I’m going to call French lake in the morning once they open, thanks for the reference to them
Not weird, the 8 bolt drum on the rear mount's on the axle like a regular drum. When you took off the 8 bolt drum what did you replace it with? The front 8 bolt drum mount's on the spindle like a regular hub and drum that has the 5 stud's in it.If you get original drum's, pay attention to the stud's, they might have left hand thread.
Why do you say it " devalues " the car. I did the same thing with my avatar 63 but I put Cragar's on it. Very easy to switch back and forth. I thought this was a hot rod site?
The only bad thing about the 8 bolts is that they are 14". I know there is someone that makes 15" rim's but they are kinda pricy.
I agree on both of your points. It’s easy to switch back-and-forth in your case and this is a hot Rod site. And until his last post, the OP did not explain that someone had already converted the rear. That would’ve been good information to know upfront (taken care of were his words which didn’t really impart that). 8-lug cars are highly sought after as I’m sure you know and none of this is going to make it go faster nor stop any better if he goes w cast iron drums. Again imo. Regards, Randy. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Got the back but where did you find the front one can you please send me the link! You just made my day thank you!!!
I just showed that as what you need, you weren't real clear on what you had or needed. Take @Moriarity's advice and call French lake. Ames has the drum's new but they are expensive and don't have the hub's. Also look at Hemming's among others. There are also several Pontiac only salvage yard's that showed up on Google.
Well it is all too obvious that you haven't done much mid 60's Pontiac homework.. The 8 lug wheels are right at the top of cool factor on stock early 60's Pontiacs but back in the 60's a lot of guys who bought the cars new with them pulled them off when they had trouble with the drums warping. Don't throw the 8 lug stuff away nor the wheels as they are a desirable commodity and some day you might decide that those gaudy ass supremes are just too gaudy. Seems like it is taking off something classy to put on something cheap and gaudy looking but to each his own. As far as I know all you have to do is buy the 5 lug drums and hubs, new wheel bearings and seal (unless you get an excellent used set) and put them on. And as mentioned before some years had left hand threads on the left hand side. I can't remember what year but know that I had to stop and look at them in the 70's when I worked in a tire store and then a Pontiac Dealership.
14" tires are getting hard to find. I love my 8 bolt's and will never get rid of them but they are just getting too impractical to run.
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