Hot Rods Mixing Halibrand style wheels

This subject, (like everything) has probably been discussed here before. Nothing really pulls up when I search for it. I know I have seen old photos, where front and rear wheels don’t match.

I think something like a narrow small-window upfront and a bit wider solid mag wheel would look pretty good. Are there combinations that just don’t look right, like a small-window up front and a Sprint style out back? I’m basing this Question upon the availability of brand new reproduction wheels available today. Rocket used to make their solid in 15” (I think). All I see now are the 18 inch and they’re probably hard to find . I can probably find original Halibrands, but I’ve had bad luck buying used parts and the wheels are some of the most important. For the expense, I would rather Have something new and guaranteed.

To clarify; I might want small windows all the way around but all I see now is the 4.5 inch.

 

The Rocket wheels are not a good match for a Halibrand or close replica (Real Rodders, American Rebel, Vintage Engineering). They are stylistically themed after a Halibrand but look out of place next to a real one.

If you want a new wheel that looks like a Halibrand, you're pretty much stuck with what American Rebel is producing.

 

The wheels on my roadster were made by Phil Schmidt when he still owned PS Eng. he subsequently sold the business to Vintage Wheel Works, now Coker owns it.
They are two piece Sebring (kidney bean) wheels, my original plan was to use their cast one piece wheels but at the time they weren't offered in the offsets I needed, you might consider seeing what is now being offered by Coker.

 

DDDenny, are those wheels smooth on the other side (showing the kidneys of course).

 

Not quite following your question.

 

My front runners are narrow Halibrand aluminum reproductions. These are THE classic gasser front wheels. Trouble is the guy making the repros only made XX sets then quit. They are hard to find. Most guys go with skinny spoke wheels nowadays which are classic altered wheels, not gasser. Rear wheels in the gasser days were pretty varied but still classic mag style. The ultimate are the 16x10 small kidney bean to match the front but those are impossible to find and are mags which are high maintenance. American 5-spoke, various Halibrand hole sizes are 'allowable'.

The 'perfect' gasser combo.


'Acceptable' gasser combos


My combo.


Common current combo that isn't gasser 'correct'.

 

I went with these on my current project, timeless classics.

 

Bolt-on spindle-mounts are an oximoron, right?

 

American Rebel makes a really nice version



And a Starburst

 

I have the starburst and will order the sprints.

 

You should trade me the starburst for that scoop. Lol

 

@swade41 I want your valve covers.

 

That style is not reversible. The window is not the same size as the small window Halibrands and the features on the rear are completely different.

 

I tried several different combinations of wheels and tires on one of my cars as I was getting it ready to hit the streets.

Different "styles" (and aftermarket brands) of Halibrand (copys), white wall tires and not. White walls on one end, black on the other.
I ended up with the Halibrand "Sprint" style (aluminum), black wall tires at both ends. And actually the wheels on the car below are different manufacturers. But as verified against "actual" Halibrand wheels, the two pairs on the car are pretty close dimension wise.

YOU...have to try different things to find what suits..."YOU", NOT anyone else ! It's YOUR car, make yourself happy.



Mike

 

And jumbo shrimp are awfully good.

 

I love these “ kidney bean”, “ Small window” by American Rebel. I’m looking for a wheel that matches these for the rear. The truth is, I might run these all the way around because I really wasn’t looking for a wide tire on the rear. They need to fit up in the fenders. My style is around 1962 when mags were just coming out and the wider rear tire was not that popular. I am thinking about something like a 6 inch wide, piecrust cheater slick on the rear and that would fit on these 4 1/2 wide wheels.

 

I would love to find a set of these solid/smooth Halibrand style for the rear, in 15 inch. Don’t know where to find them.

 

Classified want ads. People have them, and you have money.

 

Sometimes, things are posted just to make conversation. That’s what makes this thing work.

 

Those are 18" Halibrand magnesiums in the rear that already have 3 patterns drilled in them. The front are 14" Ford aluminums from the 70s

 

I was told that the very early ones were prone to have air pockets in them. That's what he found when he welded it.

 

Real mags have always been a true adventure!!

 

They look great for 70’s OEM. I know they put a wheel like that on the Thunderbird. I assumed they were 15”. Maybe the 14”s were on the Granada or Versailles?

 

It's a 14" from the Granadas, Versaillas or Monarchs with the weight lip ground off.

 

I had a 79 Versailles and it had 15's

 

Yeah, those wheels could work for me on the rear.

 

A wanted ad is the beginning of a conversation too. Lets the wheel owners know that you want to talk.

I have a few smoothies, but don’t want to let any of them go. I’m sure there are guys out there who are willing to sell though.

 

Hello,

When real Halibrand “Mag” Wheels were available in all sizes, most racers at Lion’s Dragstrip had a set or two. But, it depended on what rear slicks and sizes were used for that particular race event. Our close friend, Atts Ono had been building his 40 Willys Coupe for many years, even during being our pit boss and confidant during our 40 Willys 671 SBC era. He was a machinist and his work showed the skill levels involved. If it was custom and no one had a specific mount, bracket or support flange, he made one as if were a never ending Reath Automotive parts supply bin.

After he completed his red 40 Willys Coupe, of all places, he decided to showcase it at the biggest Gas Coupe and Sedan event, ever produces at Lion’s Dragstrip. All of the biggest names in the classes, except for one guy from Ohio, showed up to race in 1964.


Jnaki

After the event, the progress and experiments with different combination with the injection and tires continued. In 1966, he got a nice magazine photo spread.
Thanks, @elgringo71
By then, the injection system and Mag Wheels/tire combination had changed.

So, for the next few years, it continued to change as was necessary. If one got a new set, there were always folks that were in line to buy the “old” (pristine) set in an instant. So, the cost to replace the whole rim set and tires were always a good exchange.


Jnaki

As all good things slow down and come to an eventual end, his younger brother told me that the last photo was taken by So Cal photographer, Don Hale. Noticeable were new wheels and tires along with a new larger injection system. In 1971, the Willys Coupe had been sold to a “guy from the midwest…” and packed into a moving van for the trip East.

Since then, it has disappeared from public view, racing, show car events or even if it got converted to a street car, no word about what happened to one of the best Willys coupes constructed by one person from, literally, the ground up.

Midwest racers and hot rod enthusiasts, where is this Willys Coupe, today?

last known photo by Don Hale

Note:

Our friends that lived down the street on the Westside of Long Beach, Gary Weldele and Bob Foster created their version of a fast sporty car, during the same time period as Atts Ono’s finished Willys Coupe. The custom build was a La Dawri Sports Car with Halibrand Mag Wheels.

 

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