Projects ???How Wonky Is Too Wonky??? Early Ford Wires...

I just had some wheels blasted for my '27T roadster project. I set them up to check them out before I paint them. How true can I expect these original wires to run. I have a set of 18"s for the back and 17"s for the front. They all seem to be about the same...

Check it-



The car will be banger powered. I don't foresee speeds much above 65mph (if I find an overdrive.)

Whadaya think???

 

i bet that would balance ok.


go find a tire/wheel shop that has a hunter GSP9700. they can road force the rim and tire, and will tell you if its gonna roll good or not.

 

I really don't see a problem running them...the lip is a little off in places, but you can fix that with a cresent wrench...

 

Speedway sells a wrench to straighten out lips - stock car guys use them regularly.

 

I beleive Ford spec's were .075" I have seen people run them at .125 or so with slight wobble problems. Past that I beleive you are going to have some issues. Rod

 

Damn Mike. I had to look up the word wonky just to satisfy my curiosity. They don't look to wonky. I would mount up a tire on them and check for balance before I paint them.

 

Cool. Thanks for the replies everyone. I set up my dial and this one is about .042" so I guess I'll be alright. The wheels are pretty nice but I've never messed with wires before so I was just curious.

 

I'd be more worried about the rust than the wobble...

Neal

 

Yeah, that really is the worst of it in that picture. I will check them over carefully before spending too much more time on them. Thanks Neal.

 

Maybe it was your fixture moving.

 

if you are going to run bias ply tires, you probably wont know which one is making it wobble

 

Thanks for the heads up on the wrench No55mad. It works a treat!

I dug through the scrap pile tonight and made a spoke "persuader" to take care of a couple of bent wires.

 

I did a little searching this weekend, but if anyone can share any pearls of wisdom as far as the best method for painting wires properly please post them here. I saw that someone set them up on a rotisserie of sorts to keep them turning while spraying, which seemed like a pretty good method?

 

Powder coat them.

 

I forgot to say, I don't want to powder coat them as I don't feel it will look right on a pre-war style roadster build.

 

Why haven't we seen more of this project???

I like that speedway wrench. Very cool.

Also, what was the preferred method that Henry used to paint the wheels. Dipped like the fenders? I don't think powder coating would be a bad option since you can pic your sheen and dial the look in however I get where you're coming from. Maybe a good question for Ford Barn if you want an authentic look. I'll let you go ahead and figure that stuff out so I can come in and steal the info. Smooth criminal style.

 

run a piece of pipe through the middle and hang them between 2 saw horses
seen that done at my house a time or 10 growing up
tk

 

parkerize them! that would look sweet as shit!

 

There isn't much to see at this point. I have most of the pieces, just gotta schlap 'em together, ha!
I actually wondered about dipping them them myself knowing that Henry did the fenders in that way.
I didn't really think about Fordbarn, duh!

 

Hmmm. The black powder-coated ones in this post look really good. Anyone local have some coated wires I could peep???

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37659&highlight=Painting+wire+wheels

 

I always thought upto 1/8" was bordering on OK but of course the less the better.
If you got 4 the same and can keep them in sync that might work...

 

A good way to paint wire wheels is a setup that an old auto body guy showed me. What you do is... attached picture.

Okay, so you build a spinning piece, like what you already have, then you mount it to a free standing structure (either a cart or a stand) and then the hard part comes in, you get to paint guns set so they are hardly spraying any paint then while you spin the wheel at a very low speed, you simultaneously spray the top and bottom. Of Course, be sparring with the paint as any drips have to be hand sanded and that is just a pain in the ass.

Multiple coats can be done, but try to asses if it will need another coat before it dries past it's initial flash dry (you can still paint onto a tack dry but you can chance it flaking off) but wait for it to fully flash before repainting.

You should paint the rim of the wheel, as well as the wires all at the same time. But as with any paint, you would rather have less coverage and have to put on another coat then have to paint again because of a drip.

Or you can have them Powder Coated. It is really up to you.


By the way, KC, MO or KC, K?

 

I have a set of 36 wires powdered black and a set of kelseys powdered black. I rattle can painted the red ones on the roadster. After some miles no one will know the difference between paint and powder. If your down this way in North AR your welcome to stop in and take a look!

 

several years ago i had new rims welded to vintage centers by a company that built wheels for race cars, they asked me if i was going to run on dirt or asphalt. i said asphalt and their reply was " we`ll hold them to .015" T.I.R. [total indicator run out], that is axial plus radial run out. fast froward 10 years, and i`m building a `32 with `35 wires - i have three wheels that measure .015" or less, but i bought more than twenty wheels to find them! and as far as powder coating goes, i`m going to powder coat these wheels, scuff, and then top coat them with paint. i may be obsessive, i`m not sure.

 

Cactus,
I can't give you any real advice on painting those wheels I have always just sprayed them several light coats from several directions. It works for me.

I can give you some in-site on the rim, the lateral run-out will affect you more than the vertical run out. Your tire will absorb a little bounce but it has to no way to compensate for wiggle. Before I spent my time and money on paint I would want to check the run-out side to side. .040 is a lot of run-out laterally, I like to stay closer to .030 or less if at all possible.

 

Thats not bad. You should see some new winter wheels we put on!