Old rims often have rot around the valve stem hole. This area is thin with sharp edges against the inner tube. I use a carbide burr in a die grinder to wallow out the thin metal. The next picture shows a 3/4" plywood adapter I use for the 1936-39 Ford rims. The bent places on the rim are easily straightened with a large crescent wrench. Pick a nice thick washer that has a hole the right size for the valve stem. fit it to the wallowed out hole, weld it in and coat the inside of the rim with POR 15. I have been doing this many years with good results.
i was going to say to drill a new hole in a spot that looks the same and weld up the old hole with a filler piece.
Good tips, personally i would and probably will have to braze or weld up a couple of mine, BTW you know those wheels are like $20 a piece for nice ones right??
I took the original wheels off of my 50 dodge to a tire place to get the dry rotted white walls pulled off and some rollers thrown on them.... When they got those old tires off they laughed uncontrollably. Apparently at one time all 4 wheels were submerged in mud halfway up the wheel and one they pulled the old valve stems out you could fit about 3 fingers in the holes!!!!
And just because some one might be tempted .... Look at this.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBUVzgCHHuA
I just bought some wheels for my Model A from a Hamb member and when i got home I noticed that one wheel was damaged. It looks like it was run with a flat tire, the very outside edge is bent down and out. when compaired to the matching wheel it is about 1/2" to 3/4" less total dia. and the wheel is about 1/2" wider at the edge. the bead seat area measures the same as the other. the damage is so even that I did not notice it untill I set them side by side. I tried to bend the edge back with a big adjustable just like the OP said on one side and it has been going pertty good so far. Just tring to keep it straight and even, so this does work. I just don't know if it is worth it. the wheel is a '40 ford 4" wide. anyone got a spare?
Straightened many a modern steel wheel with a big hammer, then re-balanced. Batting 1000 so far. never needed heat, but I guess if it was bad enough. I certainly wouldn't heat a wheel with a tire on it. good heavens! As far as the "fixing the hole" trick.. I'd probably go for a replacement... unless it was some obscure wheel like a Stutz, Tucker or Yugo....
46international, I would be afraid of using that deformed wheel, even if the edge has been bent back into position with a big adjustable and does run "true". The initial damage is the perfect starting place for microscopic cracks induced by such extreme distortion from riding on the rim and then made worse by rebending the edge back to its original contour. Overtime, the edge of the rim will "work harden" , crack and then fracture due to the flexing of the rim. The same thing happens when you fold a soda can in half and keep bending it back and forth until it cracks and breaks. The same "flexing" causes cracks on the fenders of old cars.
I have done the washer trick, some old rims just rust out at the valve hole, with inner tubes that area is a perfect water trap. Some early fifties cars had an oval valve stem hole. They were made for the first tubeless tires which took a special oval valve no longer available. They can be welded up to take a standard valve. I prefer brazing rather than welding because it is easier to get a leak proof joint.
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