1935 ford wire wheels on later drums

A while back (with my advanced age it seems like breakfast was a while back) Ron Ceridono published a tech article in “Shop Manual” section of Street Rodder Magazine on installing 35 Ford wire wheels on 1940 to 48 drums.

I thought I had saved it at the time but apparently I have lost it or lent it to someone who lost it and/or can’t recall borrowing it. (that’s another dilemma of aging, your old friends forget too).

Can someone help me with the month and year that it was in the magazine?

Thanks.

 

You need some support rings in the wheels to make the mounting surface flat. The wire wheels(Ford and others) have a step to match the step in the drums. I sell a set of rings and others do also. Mine are $44 shipped. Speedway sells for $80 plus shipping.

 

Andy, is the preferred method to tack weld the rings to to the wheel?

Rich

 

MT car products sells rings. I don't think they need to be taked in place. Just slip them on the drum and then put the wheel on.

 

Do you still need the rings with the later drums that have the hub mounted on the outside?

Roza

 

The rings I sell nest down in the recess in the wheel. They can't move around. They need a little glue or a spot weld to hold them while installing the wheel.
The rings are needed on any drums other than the 28-35 Ford drums.
I have thought of making the reverse of these rings so you can run steelies on the early drums. That would be a bigger ring to support the outside of the steel wheels.

 

We put the rings on the front of our roadster with the '40 brakes and also on the rear over the stock 8" Ford rears, at 10,000 miles we are still good.

 

AHHHH, just in time!!! Thanks for the info. Andy... you'll be hearin from me pretty soon.
Dave

 

BTT
If anyone knows I would also appreciate the info to find the article in Street Rodde.

Thanks again,

 

Street Rodder, April 2002. I got the mag. If you want a copy of thearticle let me know and I need your address to mail it to you.

 

Thanks for all the help. This forum is excellent for getting the info that helps.

 

How did you put early Ford wire wheels on a Ford 8-inch, there’s about an inch of bolt-pattern mismatch, isn’t there? (5 on 4.5" vs 5 on 5.5")

-Dave

 

Wheel adapters. The wires won't fit over the larger 9" rear drums. They do on the 8". The 9" rears require a real thick adapter. The 8" just a normal 1" will work.