After 15 years of ownership I have just finished replacing the wire wheels
on my '66 B roadster with the original steel disc wheels (not Rostyle's,
but the ones with the moon hubcabs and row of holes stamped around the
perimeter), which are more rare, due to the then low price of the
wire-wheel option. I couldn't be happier with the appearence. As its been
stated here, wire wheels are cool, but they do tend to get untrue over
time. With these wheels installed, and with new tires, its like a new car!
Fuel consumption is up a bit though :)
My wire wheels, all ten, from my two cars were pretty much shot. I
attempted at one point to true them up myself, armed with a wet rag and
oxy-acetlyene wrench, but after many hours and only freeing up a few spokes
and breaking more, I gave up this folly in frustration. I located a set of
used disc wheels, blasted, primed, and painted them in the original
color. To make the changeover easier, I replaced the banjo rear axle, with
a quieter tube-type from a non-wire car (also had to change the drive-shaft
and front hubs of course). I'm looking forward to doing some touring now.
I'd like at this time to thank list-member and enthusiast David Deutsch for
supplying the wheels, and excellent supplier Jim Knight of British Racing
Green (Newark, Delaware) for supplying everything else I needed.
Dave Culgan
serenade@delanet.com
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