Scott Kohl wrote:
>
> Hi, all.
> Once again, I am dealing with this as we speak. If these 'mags' (I've
> never worked out why people call aluminum wheels mags) were made by
> Appliance, you can't get new nuts, as the company is moribund. the
> shank is smaller than standard, and the washer is a precision fit on the
> shank, and in the counterbore on the wheel. But there is a solution. A
> stock late Spit wheelnut can be modified to fit. The slotted's shank
> dia. is about .521", and the washer's I.D. is about .001" smaller, the
> O.D. is about .890". The Spit nut can be turned to the correct dia. and
> length. I will start looking for a correct washer. If they don't
> exist, fire up the lathe again.
Scott,
The Appliance "Mags" I have must have a different kind of lug situation
than yours. The wheel is not common to the Spitfires, but rather uses
adapter bolts that screw onto the existing lugnuts and are left loose to
be positioned to fit the bolt pattern of the wheel. Then you use large
fine thread lug nuts to secure the wheel to the adapters. Trouble is as
you remarked Appliance is out of business and we are out of luck. THe
lug nuts I own have long succumbed to the wed atmosphere of western
Washington and I guess I'll just get them re-Chromed. I can't even find
any hardware suppliers that have that type bolt (lug bolt or any other
kind).
I do have a set of alloy wheels that are true to the Spit bolt holes,
however. They are smooth metal on the rim and insides connected with a
mesh design sort of like mid 80'd Firebirds sometimes have. They have
the same size center caps and take a standard style Shouldered lug nut.
Joe Curry '63 Spit (Still wimpering for doors)
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