This subject may have been covered many times over, but here it goes again.
Will be putting new tires on Bessy and am also leaning on replacing the original
Kelsey Hayes wheels. (Am planning on hanging onto the bias ply tires and wheels
for shows)
Have been looking at Wheel Smith steel wheels & have been lead to believe they are
still made in the USA. Also considering Diamond Back Auburn Deluxe tires on 15x6 or 15x7 rims.
Anyone have any experience with either of the above brands?
Please advise.
Thanks,
Respectfully,
m pass
If you are planning on using the original hubcaps, then your replacement wheels will need to have a reversed center section to give the clearance necessary to mount the hubcaps.
I would suggest that if you are going in to look at wheels, either take your spare or at least a hubcap with you so you can show the salesman what it is you need.
You can try the hubcap on whatever prospective wheels you want to try, and you can show them exactly what type of wheel you are replacing. Reverse center wheels are not common.
The alternative to this would be a wheel with a deeper offset so the caps will clear them. The problem with this is that it places the tire farther outboard and you may have clearance issues with the fenders and rear 1/4 panels, and it'll throw off your steering geometry.
If you don't care about using original caps, then it doesn't really matter.
Rick
I have a set of Wheelsmith wires on my '55.
I have personaly been inside their factory in Corona CA and I watched wire wheels being made there.
I have dealt with the owner several times and found him to be everything you would expect of a hands on business owner.
I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend them and their products!!!!!!
John Adams
Mr. Pass,
Any advice will be based on personal experience... so here's mine. My first two cars were '56 sdv's. My parents gave me their 56 back in 64, It had bias ply tires, original suspension parts, and it was quiet, smooth and terrific at highway speeds. AS it aged, I had to replace the pitman arm, and idler arm. When I started my career as a teacher back in '67, I purchased another '56 that had low mileage... but I was commuting 90 miles a day, and at some point in the early '70's, I purchased radials. Suddenly, I had far more control of the car on uneven road surfaces, but the ride was uncharacteristically harsh and I hated it. In spite of all kinds of warnings about running radials under -inflated, I took the risk and inflated the radials with the recommended tire pressure (for bias tires). I was happy with the results. Since your car's suspension was designed for bias ply tires with relatively low tire inflation, you'll need to assess how you intend to use the car. I hope this helps. James
Thank you for your insights and recommendations.
With appreciation m pass & Bessy