Topic: 69 Mach 1 Styled Steel Wheel Restoration Questions

[STAUBY38]

Hello All,    I have a set of original styled steel wheels I am looking to have re-chromed and I am running into the issue that all the chrome shops I have inquired with do not separate the center chrome section from the outer section or re assemble.  As you are aware, the wheel is made in two part and riveted together.  The center is chromed and the outer wheel is painted then assembled with large rivets.   What I would like to do or have done is the wheel separated, the center re chromed and the outer section re painted.  Then have it re assembled.

Does anyone know if someone does this or can point me in the right direction.  If no one does this and there are so many styled wheels out there from back in the day, I was thinking of going into business restoring these wheels if I could fine all the stuff needed to do it.  Obviously there are many factors to consider including the riveting process.

I spoke to expert chrome shops in CA & PA and both say they can separate and re chrome but not re assemble.  That's the issue.  Obtaining rivets and safely re assembling seems to be the issue.

Anyone have any resources they can direct me to?

Thanks!

[Bob Gaines]

I have always heard it was a issue of product liability why none of the wheel shops will re rivet wheels.

[STAUBY38]

I'm just shocked after all these years that you can't find someone who restores them especially since pretty much everything else can be restored.   Any ideas if you can get the rivets for them ?

[J_Speegle]

Some have gone to the extent (don't ask me who) to us domed allen head bolts to replace the rivets


Just reports and posts as a source of this

[STAUBY38]

Interesting !   Could possibly work.  I need to find a machinist and see what they think about the integrity of one vs the other I guess

[Bob Gaines]

Some have gone to the extent (don't ask me who) to us domed allen head bolts to replace the rivets


Just reports and posts as a source of this

What Jeff is reporting is cap screws being used in place of rivets to add more structural integrity. Craig Conley of Paradise Wheels has been doing that for decades. This is what he does in place of rivets when restoring original 69/70 Shelby wheels which used rivets. He is just one of several wheel mfg.'s over the years that has told me that insurance liability is what keeps them from using rivets. The difference with Craig using the cap screws is he is going through a steel rim and threading the cap screw into a already pre threaded aluminum center of the 69/70 Shelby wheel. I think it will be problematic if trying to do the same thing with the steel center of a styled steel wheel.

[STAUBY38]

Makes Sense.  Its always the liability factor.  The search goes on...........    Bob  Has Craig ever attempted the Styled Wheel ever that you know of?

[hopey]

Try Mike at Valley Wire Wheel in Van Nuy, Acton Ca. Not cheap but a true craftsman and sticks to his delivery dates. Give him a call to discuss. I guess he moved recently to Acton.

https://valleywirewheel.com/services-offered

He restored my 1970 small hole Magnums with the satin chrome centers, cut them apart, rechromed and welded back together. He also does wire wheels for pebble beach cars and according to his web page he can rivet two piece wheels.

[Bob Gaines]

Makes Sense.  Its always the liability factor.  The search goes on...........    Bob  Has Craig ever attempted the Styled Wheel ever that you know of?

Not that I am aware .I doubt but you don't have anything to loose if you try.

[STAUBY38]

OK   I had spoken to another shop in CA who said they would do the same thing however when I told them these wheels are not welded they said they would separate them but would not re assemble them due to the rivets.   So I can get them taken apart and re finished but its the re assembly that's the issue.  So far no one I have found does it and that's surprising to me that after all this time, no one has come up with an alternate repair.  With all the OEM styled steel wheels out there from the 60's and 70's  it seems like someone is missing a gold mine here.     One shop said they could separate and replace the outer shell and attach the OEM inner section.  That's the closest I've come to solving the issue....   

[STAUBY38]

Thanks Bob  Maybe ill give him a shout and run it by him..

[Bob Gaines]

OK   I had spoken to another shop in CA who said they would do the same thing however when I told them these wheels are not welded they said they would separate them but would not re assemble them due to the rivets.   So I can get them taken apart and re finished but its the re assembly that's the issue.  So far no one I have found does it and that's surprising to me that after all this time, no one has come up with an alternate repair.  With all the OEM styled steel wheels out there from the 60's and 70's  it seems like someone is missing a gold mine here.     One shop said they could separate and replace the outer shell and attach the OEM inner section.  That's the closest I've come to solving the issue....

Part of the problem is the expense to do the restoration compared to a new reproduction wheel. Typically the repro wheel retail cost is close to or less then the cost of restoration for a original wheel.Many people have opted for the repro wheel with the cost of nice reproductions along with a shorter wait time compared to restoration  This fact lessens the incentive to go Gold mining by a potential MFG. Of course for those that want only original the restoration regardless of cost is the only solution. For a example Craig Conley when making up his very authentic (except no rivets) repro 69/70 Shelby wheels puts a weldable steel slug into the aluminum center casting when it is made and then welds the steel wheel to the steel slug of the aluminum center casting. It is apparently easier and more cost effective.

[jwc66k]

A local wheel shop said that the problem was getting the wheel to balance. Think about it.
Jim

[tobkob]

One train of thought I have since I have Model A's also. The frame on a Model A is riveted together and a lot of folks use bolts if they replace cross members but bolts don't fill the hole completely so the components can be off just a hair. Whereas a rivet swells inside the hole and completely fills the hole so it can't move at all. I wonder if the center would be exactly centered in the rim if using bolts.
Just thinking out loud...

TOB

[mtinkham]

Would you consider simply getting the entire wheel chromed? Once complete, figure out how to get the paint to adhere to the outer chromed surfaces? It seems to me that it would be easier to figure out how to "roughen-up" the outer portions of the wheel than it would be to safely re-assemble the halves.