Quote Originally Posted by Don Shillady
IC2, You might test entry/exit before you finalize everything. My restorer friend down the street warned me about A roadster space and took me about a mile away to a guy who has a restored '30 roadster and they warned me about the tricky entry which I found to be true; especially with the top up. The original four-spoke A wheel is pretty large and the top is low so it was not easy to get in or out, but my tilt column is probably not at the optimum position although after painting it for the third time I really don't want to mess with it more so the only answer is to use a smaller flat wheel. I am only about 5'10' and it was marginal for me so maybe you should check it out. The cockpit space is one of the big advantages of the '32 roadster. With Brian Rupnow's Pickup his doors are really from a sedan and I think a little larger than the roadster doors as well as the fact that his bucket is made from the rear of a sedan so he could gain some space to the rear. As far as I know the Speedway flat wheel is solid aluminum with a "satin" brushed finish but there may be some preliminary step for powder coat adhesion; I am willing to use sandpaper if necessary but the wheel won't be delivered until Friday of this week or maybe Monday so I will have to look at it closer when it arrives. The most important part is being able to get in and out of the car! Thus I am getting a smaller wheel close to body color for about $100 for the coated wheel, $12 for the V8 horn button and about $12 for the Grant adapter but being basically cost conscious, the fit is the most important thing. For the money, the Riley Bell type four spokes are very good but I think the slightly smaller 13" rim will help getting my physique between the door and the wheel AND with powder coating I can get a color which comes close to the body color. I am working on readying the top of the column for the wheel today and as you reminded me I am painting the little round cup at the top of the column with a rattle can color which I have found is very close to the body color, including the little metal flecks. Yesterday I bought two more rattle cans of that color so I am set for little touch ups like the heads and nuts of bolts that come through the firewall etc. I usually paint the bolt heads and nuts with the touch up color but the threads which show can be touched up by spraying my index finger and then applying the paint to the threads with my finger; it seems to work for me.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Don,
It probably wont be much harder to get in or out with the top on then, let's say my long gone '86 Mustang GT. Since I do have a tilt column and since I'm only about 5-6 inches from the floor on my Gloide Engineering seats, can put my leg out and slide my skinny buns out. I did a lot of personal body space fitting before the top and it was fine.

As far as cockpit size, the '31 is only a very little bit shorter then the '32.

Make sure you have your camera ready - we all want to see the finished wheel

My car work today is non existent - I'm trying to put my camper back together - the water pump 'died' and almost the entire front seating area had to be disassembled to replace the @#$%$# thing last fall. If another one fails, for sure it wont take a major disassembly after my mods. And the computer is on the way to the basement when I go for tools or pieces so I'm keeping "in touch".