Thread: A Question for the Old Timers

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Yup, one of the places was my shop.... We used to widen all of our own race car wheels, played a lot with offsets and stagger, didn't have much for good suspension then (pre-sprinter days) and the rules were half way between jalopies and modifieds...had to try something. We used a rear axle with bearing going down through a steel table top. Cut out (or removed rivets depending on the wheel) to remove the center and put it where we wanted it, then added a band made from strap steel wrapped around an appropriately sized metal container to make them round. Cut the wheel shell apart with the old belt driven lathe (bought it at a surplus sale for $35.00), and tacked the band in place on the lower half. Set up a dial indicator for setting runout and height, tacked the top half of the wheel shell into place. Then we'd put on a bunch more tacks, finish welding the seam, and a final check with the dial indicators to make sure everything was straight..... Used to make some money on the side "reversing" wheels for all the local hot rodders.... With all the wheel widths and offsets available now, guess it's kind of a lost art!!!!

Stockton Wheel still does it!

Keith...