Dayton Wire Wheels on a C-1 ? - NCRS Discussion Boards

Dayton Wire Wheels on a C-1 ?

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • ROB DAME MEM# 36211

    Dayton Wire Wheels on a C-1 ?

    I would like to improve the ride and handling on my 56 with radial
    tires. I presently have 5" wheels with Firestone 6:70-15 Deluxe Champion
    4 ply polyesters.From what I understand the 5" wheels have too much
    flex in them for radial tires. I know I can get 6" wheels from a bone
    yard and weld or solder the bumps on for the wheel covers. The thought
    of not getting the bumps correct and maybe losing a wheel cover or having
    it run down the side of the car bothers me.
    The front cover of Paragons 2002 catalog shows Blue Boy with wire wheels
    and looks pretty sharp. Dayton offers a 70 or 72 (not sure) spoke chrome
    wheel 6" wide for a C-1 with a three spoke spinner.The spinner is of the
    generic variety and will not have the cross flags.
    Any thoughts,ideas,do's and don'ts,will be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks Rob
  • John H.
    Beyond Control Poster
    • December 1, 1997
    • 16513

    #2
    Re: Dayton Wire Wheels on a C-1 ?

    Rob -

    There's a '57 owner over on the C1/C2 section of Corvetteforum.com who goes by "SebringBill" who has Dayton wire wheels on his '57; you might look him up and get his thoughts.

    Comment

    • Loren L.
      Extremely Frequent Poster
      • April 30, 1976
      • 4104

      #3
      5" Wheels Have Too Much Flex?

      I guess I don't understand why a 5" wheel would "flex" more than a 6" wheel - I only know that when I mount radials on either my straight axle or mid-years, it feels like I'm driving a different car and I mean BETTER.

      Comment

      • Duke W.
        Beyond Control Poster
        • January 1, 1993
        • 15610

        #4
        Re: Dayton Wire Wheels on a C-1 ?

        I think this "flex" issue is an old wives' tale. There may be an issue fitting tubeless tires on '56 wheels. I don't know when the Corvette switched to tubeless, but if the '56 wheels are designed for tubeless tires, then a 205/75R-15 would be a suitable radial tire for the original wheels.

        Duke

        Comment

        • Loren L.
          Extremely Frequent Poster
          • April 30, 1976
          • 4104

          #5
          '56 Owner's Manual on page 19

          (second edition) starts out "The tubeless tires used on the Corvette...."

          Comment

          • ROB DAME MEM# 36211

            #6
            Re: Dayton Wire Wheels on a C-1 ?

            Thanks John, Located SebringBill and E-mailed him waiting for a reply

            Comment

            • John H.
              Beyond Control Poster
              • December 1, 1997
              • 16513

              #7
              Re: '56 Owner's Manual on page 19

              The issue is increased lateral loading imposed on the wheel when changing from bias to radial tires; went through this on my '57, on two different sets of original 15x5 "nub" wheels. When I switched from 6.70-15 bias tires to 205/75-15 radials, the wheel covers started rotating on the rims, and didn't stop until they had bent the valve stems about 45 degrees. Fairly common C1 problem - the only fix that finally worked to stop the cover rotation was to install threaded aftermarket steel valve stems with "O"-rings on both sides of the rim. Covers never came off or separated at all from fully seated against the rim, but they "rotated", only with radials mounted, in normal street driving - they never moved with bias tires.

              Comment

              • ROB DAME MEM# 36211

                #8
                Re: 5" Wheels Have Too Much Flex?

                I don't know why a 5" wheel would flex any more than a 6" wheel either
                it's simply what I was told by someone who has had one for many years.
                I figured if there is more flex the flex may also toss the wheel covers.
                I had a 61 in the mid 70s and put radials on it and never tossed a cover
                but these cars, and wheel covers, are a lot harder to come across these
                days. I may be overly concerned and wanted too hear from others.
                Thanks Rob

                Comment

                • ROB DAME MEM# 36211

                  #9
                  Re: Dayton Wire Wheels on a C-1 ?

                  Duke, The tires on the car now are tubeless.If the 5' wheels will
                  work with radials I may just get a set of repo 5s and mount the radials
                  on them.I'll keep these for if and when I ever get this car judged.
                  I'm thinking the wire wheels may be a bit too flashy,but then again
                  they sure look good. thanks Rob

                  Comment

                  • ROB DAME MEM# 36211

                    #10
                    Re: '56 Owner's Manual on page 19

                    With that much rotation of the wheel covers the wheel nubs must of
                    been out of their seats in the wheel cover. Do you know if the 6"
                    wheel will stop the rotation of the covers? I don't suppose anyone
                    is making a 6" wheel with the nubs. Thanks for the tip on the steel
                    stems. Rob

                    Comment

                    • John H.
                      Beyond Control Poster
                      • December 1, 1997
                      • 16513

                      #11
                      Re: '56 Owner's Manual on page 19

                      Rob -

                      Even with the retaining features on the (NOS) wheel cover retaining rings "tweaked" for maximum grip on the "nubs", they still rode right over the "nubs" until travel was halted by the (bent) rubber valve stems. The steel valve stems do the trick.

                      Comment

                      • Loren L.
                        Extremely Frequent Poster
                        • April 30, 1976
                        • 4104

                        #12
                        Repo caps or real? *NM*

                        Comment

                        • ROB DAME MEM# 36211

                          #13
                          Re: Dayton Wire Wheels on a C-1 ?

                          John, Heard from SebringBill he has original Kelsey-Hayes wires from
                          a 54 Buick Skylark retrofitted for his application.
                          They have been with his car for about 40 years now and rechromed in 93.
                          He drives it hard and the only problem seems to be keeping them trued.
                          Surely there must be someone out there thats tried the Daytons. Rob

                          Comment

                          • John H.
                            Beyond Control Poster
                            • December 1, 1997
                            • 16513

                            #14
                            Re: Repo caps or real?

                            Loren -

                            "Real" wheel covers, not repros.

                            Comment

                            Working...

                            Debug Information

                            Searching...Please wait.
                            An unexpected error was returned: 'Your submission could not be processed because you have logged in since the previous page was loaded.

                            Please push the back button and reload the previous window.'
                            An unexpected error was returned: 'Your submission could not be processed because the token has expired.

                            Please push the back button and reload the previous window.'
                            An internal error has occurred and the module cannot be displayed.
                            There are no results that meet this criteria.
                            Search Result for "|||"