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New Skins

Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2016 9:55 pm
by Rocket989
Who doesn't like new rims and skins?!? I really wanted the BFGoodrich SportComp 2's but Firestone has a great deal going on the Indy 500 tires right now. Couldn't pass it up and I've always had a soft spot for FIrestone's!! Also served to remind me how much I hate taping crap off to paint! Now I just gotta get the time set aside to get the suspension stuff DONE so I can bolt 'em on!

Not today though…nice weather so I took the boys fishing. Must have landed 25 little guys…must be hungry after a couple months of winter! :mrgreen:

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Re: New Skins

Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2016 10:42 pm
by poboyjo65
I'm curious why the 2 different type wheels? Is that how the safari cars were? or just what was on hand?

Re: New Skins

Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2016 11:50 pm
by Rocket989
I'm a dumba**...seriously, that's why!! While I've seen pics of some of the Safari Comets with steel rims (at least on the back if not all four corners)...sadly, it's not a tribute to authenticity.

I think I told ya about this Johno, but the 9" rear I bought came out of a '57 Mercury. Which would be be fine if I'd have known at the time the Merc frame was BIGGER than the Ford stuff. I know 60's and up Ford stuff pretty good but '50's and back not so much. Like the Edsels...the two smaller models used Ford frames and two larger, the Mercury platform.

Anyway, I didn't find out until the thing was basically done (e.g. pumpkin done and in, all painted, etc.) and tried to slap one of the rotors on. No joy on the bolt pattern. That was the first clue. The second came when I measured it (here's the sad part...for the first time...), and crap!! I did some research and figured it out pretty quick...sigh!! Measuring showed it was going to wind-up 3" too wide. Narrowing the housing and buying new axles ain't in the ol' budget (while the Merc/ Edsel axle shafts don't taper as much as the early 'Stang/ Falcon/ Comet stuff there's no way 1.5+ inches is coming off). So I figured I had nothing (not much anyway) to lose in trying to make it work.

It took a ton of time, but I found rotors identical to the TA rotors that came in the kit that I bought...late 70's Caddy Seville. All same-same but 5x5 bolt pattern. Next thing was rims. I probably spent 40 hours researching crap (and got a little lucky) but I found that some '99-'04 Jeep Grand Chrerokee steel spare wheels are 16x7 with 6-inches of back spacing. Next it took about a month and a half and 6 trips to salvage yards to find a pair for a decent price. If you've ever been to any of those "U-Pull" type places, those are the rims they weld together to set the dang cars on! I looked in a LOT of friggin Jeeps!

Finally got a couple (good part is they're rarely used so the two I got were new). Pretty much knew early on they'd have be a steel spare since most any original late model rim would look goofy on a Comet!

So 6-1.5 is the 4.5" of BS I need. Using 215x55x16 tires puts me a couple hundredths narrower than the current setup. They're 25.3 inches tall so in looking at fronts, I went with a 205x50x17 at 25.1. That lets me use a 165x80x15 on a unilug rim as a spare for all four corners. That and I wanted a little more sidewall showing on the back.

Sorry about the book, but that's the sad story!

Re: New Skins

Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 12:22 am
by poboyjo65
I don't think it will look out of place. pretty common to see mixed sets of wheels back then, on the track & the street.

Re: New Skins

Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 12:27 am
by poboyjo65
find a couple beauty rings, that will make them look the same when moving. :lol:

Re: New Skins

Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 3:25 am
by comethead
Holy moly what a Wheel Odyssey!

They look good though!

Re: New Skins

Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 10:45 am
by Rocket989
poboyjo65 wrote:find a couple beauty rings, that will make them look the same when moving. :lol:
Heh - I did actually want steel rims in the back (well enough remember that from back in the day), but could have lived without the holes...ah well!! They'll help cool those massive "supercar" rear brakes!! :mrgreen: