I have a 1917 Model T that I am starting restoration on. I would like to put new wheels on it. What is recommended and where do I get it? I am restoring the car so it will do the ocean to ocean run. I want to be safe. The wheels I have are complete but 100 years old.

Send them to Stutzman's for rebuild

Do I need to be concerned about the strength of a 1917 wheel compared to the newer ones as far as long trips like the ocean to ocean run? Someone told me that maybe I should put the 21" balloon tires on it.

No. The difference between balloon tires and clinchers is that the balloon tires are easier to change and take less air pressure. I've never heard of any difference in the strength of the wheels. New wheels of either type will be fine for a long trip, or for many years of long trips.

Assuming your 1917 has the correct wheels, that would be non-demountable clinchers, 30 x 3 in front and 30 x 3½ in back. In 1919 demountable clinchers, 30 x 3½ all around, appeared on Ford cars. Some folks use these on the earlier cars like yours for easier changing and to deal with just one size instead of two.

Whatever wheels you decide to use, new ones from Stutzman or one of the other wheelwrights will outlast you by many years.

(Message edited by steve_jelf_parkerfield_ks on November 19, 2017)

I'm not recommending any type of wheel because they're all good. What I'm here to say is, if you're original wheels are in good condition, solid, no soft or loose wood, 100 year old wheels are better than any wheel that can be built today. Period! The ones on my race car are at least 100 years old, I've been running them hard for 49 years, they are still solid as a rock. Original wheels are made of virgin timber, age dried for an extended period, (I've heard generally at least two years) That can't be duplicated today.

Ed aka #4

I'm not recommending any type of wheel because they're all good. What I'm here to say is, if you're original wheels are in good condition, solid, no soft or loose wood, 100 year old wheels are better than any wheel that can be built today. Period! The ones on my race car are at least 100 years old, I've been running them hard for 49 years, they are still solid as a rock. Original wheels are made of virgin timber, age dried for an extended period, (I've heard generally at least two years) That can't be duplicated today.

Ed aka #4

I agree with Spencer. -You can't get a better deal on rebuilt wheels than here:

http://oacbusinessregistry.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Stutzmans-Wheel-Shop.j pg

Noah Stutzman is as honest as the day is long.

You failed to mention if you have any wheels! The comments above are all true, but a real '17 still uses round felloe wheels.

He did post that he had wheels.

Frankly, putting demountable wheels on a '17 Ford, especially split rims with balloon tires, just adds ugliness to the car.

If you are going to spend money on wheels, my opinion is do what is correct for the model year of your car.

This is my father's '17 Ford. We tightened up the original wheels about 20 years ago by installing wood veneer around the perimeter of the felloes and then heating up the rim and shrinking them onto the wheels. This procedure is for wheels that have good, sound wood.

I didn't pay attention!

This is all really good info and I appreciate it. I have decided to rebuild the original 17 wheels at either Stutzman or Calimer. I am taking my hubs to Adams Antique Auto Parts in Wisconsin to inspect my hubs for wear before I send them out. Anybody have experience at Calimer? He is really close in price to Stutzman and I heard he is really good too. Is it hard to get the tire off these wheels if you get a flat? I was thinking of carrying an extra tube and tire irons.

Jim,
The hard part of a flat clincher tire on the side of the road is, hand pumping it back up to 55/60 lbs psi. Touch wood! I've only ever had one flat on tour out of 5 T's and that was a rim that blew apart.

My '12 Buick has Calimer wheels and my '07 Cadillac has Stutzman. I am very happy with both sets.

You will definitely need to carry a spare of each size tube. You can carry a floor pump, or reinflate with CO2 cartridges.

The difficulty or ease of changing tires depends on the tires. In September my runabout suffered a flat on a country road. This was with one of those NOS tires that I had to stretch to get them on the wheels. The only irons I had with me were the original Ford type. Big mistake. Getting the tire off the wheel was a two-hour ordeal. Remounting it with the new tube was impossible. I called a tow service and two of us working together were able to do it with long irons. Inflating the tire to 60 psi with a foot pump was surprisingly easy. It was rather slow, but not difficult. The problem I had with it was that it kept tipping over on the rocky ground. I now carry a piece of plywood to serve as a platform for the pump. As Gil says, you need to have spare tubes in both sizes.