MTFCA Forum

I recently had an accident which destroyed my left front wheel on my '13 touring. I have four excellent replacements for this car, all extremely tight and ready for restoration. I realize a brand new one would probably be a better choice, but all the wheels on this are originals, and have been getting me down the road for almost sixty years. Your thoughts?

If they are in excellent condition why not? Also you aren't going to be happy with something that's not "original" are you!

Larry, you know my opinion on this. My 13 has new front wheels on it. After hearing what happened to you and Casey, id say you were pretty lucky. I wouldn't tempt fate again!

My thoughts are that whatever broke your wheel -- the damage is not limited to the wheel. Check everything down the line for being bent, broken, or cracked.

If your original wheels are tight and the spokes solid why would you spend the money for new ones? Based on what you've said above I'd use what I have and use the saved money for something I actually need.

My $0.02 worth….

Larry, Stutzman's Wheel Shop makes sound, safe wheels that are totally correct. I would replace all four wheels on your 1913 touring. Your safety is too important not to have sound wheels!!! Just my thoughts, Russ Furstnow

Original Smith wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 15, 2020 12:07 pm

....but all the wheels on this are originals, and have been getting me down the road for almost sixty years. Your thoughts?

Here's another one -- they were 47 year old wheels when you started and now they are 107 years old. 50 year old wood and 100 year old wood are two entirely different things. That's the window when wood looses it's hygroscopic properties and seemingly good wheels just don't stay tight naturally anymore.

Larry, Please tell us what happened to your wheel. You might just prevent someone else from the same or worse incident!

Larry, I'm glad you weren't hurt. Did your wheel collapse and cause the accident or did the accident destroy the wheel? If the latter, for what my opinion is worth, have your original hub and rim re-wooded. Stay true to your name and keep things as original as possible. "Mostly Original Smith" just doesn't sound right.

I have selected a wheel with lots of paint on it that is tight and sound. I tried a hub in it and it a good fit. The scraping starts today!

Well here I go again, reluctant to comment because a lot of you won't agree. I learned a few things at the time we collapsed the re spoked right rear wood spoke wheel when we ran the Baja 1000 off road race way back in 1972. Stupid as it may sound/be the wood spoke wheels on old #4 are 100 plus years old. Have never been re spoked. They are Perlman aftermarket demountable wheels and solid as a rock. The best re spoked wheels of today don't compare to an original solid, sound original wheel. I'm not a wood expert but the word I got 47 or 48 years ago was this; original wheels were made from virgin timber, aged dried for 2 plus years and then used. Today were dealing with 2nd or 3rd growth lumber age dried for a very short time, if at all and then used. Good quality but not as good as the originals. If given the opportunity, a newly spoked wheel by the best wheelwright or a good solid original I'd take the original, hands down.

Ed aka #4