Buffalo wheel caps

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Topic author
Marshall V. Daut
Posts: 187
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2019 2:57 pm
First Name: Marshall
Last Name: Daut
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 Coupe
Location: Davenport, Iowa

Buffalo wheel caps

Post by Marshall V. Daut » Mon Apr 12, 2021 6:18 pm

A friend just bought a Model T speedster with buffalo wheels. He feels the caps are in bad condition, so he would like to replace these with better ones. Does anyone repop these or do we need to advertise for originals? I don't see them in any of my catalogs. What is a fair price? Are there left and rights? I am not a speedster guy, so this is new territory for me. Pardon my ignorance (again!).
Marshall
Attachments
Klemme wheels_resized.jpg
Klemme wheel_2_resized.jpg


Topic author
Marshall V. Daut
Posts: 187
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2019 2:57 pm
First Name: Marshall
Last Name: Daut
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 Coupe
Location: Davenport, Iowa

Re: Buffalo wheel caps

Post by Marshall V. Daut » Mon Apr 12, 2021 6:27 pm

Well, I now see from my friend's photos that there IS a left and right side. See? I told you I know nothing about these wheels except that they are dynamite looking!
Marshall


Mike Lebsack-Iowa
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First Name: Mike
Last Name: Lebsack
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 11Torpedo, 11 Roadster, 13 Touring, 14 Roadster, 14 Touring
Location: Iowa
Board Member Since: 2008

Re: Buffalo wheel caps

Post by Mike Lebsack-Iowa » Mon Apr 12, 2021 6:57 pm

Marshal, those caps are about a nice as they come. I seriously doubt that you could find nicer original caps, I have seen many that are not even half a nice.


Jerry M
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon May 27, 2019 12:08 am
First Name: Jerry
Last Name: Mulchrone
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 Speedster
Location: Chicago
MTFCI Number: 52120

Re: Buffalo wheel caps

Post by Jerry M » Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:00 pm

Hi Marshal

Kevin Pharis can help you. He is on here. I’ve used him for Buffalo parts. The parts and service were great.

viewtopic.php?t=8037


Dan Haynes
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:37 am
First Name: Dan
Last Name: Haynes
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Location: Lodi, CA

Re: Buffalo wheel caps

Post by Dan Haynes » Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:20 pm

I can vouch for Kevin's quality and interchangeability of the parts he produces with original Buffalo parts.
"The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." -George Orwell


Kevin Pharis
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Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2019 3:54 pm
First Name: Kevin
Last Name: Pharis
Location: Sacramento CA

Re: Buffalo wheel caps

Post by Kevin Pharis » Tue Apr 13, 2021 12:42 am

The caps pictured above are reproduction, produced by Tom (or possibly Tony) Minocchi. The original logos were stamped, and so were very fine. The Minocchi caps had logos that were cast in, and so have somewhat wide lines. This lettering was also hand engraved into the mold causing the letters to be fairly inconsistent. Take a closer look and you will see the letters are not a consistent font shape


Topic author
Marshall V. Daut
Posts: 187
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2019 2:57 pm
First Name: Marshall
Last Name: Daut
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 Coupe
Location: Davenport, Iowa

Re: Buffalo wheel caps

Post by Marshall V. Daut » Tue Apr 13, 2021 6:00 am

Thanks to all for your quick and informative responses. I have contacted Kevin Pharis and because his hex nut caps are out of stock, we will decide soon whether to put our names on his waiting list. In the meantime, however, as the general consensus seems to think the hex nut caps on my friend's new speedster are not all that bad, we'll see if we can improve their appearance somewhat. Polishing by hand with a brass cleaner did very little. :(
Marshall

User avatar

Mark Gregush
Posts: 4956
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:57 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Gregush
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 cutdown PU, 1920 Dodge touring, 1948 F2 Ford flat head 6 pickup 3 speed
Location: Portland Or
MTFCA Number: 52564
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Buffalo wheel caps

Post by Mark Gregush » Tue Apr 13, 2021 1:55 pm

Rouge polishing compound and buffing wheel?
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup


Dan McEachern
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Location: ALAMEDA,CA,USA

Re: Buffalo wheel caps

Post by Dan McEachern » Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:21 pm

Looks like the castings may have never been buffed and polished except for the face. Take them off the car and give them a good buff and polish job. They may need more than just Rouge and a polish though. Some emery and a sewn wheel might be in order 1st.

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