MTFCA Forum

(4) wheel baskets are needed.

For 32 inch x 4 inch diameter wheel.

To secure the 1904 Model B51 for it’s Journey
to Iowa - then The 2019 EFR and New London
Antique Car Runs.

Needed by July 15th.

Prefer donation - but will pay.


FJ

Jim: What is a wheel basket?

Goes around the wheel to fasten the wheel to the floor of your trailer securely to protect a valuable and/or fragile vehicle from jostling or moving during transport.

If your wheels are properly and securely attached to your spindles and your spindles are securely attached to your axles - it is the best way to secure a vehicle.

FJ

Is this what you're asking about?

Yes, I’m going to donate “wheel baskets” for a “professional” auto transporter to transport a Half million dollar + auto.........I was born at night but it wasn’t last night ! Why Is this even allowed on the model T discussion site? ???

I hear you Tim.
Because it's a four cylinder predecessor to the T? I dunno.
OR
The man wants to ask Just In Case? I was broke for 40 years.
OR
IF I play cards right and don't have to work that weekend, I may actually get to see it!
I've drooled for 40 years about this and I'm 55.
Jim, PM me if you really need a little help. There are a lot of Minnesotans that don't even know about a car like this.
Could be trouble but I'm going to post this.

How would this be different than the setup for 30x3+1/2” tires? I’m thinking it should be identical and I think he’s hauled many of those...

When I did body work for people and needed a tool I would take the money I made working on the cars and go buy the tool so I would have it for the next job. Now I only work on my own cars and have all the tools I need but if anyone wants to "donate" free tools please give me a call.

The Model B is a very interesting vehicle.
I roped a few guys from the San Diego club to move the body from Rays shop to Jim’s trailer for shipment to Kim Dobbins to be reunited with the engine and chassis. The whole vehicle is indeed a very similar predecessor to my 1909 Model T. I agree there are difference in the motor, but engine technology was moving very rapidly during the 1900-10 era so those changes are expected. Was I didn’t expect was the similarity of the wood body. Clearly body technology hardly changed during this time period. I guess that was to come after World War 1.
So it is a very significant vehicle in that subsequent iterations went on to a unprecedented rate of production and became acknowledged as “The Car of the Century”.
In the San Diego club we seem to have an ethos of helping any related project towards a successful conclusion so helping Jim and Ray was a no-brainer.

Thank You Tony for rounding up a crew to help transfer the wood body from Ray’s garage via your truck down to my trailer.


FJ

For me? Money has always been tight. I often "make do" without tools and things I would like. I worked hard, scrimped and saved, managed to get many things I wanted, but always still making do without many other things. I got cars I really wanted, a good mid-size open trailer, something to pull it with. I wanted to get some of these wheel "baskets", but never did. I had good tie-downs, straps and ratchets, and used them with care.
Still, I liked the idea of setting up something like the wheel baskets. So, I thought about it. I came up with an idea. I could make a set of baskets and tie-downs out of old tire chains. Shorten them, fit them over the tires, make the side's netting of chains. I think it would work very well. Unfortunately, family "needs" got in the way. The cars that would have benefited got sold. And I never did get the baskets made.

Just like with tire chains, these baskets MUST fit properly to do their job well. They need to be tight, and shaped to fit the tire size. A little variation, but not much, may be permissible. Some means of adjusting sidewall spacing would help.The difference between a 30X3 1/2 and a 32X4 may not seem like much, but it is enough that the basket may not be able to sit right over the tire to hold the car steady. At least not if the basket doesn't have sidewall adjustment.

If I had a set? I would loan them to FJ. It would make me proud to be a small part in bringing such an incredible piece of automotive history back onto the road for so many to be able to see and appreciate it!
But, that is me, and I am broke.