Shop to Service Skylark Wire Wheels in SoCal - Great Place!

[Fr. Buick]

Greetings to Buick Land!!

I have a used set of wires on my '54 Super - the reproduction wheels from Wheel Vintiques, that have so far been trouble-free.

I was giving them a once-a-year removal and detailing for a big show comming up, and discovered a broken spoke on one wheel.

I called Wheel Vintique hoping they could supply me with a few spair spokes to have on hand and take care of my problem locally, and got an emphatic NO. The guy on the phone was helpful like snott on a door knob.

Paul Reiker (a local restorer of Larks and Eldos and a Fiesta or two) gave me a tip to call Buchanan Wire Wheels in Azusa. I took the wheel in, they sourced me a spoke and a nipple OFF THE SHELF and a really cool wrench to torque it all in.

I would NOT recommend doing more than one spoke like this, but I put it in myself, and SWAG'ed in to about as tight as the other spokes.

They were extreemly helpful, their hardware is much nicer than what comes out of Wheel Vintique, and for any further issues, I am going to them.

They do mostly motercycle stuff, but knew exactly what I had, and spent time to get me back on the road.

Hope this helps....

[MrEarl]

SWAG'ed ?

[60FlatTop]

It's a thing refrigeration guys do to join copper lines. You expand from the inside by tapping an inserted tapered tool. I haven't done spokes but done a lot of copper.

That guy from Vintique is moonlighting. He has been answering the phone at a lot of other places. Believe me, I have a list.
Bernie

[Fr. Buick]

SWAG is engineering-speak for a Scientific Wild-Ass Guess.

It means you really know what you're doing!

[JohnD1956]

LOL...Scientific Wild-Ass Guess. Now that's funny!

[Restorer32]

We have used Buchanan many times for spokes and nipples. Everything from '30s Packard spokes to early Rolls spokes to Buick Skylark spokes. Very helpful. The fo'ks with the spokes!

[smithbrother]

When you use a SWAGE tool, you EXPAND it.

I know you all know it is used a lot in exhaust pipe work. Neat tool/tools, different sizes available.

Dale in Indy

[1957buickjim]

The difference between a SWAG (Scientific Wild Ass Guess) and a WAG (Wild Ass Guess) is a shop manual..sometimes...

[old-tank]

Sometimes pronounced "swedge"...I heard the term for years, but never saw it in print.

[buick5563]

Sometimes pronounced "swedge"...I heard the term for years, but never saw it in print.

I think this is the first time I have seen it in print, but I knew what the Fr. was talking about.