harris speedster Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 Guys, Hard order to fill, BUT somebody has to have some. The Midget race cars back in the pre war era had Dayton made 12 inch diameter wire wheels. I need 5 of them for the 1935 Harris fwd Speedster. I would literally buy a complete Midget racer if it had these wheels. Wheels can be rough, I just need some. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Also wanted, >>>>>>>>> Montgomery Wards racing dirt track tires>>>>>>>>>>>> ANY condition considered. I missed one on Ebay about one year ago. Thanks in advance, John please email motorcarinvestments@gmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 Have you tried here?....https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forums/the-hokey-ass-message-board.5/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harris speedster Posted February 16, 2019 Author Share Posted February 16, 2019 Keiser 31, That's a good idea, might as well use every option. I am actually a member there, but have not logged in at the site for 4 or 5 years. But hey, worth a try. The parts I am looking for are definitely not common in the market place. Thanks John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 I think a lot of H.A.M.B. guys like midget racers and that era vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 There is a fellow in New Zealand who makes reproduction wire wheels to a very high standard. Have you tried him ? Are the hubs different from larger diameter Dayton's of this era or just the very small rims ? Greg in Canada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harris speedster Posted February 16, 2019 Author Share Posted February 16, 2019 (edited) Greg, Thanks for the help. I will send you pictures of the wheels. I do believe that the hubs are the same as std Dayton wire wheels Can you email me at motorcarinvestments@gmail.com Can send them and others via my picasa. Yes, I have heard and read about the guy, think it was a Hemming's article, or maybe Hemming's classic car magazine>? Thanks in advance, Thanks in Advance, John Nebo Illinois Edited February 16, 2019 by harris speedster (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1927 S Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 Greg my name is Brian Coffee give me a call. 937 776 7202 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
$um Fun Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 They use the same hub and shell as a Model T Ford. You should be able to find them without too much difficulty, maybe one at a time. If they are 12" rims you might look at the agriculture industry for blank rim hoops and have them laced up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harris speedster Posted February 18, 2019 Author Share Posted February 18, 2019 1 hour ago, $um Fun said: They use the same hub and shell as a Model T Ford. You should be able to find them without too much difficulty, maybe one at a time. If they are 12" rims you might look at the agriculture industry for blank rim hoops and have them laced up. $um fun, I truly wished they had the same hub. Have searched and looked at every style of hub, for about 10 years. Mnay midget racer cars went to knock off hubs, after about 39 or so. The wheels I need are bolt on 12 inch diameter Dayton midget racing wheels. I have looked at agriculture and airplane wheels too>>>> been working on this one off project many years. It really gets me down sometimes, but I keep plugging away !! Thank you for the post, and the help, I truly appreciate it. Car guys are the best group of people in the world. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AG2 Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Hi John- Period Daytons came in several styles, some of which were used on Model T's. First were "six pin" drive, mostly 48 spoke but a few were 60 spoke. These were often used on "T"s. Then there were the "dentil drive" (not dental drive, though today the words are used interchangeably). Dentils came in #10 (smallest), #20, #25, and even larger. #10's were used on Model T, and sometimes #20's. #25 were used on some race cars. I cannot tell from this thread what the Daytons you are looking for are. Photos would help. Descriptions, and measurements such as diameter of the hub center where the cap threads on, whether male or female threads, etc. could also help. None of the Daytons are common these days, in my experience, so I find a lot of difficulty trying to put a set together. Assembling a set means finding rights, lefts, fronts, backs for hubs, rights and lefts for caps, then the correct wheel centers which will likely have to be respoked into new rims of the correct dimensions. The drive lugs on dentil drives can be badly worn, which creates wheel looseness. That said, there are parts out there, and occasionally a batch of things shows up. Regards / Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curti Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Have you contacted Gary Buckles at Dayton Wheel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harris speedster Posted March 4, 2019 Author Share Posted March 4, 2019 (edited) AG2 & CURTI. Guys thanks for chiming in to help out. After 30 years of research into the man & machine, and trying to identify obscure parts, I have burned myself out. Did just find some pictures of Ben, the builder, with Carroll Shelby, Dan Gurney and Sterling Moss. So I do have success from time to time. This guy was remarkable, and his car Sensational, as on National magazine put it I have tried to post pics, but trying to move from my picasa to the site, something goes wrong, plus I am pretty bad at navigating', nit wit better describes it !! Have some good pics to post, but can't get them on. They are bolt on wheels, 5 bolt pattern. I actually have pictures of the wheels on Midget race cars, late 20's-1932. CURTI, I spoke with somebody at Dayton probably 10 years ago, they were not accommodating at all. i WILL try your guy mentioned, in hopes that he may have some idea's >> or knows where the original stamps are, if any left. One never knows. A fellow member told me he has some, but have not heard anything back in several attempts, happens a lot with parts for this car. THANK you guys, John Edited March 4, 2019 by harris speedster (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 (edited) Surprising to hear they are bolt on wheels. However midget cars are so much smaller than what most of us are used to dealing with. Any idea if the {axle} hubs start as something from a production car ? Or are both hub and wheel center Dayton produced ? Do you know the P.C.D. of the wheel ? If you can manage it photos would be a definite help. The model T based front drive axle , and of course the engine look like the most critical parts for your project. Did the axle assy. come with your project ? Also are you aware of the British Alvis FWD from a decade or so before your Harris ? Greg in Canada Edited March 4, 2019 by 1912Staver (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harris speedster Posted March 4, 2019 Author Share Posted March 4, 2019 (edited) Greg, The wheels are 100% Dayton built. Axle stubs and inner hubs and carrier were all special Everything, besides the actual wheels, was also specifically machined. BTW, it is well documented in the corporate offices of Spicer-Dana, that this was the first half shaft the company ever built, long story, but true. Greg I am aware of the Alvis. Thank you for bringing it up. Cord Ruxton and a few others were producing also. Ben was not first, he just simplified and cut the weight in half or more. He was a highly regarded Engineer, designer and race organizer, among many other things. I still look at it in amazement, as it just shouldn't have been, don't know how else to put it? I am just the care taker of Ben's remarkable Speedster >>>> after 30 years of research, I am merely starting to report what I have found. Continuing on, >> I do truly need to "" identify "" and source as many parts as possible. One thing people do not realize, this car is the basic size, height, width and length of an AC Cobra or a D Type Jaguar. SIA page you posted above, is from an old Hemming's magazine, think that one was 5 pages. Thanks for the heads up Greg. That picture shows V-8 Ford caps, Ben used them for aerodynamic advantage. They cover the Dayton wire wheels We have accumulated magazines from 1936-1963, and 1983-1999. we have been keeping them under wraps for a submission to the library Of Congress in Washington. We continue to search for more though. If somebody would volunteer to post the pics, email me and i will attach my picasa pictures motorcarinvestments@gmail.com Thank you guys, John Edited March 4, 2019 by harris speedster (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harris speedster Posted March 5, 2019 Author Share Posted March 5, 2019 On 3/4/2019 at 6:49 AM, Curti said: Have you contacted Gary Buckles at Dayton Wheel? Curti, Thanks for the tip. I did call, but ended up speaking to deaf ears. Do truly appreciate the tip though, true car guys are good people. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harris speedster Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 (edited) 1912 Staver, Sorry for the delayed response !!! Yes was aware of the Alvis, Cord and Ruxton. All were very heavy and bulky.. Ben's design had none of the above issue's. The Dana factory guy together with Ben's engineering blueprints, all came together to make a strong half shaft, as well as their first.. Yes, I do still have both of them. Ben fabricated and poured the spindles, knuckles etc to make it all come together.. He was quite the designer. John Edited June 3, 2019 by harris speedster (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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