New tires on Kelsey Hayes wires, am I gettin this right?

[EconoJoe]

I'm following this with some interest. I'm planning on getting new tires on my wire wheels this winter and have a few questions:

 

1) Are there identifying marks inside the wheel to identify them as genuine Kelsey Hayes wheels? I'm curious about mine being authentic.

2) Did the shop doing the balancing use a lug-centric adapter? Or is there any commentary on how necessary it is?

3) Is there an actual torque for the spokes or is it more along the lines of tightening them to whatever to true up the wheel?

 

Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

Joe Spitz

New Berlin, WI

1955 Buick Super 56R

Edited August 13, 2023 by EconoJoe (see edit history)

[MrEarl]

For yard driving til she gets on the road. Bought some 20 years ago for another Roadmaster that’s gone on up the road. They were matched to the  original spare in the trunk of that 13,000 mile car, 3 inch ww on General tire. Mounted with tubes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2023 by MrEarl (see edit history)

[FireballV8]

Looks great. I didn't remember you had this one. I just bought two sets of the General Dual 90s, they look great on the cars. 

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by FireballV8 (see edit history)

[NTX5467]

To the question of "authenticity", KH built wire wheels for many brands of cars back then, just that Buick also installed them OEM back then.  There can be some repros, obviously, but I also suspect that ALL KH wheels will have "Kelsey-Hayes" stamped on the inner section of the rim, with the size specs for the wheel.  The OEM versions would probably need tubed tires, unlike the newer versions with "the band patch" to seal the end of the wire spokes from leaking air, which makes them capable of using tubeless tires.

 

I remember the General Dual 90 tires being advertised new, back then.  "Dual" meaning the two tire treads, side by side.  Great tire ads back then!

 

Enjoy!

NTX5467