Stude1954 Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 Looking to get a set of Artillery Wheels Chrome plated. The center spoked section gets the chrome while the outer rim is painted …. Often in body color. And the centers appeqr to be riveted to the outer rim. Do the center sections need to be removed, plated, and somehow re-riveted back into the outer rim on some kind of ‘jig’ so the outer remains concentric? Hoping to find someone who has had this done ……… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude1954 Posted February 28, 2023 Author Share Posted February 28, 2023 Second picture shows the chrome peeling off the center section spokes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 The car pictured at the top doesn’t have chrome artillery wheels. Stude and Pierce used Budd Stainless wheels for two or three years, and that is what you are seeing. You can’t chrome standard wheels, as the chrome won’t throw in the tank. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studerex Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 (edited) That car in photo was restored many years ago by Jake Nice of Pa. Yes they are chromed from the factory. Many club members have had them done, but I do not have a plater to recommend. Yes you do have to remove the center section for plating. Edited February 28, 2023 by studerex (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
13Caddy2 Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 The center section unbolts from the rim--Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude1954 Posted March 1, 2023 Author Share Posted March 1, 2023 Thanks Rex …… was hoping you might see this. Can you recommend any particular club members I could talk to about how the centers are removed ? I looked closer today at the back side. The centers are Welded not riveted ??? Cant immediately see what the function of these threaded studs are either …. There are 3 of them around the rim There are no rivet heads ot fastener heads of any kind that I can see on the inside edge of the rim (where the innertube would sit inside the tire). So they (spoked centers) were chromed and then somehow welded to the outer rim before being painted ?? How was the chrome plating not damaged during welding? Sorry for the 20 questions …… Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude1954 Posted March 1, 2023 Author Share Posted March 1, 2023 Tom, are the ‘bolt heads’ hidden ? I sure cant find any ….. will look again tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
13Caddy2 Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 the flat head st.heads are onn the outside od the rim--under neath the tire--did you find the nuts ?? they're onn the backside of the center where it would bolt on--turn the nuts it may help break the rust loose around the heads--Tom P/M me if you have more questions-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John DePrey Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 dad had his 32 wheels plated years ago. Each spoke had one csk head machine screw in it, iirc about 4 inches long, slotted head, held by a nut inside the hub. He broke a few and I was looking for suitable replacements, until he found some extra wheels we were able to steal some bolts out of. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude1954 Posted March 1, 2023 Author Share Posted March 1, 2023 Still not sure what I have here …. But I found another clue in the bright sunlight. Found a blind ‘head’ on the inside face of the rim. These ‘fasteners’ dont seem to have any slot, sunken hex (cap head) or any other means of holding/turning. The other end of each one is inside a ‘cap / plate’ behind each spoke ( see previous post ). I am going to soak one rim in rust remover and see if I can get a better idea how to access the fastener ‘head’ or ‘nut’ I still havent found any numbers anywhere on the rim assembly but I did find what appears to be a ‘makers mark’. This one was on the wheel mounting surface inside the spoke center: And here is another mark on the inside of the wheel rim: Does anyone recognize either of these ‘Makers Marks’ ??? Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
13Caddy2 Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 something else I just thought of--those wheels don't like tire changers--I learned the hard way--onn the last 5 I cut them off by hand--Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studerex Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 I Redid these wheels that someone chromed the whole wheel back in the 60s. The center spokes will come apart but It is hard to recommend a chrome plater. You better find a good one. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude1954 Posted March 3, 2023 Author Share Posted March 3, 2023 Still not sure what I have here …. But I found another clue in the bright sunlight. Found a blind ‘head’ on the inside face of the rim. These ‘fasteners’ dont seem to have any slot, sunken hex (cap head) or any other means of holding/turning. The other end of each one is inside a ‘cap / plate’ behind each spoke ( see previous post ). I am going to soak one rim in rust remover and see if I can get a better idea how to access the fastener ‘head’ or ‘nut’ I still havent found any numbers anywhere on the rim assembly but I did find what appears to be a ‘makers mark’. This one was on the wheel mounting surface inside the spoke center: And here is another mark on the inside of the wheel rim: Does anyone recognize either of these ‘Makers Marks’ ??? Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude1954 Posted March 3, 2023 Author Share Posted March 3, 2023 Rex, yep, I was thinking a out chroming the entire wheel but the platers locally I have talked to so far say that without specific tanks and equipmemt for wheels they dont plate correctly. But I have just begun to get serious about searching so we shall see ….. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude1954 Posted March 3, 2023 Author Share Posted March 3, 2023 For separating the spoke centers from the rims heres what I have foumd so far: My set of 5 are those ‘mystery wheels’ with the makers marks ( see above ) and the backside of the spoakes are ‘covered’. I bought a 6th wheel ( its a dual sidemount car ) and its acually a BUDD wheel. The backside of the spokes on this one is ‘open’ Fasteners (rivet head on the BUDD wheel) on the ‘set of 5’ and the Budd both have that ‘flathead’ shown in the post above. If anyone knows the ‘trick’ to exposing the ‘set of 5’ fasteners I would greatly appreciate it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studerex Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 Post a photo of your whole wheel. Looks like you have a 33 not 32. Center attached differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude1954 Posted March 6, 2023 Author Share Posted March 6, 2023 Still not sure what I have here …. But I found another clue in the bright sunlight. Found a blind ‘head’ on the inside face of the rim. These ‘fasteners’ dont seem to have any slot, sunken hex (cap head) or any other means of holding/turning. The other end of each one is inside a ‘cap / plate’ behind each spoke ( see previous post ). I am going to soak one rim in rust remover and see if I can get a better idea how to access the fastener ‘head’ or ‘nut’ I still havent found any numbers anywhere on the rim assembly but I did find what appears to be a ‘makers mark’. This one was on the wheel mounting surface inside the spoke center: And here is another mark on the inside of the wheel rim: Does anyone recognize either of these ‘Makers Marks’ ??? Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude1954 Posted March 6, 2023 Author Share Posted March 6, 2023 Rex, Yes both ‘vendors’ are supposed to be 33 wheels …. AFAIK This is the set of 5 I bought in Nov …. Which I cant identify yet Heres a BUDD ( found the Logo ) that I got for a 6th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albtrossca Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 I was told that the hollow backed ones are for Dictators and the solid backed are Commander and President. Not sure how true this is. All my 34 dictator ones are hollow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(S) Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 The wheels on the smaller cars had more spokes, and are not as wide. The smaller wheels were about 4 1/4 wide. The Commander was a bit wider, ( check serial numbers ) and the President was the widest. The spokes are held with a huge rivet, the other models used a stud and nut. The first one pictured has a small 'plate' concealing the rivet. A small, sharp chisel will remove the 'plate' Those are very hard to work on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude1954 Posted March 15, 2023 Author Share Posted March 15, 2023 Yikes ……. I thought that might be the case but had no proof till you posted that picture. 14 spokes per wheel times 5 wheels ….. Thats a bunch of plates (70) to remove 🙄. Seems like I need to search even harder for a plater who doesnt need the centers removed. Hard to imagine the wheel maker ( still dont know who made these) plated the centers, installed rivets, and then welded on those ‘spoke cover plates’ without damaging the chrome! Not sure there was a TIG process equivalent available 90 years ago ?? Anyway, thanks a bunch for posting Mike 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John DePrey Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Just got this from my brother. 32 model 55 coming out of the paint shop this week. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albtrossca Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 They l9ok great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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