Wheel Question

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Oldav8tor
Posts: 2246
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
Board Member Since: 2018

Wheel Question

Post by Oldav8tor » Fri Dec 01, 2023 2:24 pm

Did Kelsey ever make a steel wheel that accepted fixed-lug rims? If so, were they a little bit narrower than the Fords and Hayes felloes? By any chance, were such wheels (if they existed) often used on Canadian-built Model T's?
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor

User avatar

Topic author
Oldav8tor
Posts: 2246
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Wheel Question

Post by Oldav8tor » Sun Dec 03, 2023 10:18 am

No responses? I'm wondering if Kelsey only made loose-lug rims. The loose-lug Kelsey I have is definitely narrower than either the Ford or Hayes.
Note: I did find out that at least some Kelsey production came from Windsor, Ontario.
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor


Allan
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First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: Wheel Question

Post by Allan » Sun Dec 03, 2023 5:30 pm

Kelsey in Canada certainly made fixed lug rims. Until late 1925 all our Canadian sourced cars had loose lug rims. During production of the 1925 cars, they changed to fixed lug rims. My barn fresh Henrietta has loose lug rims, four of which are dated 3-25 and one 2-25. However, the car was not sold until 2-26. Another 1925 car in our club has fixed lug rims but it has a later body number and was sold later in the 1926 year. The fixed lug rims are hard to find in Australia because of the short time they were used.
The only difference In width of rim I have found is with the Chev. rims. These are aprox 3/16" wider than T rims, presumably because they were equipped with wider 4.40 x 23" tyres.

Allan from down under.


speedytinc
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Last Name: karvaly
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 14/15 wide track roadster. 23 touring, 27 roadster pickup, 20ish rajo touring
Location: orange, ca
Board Member Since: 2020

Re: Wheel Question

Post by speedytinc » Sun Dec 03, 2023 7:01 pm

Allan wrote:
Sun Dec 03, 2023 5:30 pm
Kelsey in Canada certainly made fixed lug rims. Until late 1925 all our Canadian sourced cars had loose lug rims. During production of the 1925 cars, they changed to fixed lug rims. My barn fresh Henrietta has loose lug rims, four of which are dated 3-25 and one 2-25. However, the car was not sold until 2-26. Another 1925 car in our club has fixed lug rims but it has a later body number and was sold later in the 1926 year. The fixed lug rims are hard to find in Australia because of the short time they were used.
The only difference In width of rim I have found is with the Chev. rims. These are aprox 3/16" wider than T rims, presumably because they were equipped with wider 4.40 x 23" tyres.

Allan from down under.
I have some star disk wheels. The 23" demountable rim is also wider. 31 X 4"?
I believe 31 X 4 was also a fairly popular tire size in the day.

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