Aaron,
Wire wheels are an anachronism, out-dated and obsolete.
Replacement of the wheels and their hubs can be $500 per wheel. If the
splines are worn, they are very dangerous, the equivalient of driving without
brakes. They require inner tubes. You'll have a time finding someone who
stocks them and should always carry a good spare tire (and probably a spare
tube too). The average tire store mechanic does not understand how to
unmount, balance and remount them, so you need to know how to handle them and
be there when mounting or balancing (I take them off the car and give them
the wheel and remount the wheel myself). The average tire store does not have
the proper hubs to hold the wheel for correct balancing (but may be able to
come up with something close). They are prone to flats because of the tubes
wearing on the spoke nipples if the proper protective "band" is missing or
defective (duct tape is a common remedy). You have to remove them and grease
the splines every six months or so or they'll "grow" on to the hubs and
you'll be stranded with a flat. You'll also cry if you have to cut one off (I
know of a Jag owner who went through this). You may also have to heat a
knock-off cherry red to get it loose if the DPO hasn't practiced the proper
greasing ritual (I "blued" the chrome on a knock-off doing this shortly after
buying my "B" ten years ago). You will need to buy one of those extra long
handle knock-off wrenchs and carry it with you (the original,short ones
require a large hammer to assist them and may not do the job at all). If
you've got knock-offs with "ears" you'll probably dent them the first time
you have to put them on unless you have a big lead (it's soft) hammer. There
are only a handful of places in the USA that can "tune" the wheels. This is
expensive and takes a couple weeks if you have to send them away.You will
chip the paint on a painted wheel when tightening a loose spoke (if you can
get it to move at all).
Yes, I have a set chrome wire wheels on my "B". They're quaint, lovely and
turn a few heads. It's a love - hate relationship.
If your a co-dependant, by all means, get some. Even better if you have
masochistic tendencies.
R. Johnson - Dallas
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