You know, I have an idea which may be less expensive than buying new wheels. If you had a perfect set of '66 wheel covers for your car, you could save them. You could run the car with a different year wheel cover that appeals to you, and would not be so prone to "flying discus syndrome". I knew a guy with a '66 Crown Convertible, and he really liked the way that it looked with a set of '63 wheel covers on it. To me, the '63 wheel covers were the least attractive of all. Yes, I have a '63, and yes it has the correct wheel covers, and yes the car looks fine. But if I were to chose a set that I would use on another car, '63 would have been one of my last choices, yet, his '66 looked GREAT with them! His car was white with a gold interior. This is just a suggestion but, in my minds eye I can nearly see them on your car. It might look real cool! Paul In a message dated 7/17/2004 7:11:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time, "Wm. R. Ulman" <twolaneblacktop@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes: >Thanks Paul, > >Neither my '63 Custom 4dr Southampton, nor my '60 Convertible (wonder if >it the same red one someone posted about selling a day or 2 ago, red >leather interior? Of course, mine was redone in red vinyl, so it can't >be the same) ever had a problem with rims, let alone hubcaps. That >covers 7 years, and many miles of driving. The '66 appears better, more >original, and drives better than the other two, but I have gone through >at least 4 rims in 4 years. The replacements have been a little rusty >on the surface, and my own fault for not taking the time to clean, and >paint them, but I also needed the car on the road right away so that may >be it. > >As far as the hubcaps, I do believe the '66 is much heavier than the >previous styles. They certainly make more noise, flexing on the car, >you can hear it sometimes if the surrounding acoustics lend themselves >to it, and have many more parts to them. I have used tape, and gone >through them making sure the teeth are strait, but every once in a >while, ZING! First you hear it, unmistakable sound. Then you see it, >bouncing, rolling across lanes. Then you hit the brakes, pull over if >you can, get out, and risk your life crossing over up to four lanes of >traffic, not something I do wantingly, or legally probably, but I gotta >get that cover! Unless someone has actually run it over, many times it >can go back on the car after cleanup. They will take a licking, and >keep ticking sometimes. > >This is just my experience, not scientific at all, but I have read here >about these rims not liking radials too, so who can tell. > >I do like the sound of the Coker rims, so maybe one day, not sure how >they would look on a '66, but at least it would be better than those >others. My opinion only, of course. As I enter middle age, kicking and >screaming the entire time, I do find myself disenfranchised with what is >popular now for people to do to their cars. Those rims being a perfect >example. > >I still would like to know who makes them, if they go over the original >drums, or if the car was modified to accept a conventional designed >wheel. > >Happy motoring! > >Bill > >-----Original Message----- >From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of >RandalPark@xxxxxxx >Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2004 2:16 PM >To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >Subject: Re: IML: Wheels for '60-'66 Imperials > > >Hey Bill, > >If you really want to buy new wheels for your car, you could go with the >reproduction wires that are sold through Corky Coker(for one). They are >available in the correct bolt pattern. Yes they are VERY expensive, but >don't look too bad on even a '66. Also, I think that they are made to >work with tubeless radial tires. > >Wheels from late forties New Yorkers and Imperials from the mid '50s >will work, but they do not have the ventilation holes for the brakes. >This is crucial. Also, some '57 and '58 Imperials have 14 inch wheels. >Even though they may bolt onto your car, you wouldn't want them. > >I have had no trouble with wheels or wheel covers on any Imperials, but >I don't have a '66. I realize that '66 is a one year only style, but >otherwise, I don't know why they would have more trouble staying on the >car than other years. I suppose that the extra heavy cast parts on '66 >could lead to them not being as secure. I am only guessing here that '66 >wheel covers weigh more than previous years. The way that they are >mounted on the wheel was designed for the lighter wheel covers. All of >the other years had cast parts, too, but not as much as '66. This is >only a possible explanation for the trouble that you have had. > >I a combination of over 235,000 miles of driving my Imperials, I have >only lost one wheel cover. That was on the >'56. It was a replacement that I had purchased at a swap meet and didn't >fully check out before installing it on the car. I was running bias ply >tires at the time, so I am sure that radial tires has little or nothing >to do with the problem. > >I have never had a rim fail. My '65 Imperial was driven over 80,000 >miles with its original rims and Perelli radial tires. I think that the >rims fail if they have become corroded. This can happen if a previous >owner used "Fix A Flat" and left the stuff in the tire for a long >period. It is corrosive and will ruin the rim. I have seen Imperial rims >(and other cars) where this has happened. > >If money is no object I think the reproduction original style '50s wires >would be a good alternative, as long as you store the originals >someplace where they can be replaced by a future owner. > >Paul > > In a message dated 7/17/2004 3:00:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time, "Wm. R. >Ulman" <twolaneblacktop@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes: > >>Maybe I'm missing something here, but my first thought at seeing those >>wheels, was "What about the 5 1/2 on 5 bolt pattern". I was under the >>impression no one made wheels, aftermarket or otherwise for our old >>Imperials. Besides the Furd truck wheel interchangeability. I have >>had to search hi & lo to find replacements for my '66. I think the >>wheel ran from '60-'66, but it may have gone back as far as '58-'59. >>Aside from the dreaded failure of the Center Carrier Bearing, or Center > >>Support Bearing, either way you want to call it, I have always felt the > >>Wheels, and at least the '66 hubcaps to be the Achilles Heel on these >>cars. Wheels fail along the inner weld line from the age, and mostly >>use of radials (my experience anyway), and the hubcaps on the '66 were >>designed to become 60 m.p.h. Frisbee's of Death. At the very least >>insurance liabilities, although for whatever reason, I don't know why, >>when they have flown, they have never hit another car, but if they did, > >>there would certainly be some damage, and ensuing insurance claim. I >>have seen some almost severe accidents barely avoided when a wheel >>cover throws off, down the highway, across lanes of traffic, cars, more > >>scary, SUV's swerving to avoid hitting one. Then of course risking >>life & limb to stop on the freeway, get out, run after, and retrieve >>what may be left of said cover, get back to the car, and merge back >>into 60+ m.p.h. traffic. I have quite the collection of mangled >>covers. The cover itself is not to bad, but the retaining ring, or >>backing, is shot. >> >>Anyway, I wonder where he got the wheels? Who makes them? Might they >>make some that had a little taste, style and class? Not everyone wants > >>to look like some Pimp from Pomona in their Imperial. I for one would >>be interested in a befitting wheel replacement. >> >>I hope this has not come up previously, I have been blowing through >>most emails lately. >> >>Bill Ulman >>Seattle, WA >>'66 Crown Convertible Coupe - never to be Pimped out, or sold to become > >>a low-rider if I can help it. >> >> >> >> >> >>----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- This >>message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. 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