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Hello. This is my first time posting here and I apologize if this has been covered somewhere else.
My name is Daniel. I am an Engineer Paramedic for the Imperial Beach Fire-Rescue Department. Imperial Beach is my hometown, and I have located our original fire engine. This project is near and dear to my heart. The only reason for blacking out the owner information on the pink slip is the vehicle is not registered to me and I would like to respect the owners privacy. As for this project I was told that if I can source 6 wheels it would show the owner that I am serious about restoring it and he would be willing to donate it back to the fire department where we plan to have it properly restored and used for parade and display purposes. I’m also looking for any information one could provide on this vehicle. I don’t have much information but I will attach the photos of what I do have.
thank you so much for your help and patience as I navigate this project.
Welcome to FTE. Your 1932 BB looks to have been disassembled by the owner and likely now will be an ambitious restoration project. I too am trying to finish a project started by another owner. I can offer some help on its wheels but probably little else. Others here will help on the rest of the project. So, please explain why you need six wheels. Are the originals badly rusted, damaged, and unsaveable, or are you just wanting it to have safe modern wheels and new tires. If they aren’t damaged they can probably be kept in service. If damaged, finding OEM type replacements would take some searching but could over time be accomplished. If modern wheels and tires are the goal I think we can help there too with referrals to custom wheel builders. So please give us some guidance on what your goals are. Stu
Welcome to FTE. Your 1932 BB looks to have been disassembled by the owner and likely now will be an ambitious restoration project. I too am trying to finish a project started by another owner. I can offer some help on its wheels but probably little else. Others here will help on the rest of the project. So, please explain why you need six wheels. Are the originals badly rusted, damaged, and unsaveable, or are you just wanting it to have safe modern wheels and new tires. If they aren’t damaged they can probably be kept in service. If damaged, finding OEM type replacements would take some searching but could over time be accomplished. If modern wheels and tires are the goal I think we can help there too with referrals to custom wheel builders. So please give us some guidance on what your goals are. Stu
hey Stu thank you for the insight. So the photo of the rolling chassis is 34 years old and since then the wheels have gone missing. The current owner of the vehicle has told me that if I am able to source the original wheels he will be willing to donate the vehicle back to my department. By finding the original wheels he says that we are willing to take the project seriously and is a show of good faith. Any help you may be able to provide is very very much appreciated.
Missing! That’s a hard problem to work around. So the first point to make is that I suspect you’ll have to gather replacements as they are found. Ford and Dodge trucks of the era had 20” wheels that had a 5 lug x 6 7/8” bolt pattern. This pattern was only used through 1933, maybe on some into 1934, meaning that more common later replacement wheels will be of no help. A few months ago a friend in WI contacted me asking about some of these wheels he bought at auction. I’ll email him after hitting send here to see if he still has them. All that I have now are the later 5 lug x 8” pattern so I’m no immediate direct help. I’d hope other forum members might speak up if they have wheels. I would also suggest joining the Ford Barn forum and Early Ford V8 Club forum and seeking help there. Last, wheels show up on CL commonly so check there as well. Stu
Missing! That’s a hard problem to work around. So the first point to make is that I suspect you’ll have to gather replacements as they are found. Ford and Dodge trucks of the era had 20” wheels that had a 5 lug x 6 7/8” bolt pattern. This pattern was only used through 1933, maybe on some into 1934, meaning that more common later replacement wheels will be of no help. A few months ago a friend in WI contacted me asking about some of these wheels he bought at auction. I’ll email him after hitting send here to see if he still has them. All that I have now are the later 5 lug x 8” pattern so I’m no immediate direct help. I’d hope other forum members might speak up if they have wheels. I would also suggest joining the Ford Barn forum and Early Ford V8 Club forum and seeking help there. Last, wheels show up on CL commonly so check there as well. Stu
Stu that is huge help. I appreciate it I sincerely appreciate it. I joined ford barn yesterday and am just awaiting the moderator approval so I can post and I will get on the early ford v8 club as well. Thank you so much for all of your help
My WI buddy wrote me back and says he sold the auction wheels. So that’s a bust. I’ll ask a few more buddies that deal in wheels to see if any of them are in captivity. Stu
I didnt realize Stu had already sent me a message this morning about this truck. I thought you needed the 5x8 lug pattern wheels. I just replied to your text a few minutes ago. The couple I have wont fit your truck. I told Stu the last set of Model AA truck wheels I found were at the dump in a scrap heap. I'll ask around and see if i can find anything.
Another place to look may be to search marketplace and other classifieds for Model AA trucks and trucks of your era and ask the sellers if they know of anyone in their circles that may have some leads on wheels.
Good luck
Josh
Daniel - I had a thought, which raises a question. Does the truck’s owner simply want to have the truck be able to roll, or does he want you to source a set of the correct wheels before letting go of it? If it is the latter then the search continues. If the former, you could as a stop gap find a military surplus supplier and buy a set of Power Wagon type wheels and tires. Military vehicles from WWII, Korea, and the following decades used 16” wheels having the 5 x 6 7/8” bolt pattern. These won’t clear your truck’s brake drums, but when mounted concave side out would at least allow the chassis to roll. Just a thought. Stu
Several trucks plus extra wheels for sale here.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/448552917470738/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A2187f7e3-7ea2-4b57-9485-6bb372771f96
Several trucks plus extra wheels for sale here.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/448552917470738/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A2187f7e3-7ea2-4b57-9485-6bb372771f96
Nice finds. I also saw a 32 ford ton and a half on marketplace in Winnemucca Nevada.. looked like it was missing a wheel or two though
But those are much closer.
That looks like a “honey hole” of spares. Even if the wheels on that truck cannot be used as original, their center discs can be remounted into new outer rims. I recently had a custom set of wheels built in this way by Custom and Commercial Wheel in Bloomington, CA. They did a very nice job and were priced fairly. Stu
Our buddy Bob Jones sent me this CL listing yesterday wondering if the poster here was still looking for wheels. We’ve not heard back from him, but in case wheels are still needed here is the new CL listing. Stu
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