Repro early solid rims

Nov. 18, 1941 - MB100001 thru Mar. 6, 1942 - MB125809 NO EBAY or COMMERCIAL SALES.
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Todd Paisley
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Repro early solid rims

Post by Todd Paisley » Sat Jul 17, 2021 7:02 pm

Does anyone have a repro early 4" solid rim? I was wondering how good is this reproduction compared to the original. Looking for some photos. Thanks!
Todd Paisley

1941 MB - 100063 - X12? - Willys Factory Test Mule
1942 MB - 123136 - Earliest Documented "Civilian" Test Jeep
1944 CJ2-12 - X36
1944 CJ2-16 - X40
1945 CJ2-37 - X61
1945 CJ2A-10012

Wanted: serial # for GPW with hood # 2058856.


Airportable
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Re: Repro early solid rims

Post by Airportable » Sun Jul 18, 2021 7:34 pm

No pictures, but I read here on the "G" and confirmed with Ron that at least the MD Juan solid rims are actually 4.5" diameter if that is already a deal breaker for you. Might work if they still look right. Don't know about any others on the market.
1941 Dodge WC-21-Sold
1942 Ford GPW-Sold
1942 Ford GPW-Sold

1942 Willys MB (Slat Grill)
1943 Ford GPW always looking for GPW block #109399
1943 John Wood M3A4 Hand Cart
1971 Land Rover (Series IIA) "1/2 Ton"/"Rover 1"/"Lightweight"/"Airportable"

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Todd Paisley
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Re: Repro early solid rims

Post by Todd Paisley » Sun Jul 18, 2021 9:35 pm

Oh. I did not know that. Good to know! Thanks!
Todd Paisley

1941 MB - 100063 - X12? - Willys Factory Test Mule
1942 MB - 123136 - Earliest Documented "Civilian" Test Jeep
1944 CJ2-12 - X36
1944 CJ2-16 - X40
1945 CJ2-37 - X61
1945 CJ2A-10012

Wanted: serial # for GPW with hood # 2058856.

GSS
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Re: Repro early solid rims

Post by GSS » Wed Jul 21, 2021 5:05 pm

MDJ solid rims are good quality but occasionally very hard to source. Check with Ron first. Thanks.
GSS
1942 MB 113037, "Slat Grill"
1945 MB 431740, 20698289-S

Stereo11
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Re: Repro early solid rims

Post by Stereo11 » Fri Jul 23, 2021 1:49 am

MDJ solids I purchased earlier this year
DC819212-41DB-45E6-A192-4DEF36B8D91B.jpeg

Ron D
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Re: Repro early solid rims

Post by Ron D » Fri Jul 23, 2021 11:50 am

Two of those rims show the valve stem holes lined up with one of the lug stud holes (like original Kelsey-Hayes rims on the M38), and the other 2 don't (like CJ rims). I can't see if any have the little 1/8-inch hole near the stud hole. Do all 4 have the safety bead?
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1951 M100

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Egon Baatz
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Re: Repro early solid rims

Post by Egon Baatz » Fri Jul 23, 2021 11:37 pm

What 1/8 inch hole?

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Re: Repro early solid rims

Post by Stereo11 » Sat Jul 24, 2021 12:51 am

viewtopic.php?t=181440

@ Todd Paisley….Plenty of info here for you.

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Re: Repro early solid rims

Post by Airportable » Thu Jul 29, 2021 7:53 pm

What the cheapest way to get a reasonable looking set of solid disc wheels here in the U.S.? I don't think I will be going for originals and I don't mind if the wheels are 4.5" diameter but I have seen the price of reproduction disc wheels.
Are Hotchkiss wheels an available alternative in the USA?
1941 Dodge WC-21-Sold
1942 Ford GPW-Sold
1942 Ford GPW-Sold

1942 Willys MB (Slat Grill)
1943 Ford GPW always looking for GPW block #109399
1943 John Wood M3A4 Hand Cart
1971 Land Rover (Series IIA) "1/2 Ton"/"Rover 1"/"Lightweight"/"Airportable"

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David
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Re: Repro early solid rims

Post by David » Fri Jul 30, 2021 2:10 am

Airportable wrote:
Thu Jul 29, 2021 7:53 pm
What the cheapest way to get a reasonable looking set of solid disc wheels here in the U.S.? I don't think I will be going for originals and I don't mind if the wheels are 4.5" diameter but I have seen the price of reproduction disc wheels.
Are Hotchkiss wheels an available alternative in the USA?
I think in your case you might have better luck with those early CJ wheels? I have M201 wheels but I'm in Europe and the things are (were?) easy to find.

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Todd Paisley
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Re: Repro early solid rims

Post by Todd Paisley » Sat Jul 31, 2021 10:33 pm

Stereo11 - What are the width of the repros you bought? Can you take a side photo?

Thanks!

Todd.
Todd Paisley

1941 MB - 100063 - X12? - Willys Factory Test Mule
1942 MB - 123136 - Earliest Documented "Civilian" Test Jeep
1944 CJ2-12 - X36
1944 CJ2-16 - X40
1945 CJ2-37 - X61
1945 CJ2A-10012

Wanted: serial # for GPW with hood # 2058856.

Stereo11
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Re: Repro early solid rims

Post by Stereo11 » Fri Aug 06, 2021 11:34 pm

Let me know if you need any more
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B2F97DEB-E594-4EC2-8E84-635C610A03EA.jpeg

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Re: Repro early solid rims

Post by baxterwood » Sun Aug 08, 2021 9:09 pm

I was looking last year for a set of, ideally, original Kelsey Hayes 4 inch rims for my Slat Grill but they are unbelievably scarce (here in the UK anyway). I therefore tried going for a new set of MD Juan 4.5 inch repro. examples with one of the suppliers here who informed me that they had no stock and did not expect new incoming stock at all. They further informed me that MDJ could not produce any more, and they did not anticipate producing any further, as the machine that presses them has broken down which they were not going to repair despite having forward orders into the 100's!

Fortunately an unexpected set of unused 4.5 inch repros. came up on that well known online auction site listed as one wheel which on enquiry it turned out the seller had 5 - nabbed up quick they were too.

Just as an aside to this story the original solid rims often used to appear on WW2 Jeeps for sale here in the UK, I am now talking over 50 years ago, and were usually thrown to scrap - 'cos they didn't look right' Jeeps should have we had seen in photographs, and we wanted, split rims!


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