spyder motor wheels

[prchrman]

I have a set and am looking for information on the company and wheels. Any information would be helpful.

[ChuckHarvey2004]

I have a set that I am restoring and have wanted for many years. Motor Wheel now makes wheels for only the larger auto manufacturers but did sell to the public for decades prior to privatizing. The Motor Wheel Spyder ran into production between 1969 and 1972. They are a magnesium 5 spoked wheel with either a chromed outer rim or a lighter magnesium. They came in 14 or 15" with either a 7/16 or 1/2" set of lug nuts that should be a short-shanked lug with a bevel at the top. The wheels that I have been restoring are 14" with 1/2" lugs that come to a peak luke short bullets or a funnel turned upside down and have been really hard to find. My center caps are NOS and the used caps usually go for $100-150 depending upon condition. The wheels are selling at AKH Wheel for around $500.00 each but to me that is pricey, though you can see a photo of them to verify that is what you actually have. When I asked them for lug nuts, they e-mailed me a photo of what was supposed to be original lugs and they were actually NOS short-shanked Kelsey and Hayes that were not original for the wheel, asking $400.00 for them. I looked around and started speaking with people on e-bay who have wheels for sale and bought used lugs that are correct for $96.00 after shipping and only paid $100.00 for my NOS centers (which was a steal). If you have them, I would not sell them personally because they are the most beautiful wheel, in my opinion, that Motor Wheel ever made. I looked in Hemmings newest catalogue and found a set of redline tires that are a radial in 245 X 14 X 60 with 225's for the front. Unlike the Koker tire which only comes in 185, these are wider and more modern, wider, and more durable. The brand is Diamond Back and I looked everywhere for a redline for the wheels that offered an aggressive width and tread before seeing this one company. They took color samples from an old set of redlines and stripe the modern radial themselves using an average measurement for the placement of the stripe taken from several vintage tires (all of which were about 1/3 of the tire heigth from the rim. If you have the original lug nuts or want to know if they are actually still intact, e-mail me at ChuckHarvey2004@yahoo.com and I will send you a photo of my wheels, lugs (close-up), and centers. The outer rim can be removed/replaced with a 15" chrome if you do not want the stock heigth and width. I know a man who routinely welds on 15" and spreads it to an 8" so you can seat a 255 X 15 X 50 without throwing off the speedometer. Just let me know if you need help locating anything for your wheels or a buyer. Thanks. Click "GALLERY" below this post to see a picture of the wheel after restoration.

[xautoracer]

Wheels were made by Motor Wheel Corporation in Lansing, Michigan....
I got my first set from an engineer there named Joe Guzek....
If you can find him, I bet that you can get gobs of historical info....

[JD483]

Cool, I just got a set of 14" Spyders today. They were on an ancient Ford Econoline and were headed to the scrap yard when I asked about them. The fella said if I could come up with a pair of tires to get the thing to the scrap yard I could have the wheels. They have the gray centers and all four caps and should clean up nicely. Unfortunately they don't fit any of my cars! I couldn't bear the idea of these cool vintage rims going that way.


Justin

[ChuckHarvey2004]

http://files.automotiveforums.com/ga...=503&page=1286

The link above is a pic of the wheels just after I restored them and found a set of original lugs for them.

More pictures of the wheels are at:

www.myspace.com/filipinavisa

If you go to the profile picture and click the 'PICS' link beneath it, you will see a variety of albums displaying a picture. Look for the one titled '1969 AMC AMX' and click the photo. In there is a shot of the wheels with redline tires, bullet centers, correct lugs, and steel valve stems with bullet stem caps.

The car is not quite finished but in much better shape than last photographed. I am in Arizona and the car is in North Carolina in a shop being prepped for a guards red coat of paint.

Chuck

[ChuckHarvey2004]

Motor Wheel Spyder 14" on 4.5 (AMC/Ford) with NOS Medallion Bullet Centers, original Lug Nuts.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7649009_n.jpg



Wheel with Red Line tire and Bullet Valve Stem Caps, weighted on rear of mag.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4117631_n.jpg



Extra (4) Medallion Bullet Center caps, all New Old Stock with original box.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...8_116012_n.jpg



If you have a Facebook account, send a friend request to:

www.facebook.com/chuckharvey

When you are in, the album with the "Motor Wheel Spyder" mags in it is called "1969 AMX".

So far, finding the original lug nuts was the most difficult part of the entire restoration. This was not a requirement because other lugs can be used or ET-Style short-shank lugs slightly shaved down by 1/16 of an inch so they do not bottom out on the drums/rotors.

Once I had seen the original bullet lug nuts, over 10 years was spent buying them one at a time. When I had 16 originals and I was 4 lug nuts shy of a full set, I found 4 Locking lug nuts that were ET-Style, shaved some length off of them, and considered it finished.

Had I to do it over again, I would have used some ET-Style short-shank lug nuts, shaved them down, and used Bullet Lug Nut covers on them. It would not have been original but it would have been very attractive.

Chuck