RatRod Posted June 17, 2010 Posted June 17, 2010 Something that has bugged me ever since I opened the Revell '32 5/W coupe is the zero offset wheels all around. Today I had a brainstorm (that doesn't happen to often) It's quick, easy, and best of all it works!!! All you need is a Dremel tool, a cut off wheel shaft w/screw, and a good #11 blade. Just put the rear wheel on the shaft upside down (the lug nuts hold it centered) tighten it down, and turn on the dremel using the back side of the blade cut out the center. Once you have the center out, clean it up a little. It will have a small gap all around when set in the rim, so I cut a narrow strip of thin plastic, and glued it on the edge of the center section. I ended up with a perfect fit, so I pushed the rim over the center, then pushed it up a little further, added some liquid cement, then pushed the center back down flush with the bottom. Doing it that way no cement gets inside the wheel making a mess. When it's all finished you end up with a nice deeper offset rear wheel, that looks 100% better!!! It took all of about ten minutes to do this. This is the way Revell should have done them in the first place.
diymirage Posted June 17, 2010 Posted June 17, 2010 thats a nice tip and the best part is...it would work on other kits aswell
bigmikevee Posted June 17, 2010 Posted June 17, 2010 Ratrod, What a great idea, can't wait to try it, good job sir!! Mike
Bernard Kron Posted June 17, 2010 Posted June 17, 2010 Great tip, and applicable wherever an offest needs to be adjusted. The result is 100% better and helps "sell" the difference in front and rear tire size. Speaking of which, any thought on narrowing the front wheels for narrower front tires?
mr moto Posted June 17, 2010 Posted June 17, 2010 It's interesting that this is exactly the same type of procedure that was done in 1:1 to make the "reversed rims" that were so popular in the 60's. They would cut out the wheel centers and weld them back in so that the wheel offset was deeper. In the case of 1:1, the easiest way to do it was to literally reverse the rim by welding the center back in at the same place but facing in the other direction!
MikeMc Posted June 17, 2010 Posted June 17, 2010 Great tip, and applicable wherever an offest needs to be adjusted. The result is 100% better and helps "sell" the difference in front and rear tire size. Speaking of which, any thought on narrowing the front wheels for narrower front tires? No sweat B....after removing the center get the calipers out measure what you need removed, then a course sanding stick...SLOW HERE measure till you are narrow and square. if you need a rim edge a short pc of rod will do it...cut and glue
Brett Barrow Posted June 17, 2010 Posted June 17, 2010 That is sweeeeet! I need some deep 'n wide steelies all-the-way-around for my current '62 Impala (and nothing in my stash was right), now I can mod the kit wheels!
my80malibu Posted June 18, 2010 Posted June 18, 2010 That is one cool tip thanks for passing that along.
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