New Tires and Painted rims!!

[pjkaiser]

I have new tires for my Traveler from Coker, the American radials that look like bias ply.  I do so much freeway driving here in Southern California that I am looking forward to the better ride.

The rims are getting powder coated for $55 a rim plus around $50 for a special mix to match the Pea****** Blue paint.

The paint goes for $150 per quart and it would need two quarts plus all the thinners, primers and work!!   

These rims were originally green with just the spare and rim lips painted the Pea****** Blue.  The entire rim, front and back will be powder coated.

They are off to the shop now for coating!

[j762538]

Phil, what did those tires run?

[konrad]

Very nice pj!

I do hope they're going to blast and clean those wheels before coating?  I worked in a powder coating business once upon a time, and I can tell you from experience that if that metal isn't properly cleaned and prepped, you will not like the end result...

My inference is you've got your ducks in a row and if so, ignore the portion of my reply after "very nice pj!". 

[pjkaiser]

$1368 for 4 out the door, picked up at a local warehouse, so I saved on shipping.  There were almost $100 in 5 different taxes!!

The rims will be sandblasted etc. preparatory to powder coating.

I had the Darrin wheels powder coated black because I didn't know they could do custom paint colors.   I will live with black rims instead of color matching rims.

[konrad]

I had the Darrin wheels powder coated black because I didn't know they could do custom paint colors.   I will live with black rims instead of color matching rims.

Crap...too bad I didn't join the club earlier...could have let you know they can do most any color under the sun in powder coating...

Think I've found the local shop I need to do the work I can't or won't be able to do...quoted me $5 - 600 to convert my 51 to 12 volt if I supply the parts.  Of course the parts will cost me just a bit more than that...but I thought that price quite reasonable. 

[Gordie]

For the first fifty years of the car industry most cars were six volt and it worked just fine.  In the fifties when air conditioning became popular G.M. started equipping their cars with twelve volt batteries and the rest of the industry followed.  Unless your car is equipped with air conditioning and other volt eating accessories you certainly do not need twelve volts in a Kaiser or Frazer.  Just make sure that your battery is in good shape, and the proper size and your ground wires are clean and you won't be able to tell the difference between six and twelve volts in a K-F product.

[konrad]

For the first fifty years of the car industry most cars were six volt and it worked just fine.  In the fifties when air conditioning became popular G.M. started equipping their cars with twelve volt batteries and the rest of the industry followed.  Unless your car is equipped with air conditioning and other volt eating accessories you certainly do not need twelve volts in a Kaiser or Frazer.  Just make sure that your battery is in good shape, and the proper size and your ground wires are clean and you won't be able to tell the difference between six and twelve volts in a K-F product.

Hi Gordie...I understand your concerns...the first question the mechanic I spoke with asked was why I wanted to potentially convert the car to 12 volt.  My explanation...a sound system, LED head and tail lights, and potentially an aftermarket AC unit at some point in the future...

Frankly I was most impressed with my convo with him when he stated he hated drilling new holes in classic cars.  My idea for a sound system involves having the radio guts replaced by Vintage Audio Radio, an amp in the glove box, a pair of speakers mounted on top of the package shelf (no holes cut to mount them within) with a third speaker in a hafler circuit in the dash speaker housing.

The LED lights just make sense from the standpoint of longevity and reliability...and the AC?  Well, since much of our enjoyment of this car will occur in the steamy summer months of July and August in Wisconsin...

But all of this is down the road a bit...for now we'll enjoy the car as is...though being a music junkie...the sound system calls to me. 

Additionally, the plans I have would be easily reversible...I'll keep all the original parts...the only downside to originality I see is the replacement/refurbishing of the radio guts and the mounting of an alternator...

[joefrazer]

An FYI, KF rims were shipped from the manufacturer painted black. As parts were then painted for assembly, the front of the rim was color coated but the back was left black. If club judging is of no concern, paint both sides.

[pjkaiser]

CLUB JUDGING IS OF NO CONCERN!!!

With powder coating, they have to do the whole wheel or do major masking with adds considerably to the cost.

As far as. the LED's, you can get 6 volt LED'S with a turn signal flasher that will work with them.   I've ordered LED"s for my Darrin, just waiting for them to arrive!!!

Also Konrad, for the few times you will be in your vehicle, use your phone for tunes, maps etc.   When you get where you are going, you won't have time to listen as you will be talking about your car.   As for AC, just aim the wing vents toward you, it does help a bit.

[konrad]

As far as. the LED's, you can get 6 volt LED'S with a turn signal flasher that will work with them.   I've ordered LED"s for my Darrin, just waiting for them to arrive!!!

Also Konrad, for the few times you will be in your vehicle, use your phone for tunes, maps etc.   When you get where you are going, you won't have time to listen as you will be talking about your car.   As for AC, just aim the wing vents toward you, it does help a bit.

LOL on the wing vents. 

On the tunes, I have an awesome JBL rechargeable speaker that I suspect we'll use for a time...after spending the coin we have on the car, we'll not be making heavy investments in alterations for a year or three, and I will reassess my options when we get to that point.

My plans are entirely 'down the road' and not immediate. 

Bottom line though...you can't have LED lights, decent sound system and ac in a 6 volt car...no matter how you cut that cheese...short of a spare 12 volt battery that you charge between uses.

My goal is to keep the car as original as possible, with a few modifications for comfort/maintenance...all of which can be easily reversed by the next owner...as I'm not a spring chicken. 

This car is too beautiful and perfect to try to turn it into a resto mod...not my intent.  But I do want to make it the car my wife and I want to take to local towns and events...

[konrad]

As far as. the LED's, you can get 6 volt LED'S with a turn signal flasher that will work with them.   I've ordered LED"s for my Darrin, just waiting for them to arrive!!!

PJ, can you tell me which 6 volt LED's you ordered and from where?

I'm looking at these currently:  https://www.ledlight.com/g18-s25-2_6-watt-1157-6-volt-ac-non-polarity.aspx

...but wondering if I need the load equalizers as well to get the turn signals to flash at the correct rate...

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Check the turn signal bulbs against the type listed for your car in owners manual, shop manual and/or Service Standards for your car.  Differences in flash rates usually reflect the following conditions:

1.  Defective flasher unit (the small round can-like thing on the firewall of a 1951 Kaiser)
2.  Check for a good ground.

The great majority of flash rates can be traced back to intermintent/poor ground contact or using the wrong bulb number.

[pjkaiser]

I'm still waiting for them, however, it looks like the site I ordered them from.   I purchased the flasher unit that works with the LED's.

Once I get them, I will put them in and try them out, then let you know how they work.