72 TA : New Project - Page 66

**firstgenaddict** · #**651** 07-25-2008, 06:44 AM

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Steve, how many total hours do you figure you have in this project?

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All of them.

(Well there are 8,760 hours in a year, multiply that by 4 years and you have the answer...35,040 hours so far.

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Too bad those aren't billable...

**njsteve** · #**652** 08-09-2008, 06:52 PM

I picked up an extra set of 15x7 honeycomb wheels for my BFG radials. (from earlier posts you know I will be using the Polyglas GT's for show). Found these on ebay reasonably cheap and only about 25 miles away.

The problem with these wheels is that the internal steel supporting cone that runs from the mounting flange of the wheel to the center cap mounting point is usually mangled from years of abuse from tire machines, pried off center caps, really high curbs, etc. The normally pentagon shaped flange is commonly trapazoidal from the years of bad treatment. There is no way to access and repair the cone if it is damaged...unless you get creative.

Here is the set:

Here is the center cap area. Notice the ovaled out center holes:

**njsteve** · #**653** 08-09-2008, 06:54 PM

I "thunk" to myself, well what do you use to make a dented tube round again?...and a lightbulb went off. Use a muffler tailpipe expander!

I borrowed my buddy's 30 year-old piece of iron hardware and plunked it in the center hole, gave a few whacks with a dead blow hammer and voila! Perfectly round again. It didn't even hurt the inner center cap mounting lip on the cone. It just moved everything back into place.

And here is the result:

StriperSS · #**654** 08-09-2008, 07:03 PM

Very ingenious. I look forward to your updates.

**njsteve** · #**655** 08-12-2008, 04:16 AM

Finished the bodywork and paint on the rims over the weekend. It really sucks having to pay $50 a can for OEM brand paint since they are the only ones that make the Honeycomb silver paint in a spray can. I'm sorry but the R&D cost can't be that massive for a paint that comes from an original factory paint code. Ouch! Maybe it has little bitty pieces of real diamonds in it that make it so sparkly...or maybe they're owned by Exxon/Mobil. (Note my sarcasm here

)

Anyway, the wheels came out reasonably well. I will be swapping the center caps from my other set when I use the radials, since the NOS center caps cost about $90 apiece now and no one repros them. Bigger ouch!

StriperSS · #**656** 08-12-2008, 04:29 AM

Beautiful job, and nicely centered tire logos over the valve stems.

**njsteve** · #**657** 08-12-2008, 04:43 AM

Always the perfectionist. (Thanks for noticing)

JK98SS · #**658** 08-15-2008, 10:14 AM

What about a set of the new 18" billets from Year One?

**mockingbird812** · #**659** 08-15-2008, 09:48 PM

Mac - looking fine and fine. Hey, I took a quick look at the latest HMM and noticed they featured Mitchell's personal '72 T/A. Have not read it in detail - just scanned it. What do you think about this car and the article? Do you know who recently ended up with it? Price?

Could this spark a surge in the '72 T/A market?

Thanks,

thumper83 · #**660** 08-15-2008, 11:21 PM

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles...QQAdIdZ53545982
Due to the beautiful work going on with this car I just thought I would share this with other T/A lovers.Sorry if it posted in the wrong place.

Dedicated to the Promotion and Preservation of American Muscle Cars, Dealer built Supercars and COPO cars.