Odd 30/31 AA rim

Stakebed · Post by **Stakebed** » October 26th, 2014, 5:00 pm

Picked this up more out of curiosity. Was bolted to a early 30 AA front axle and fit just like the other standard 30/31 5 hole rims.

is this that weird 18" AA rim? The tire just says 32x6 and somehow i forgot to measure it with a tape measure...

Neil Wilson · Post by **Neil Wilson** » October 26th, 2014, 8:19 pm

It looks like the tire is marked 32x7. If yes, then that is an 18" wheel (32 - (7x2) = 18)

I have only one (very poor) Ford archive photo of the AA 18" wheel and it is shown in the gallery at http://127.0.0.1:4001/wordpress/aa-chas ... 00-wheels/

It has only one opening (vent) with a center slot for the valve stem.

Stakebed · Post by **Stakebed** » October 27th, 2014, 3:37 am

yea thats what i thought the ford 18" wheel had only one opening. I will see if i can find any marks on the rim.

Hayslip · Post by **Hayslip** » October 27th, 2014, 6:56 am

How do you balance a wheel with one large cutout?

gunmetal 2 · Post by **gunmetal 2** » October 27th, 2014, 11:43 am

Tire company's have beads that they can put in your tire throw the valve stems.

Stakebed · Post by **Stakebed** » October 27th, 2014, 5:31 pm

Any guesses as to what the heck this is? Did any other company (like BUDD) make aftermarket rims with fords bolt pattern?

What would be the purpose of an 18" rim vs 20" rim? On the rear it would increase the rear end ratio so you could in theory have more torque but i thought fords 18" rim was just for the front...

ModelAkid · Post by **ModelAkid** » October 27th, 2014, 5:56 pm

Stakebed can you wire brush the inside center and find the production date, and also maybe hopefully the part number?
As for 18" wheels only on one axle, that would not be very good, you would have to carry 2 different size spare tires.

Stakebed · Post by **Stakebed** » October 27th, 2014, 6:06 pm

Yea i can wire brush it tomorrow and hopefully find something. I will also try to clean the split ring and see if BUDD has thier stamp or firestone or someone else.

I would guess the paint scheme would be black rim with silver split ring correct? I plan to clean it up paint it and have as a curiosity/AA props to throw on the back of my truck once its done.

ModelAkid · Post by **ModelAkid** » October 27th, 2014, 8:22 pm

All AA wheel rim flanges were cadmium plated. On special order they could be painted over.
All AA wheels were painted black but for $1 per wheel on special order they could be painted another color over the black.

Stakebed · Post by **Stakebed** » November 24th, 2014, 7:43 pm

Haven't got around to wire brushing yet... got busy with other AA projects now the snows a flying. Maybe this weekend...Does anyone have any other pics of the ford 18" rim? I know someone mentioned they sold a doodlebug with these rims on it - did they look like this one? Like Neil says I've only ever seen this one i now own and the ford archive grainy picture.

EDIT: the grainy picture from ford archives shows the one opening clearly and it is upsidedown of what i have (think of it as a triangular shape - fords archive shows the valvestem comming from the triangle point, mine comes from the flat side of the triangle.

Anyways good news is i thinki found out what this rim fits: Russian WW2 GAZ-AA or GAZ-AAA. This ebay link for model tires is identical to what i have:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-35-Customfact ... 43d303c74b

and this picture i found while googiling GAZ-AA wheels is identical: ironically i found it on this very forum from 2010. Its from a for sale ad in Moscow someone found!

Now bigger question is how the rim got to the USA....

aa-fords.com

Odd 30/31 AA rim

Odd 30/31 AA rim

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