Brad the Mopar Dude No Longer Widens Rims

1970FuryConv

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Unfortunate PSA
· Brad the Mopar dude, phone conversation, widening wheel rims. Brad no longer provides that service because of partial retirement. He recommended Stockton Wheel in California as about the only place left that does custom work on wheel rims. He added that to do the job right, a shop needs to replace the entire rim shell, bead seat to bead seat. The only thing reused is the centers. The Mopar Dude-Sales of Classic Cars and Muscle Cars. Burlington, Kansas

· He said if you want to buy something off the shelf you could use Coker tire, which bought up Wheel Vintiques, or the better-known aftermarket suppliers Cragar, Centerline, American racing.

· He says that he is focusing on car restoration only. He says he has a 2.5 year backlog.
 
He did my wheels for the Monaco. 15x7s with a 1/2” bead inside the rim to accept the stock wheels covers. Excellent work and the covers fit great.
 
Stockton has a horrible reputation for bad customer service and taking forever to fill orders. I thought they closed the doors for a while because of it.

I've also heard they have new people running it, but I'd still be cautious.
 
Stockton has a horrible reputation for bad customer service and taking forever to fill orders. I thought they closed the doors for a while because of it.
I've also heard they have new people running it, but I'd still be cautious.
Hi Big John
I also read they have new people running it. The reviews on other websites for 2000-2010 were terrible. Around 2014 the reviews get better. Maybe Brad recommended them because there's nothing else available. He said they are about the only ones left who do wheel widening. @Aidan1976 and I have been talking. To make the Cooper 275-60R15 tires I bought work on my 70Fury vert, I need to increase rim size to 15x8 with about 5.125" backspace (currently 15x7 with 4" back space). Left side tire is rubbing LS wheel lip on hard left turns. Clearance at one point is only .5". I'll call later and find out what their prices are. Thanks, Ben
 
Hi Big John
I also read they have new people running it. The reviews on other websites for 2000-2010 were terrible. Around 2014 the reviews get better. Maybe Brad recommended them because there's nothing else available. He said they are about the only ones left who do wheel widening. @Aidan1976 and I have been talking. To make the Cooper 275-60R15 tires I bought work on my 70Fury vert, I need to increase rim size to 15x8 with about 5.125" backspace (currently 15x7 with 4" back space). Left side tire is rubbing LS wheel lip on hard left turns. Clearance at one point is only .5". I'll call later and find out what their prices are. Thanks, Ben
Yea, I don't know if they are doing OK or not. I know that I've read some horror stories about charging credit cards and never delivering product, never answering their phones, bad wheels etc.

There were a number of places around that did wheels, but I'm sure that liability issues drove them out. I remember having some wheels made 40 years ago by a guy in his backyard. Ran true and balanced with minimal weight. There was another local place that specialized in repairing bent truck wheels and they could build wheels to order, but they have morphed into drivelines for trucks etc. and I don't think they even touch wheels anymore.

I'll bet if you looked for someone that builds racing wheels for the oval track guys, you might talk one of them into modifying some wheels. There are other places too. Never done business with these guys, but a google search gave me this: https://thewheelsmith.net/

They used to widen wheels by cutting them and adding a strip of steel, but I think that went by the wayside when wheel "shells" became more available and then it was a matter of matching centers to the shells (or rims). It's not rocket surgery, just good welding and keeping them true and straight.
 
And those videos make me wonder if there's some off roading places that would widen wheels.
 
Does he still make the 15 inch wheels that accept a 14 inch Hubcap?
 

I love You Tube...

It's interesting that both shops use banding. Brad said banding is outdated and too hard to perform. Brad said that shops now reuse the centers and replace the entire rim shell. I guess not everyone agrees.
 
I think the new rim-shell is a little more robust also. My wheelcovers don’t travel or come loose as they did on the original wheels with radials mounted on them.
 
New rim shells is how Brad widened the C-Body Road Wheels that I sent to him, and the OEM police wheels purchased from him:

20181014_105413.jpg


20181014_105434.jpg
 
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