to captnben - custom wheels on a 57

[McNamee]

Ben,

I saw your post on wheels for a 57 (with front IFS) in the CTCI forum and wanted to drop you a line. I am planning on putting a fat man IFS, supercharged 4.6l DOHC mustang cobra engine, and AODE in my 57. I'll also upgrade the interior with bucket seats, climate control, etc., but want to make everything look as original as possible "at a glance". I've found a set of 30+ spoke, aluminum wheels, that can be made to look exactly like the 14" turbine wheels on my 57.
These are 15"x7" wheels with over 5" of back spacing, allowing me to fit them on both the front and back, providing the front has an IFS kit, so they'll clear the steering knuckle. The great thing is that they'll look stock, but allow for over 9" of tread WITH FENDER SKIRTS to handle the 400+ rwhp I'm going to get with this engine. I have a friend who works at a machine shop turning one wheel right now to try to smooth the center section to match the look of the turbine hubcaps. The only thing missing will be the F O R D scrips on the center ring (due to the lug nuts).

You can contact me at mcnameen@bellsouth.net or 770-594-7892 to discuss. I'd really like to hear about how you got your engine and tranny mounted, and what mistakes to avoid when I start my project. I've already located the engine/tranny, seats, guages, console, etc... but am waiting on more garage space and funds to start the project.

Also, anyone else who has put a 4.6l and aode in a baby bird, please feel free to contact me to compare notes.

Mike McNamee
1957 Starmist "Nadine"
Roswell, GA