Retro Wheel Centers

Has anyone ever seen this?  These are new wheels and I’m toying with filling and tapping them to receive the Ford centers.  It seems like the hardest part is getting a plumb hole in the aluminum.  It would be really cool if I could bring this together but I think I’m too nervous to try it.  

Bare wheel


My center just sitting there


A pic someone posted on FB

Do you know anyone with a drill press?  That would make it easy to get a truly vertical hole.

But, since you'll be going in with the plastic anchors, I assume, it isn't terribly critical.

What make of wheels are those? Ansens?

The picture you posted from FB are factory wheels that were available from 77-81. They already have the anchors in them from the factory.

I have seen plenty of trucks with your style of wheel and the center caps made to fit them. I agree with Gary, I would locate a drill press and make sure the wheel is tightly held in place.

They are US Mags Indy 101 wheels.  US Mags shares the same address with Foose Wheels in Los Angeles area.  I bought them from Summit Racing.

I have a drill press but getting the wheel into the press, even without the tire would be a challenge.  I think an easier trick would be to get a piece of aluminum about 1" thick and wide enough to span two of the lug holes.  I would make a jig that would place the anchor hole where it needs to land and use the aluminum as a guide. I could bolt it through the two lug holes and drill with a hand drill through the 1" jig that would keep the drill straight.  I don't think the holes for the centers needs to be perfectly centered and since it's so close to the axis of rotation if it was off 1/32" it wouldn't make much of an issue.   I may get the guts to actually drill these wheels some day but for now I'm focussing on the rest of the work on the truck.  

I was envisioning doing it with the tires off the wheels.  Even my mill may not be big enough with a tire on.

But the jig might work pretty well.  You might slip a piece of steel tubing over the bit to keep it from chewing on the aluminum of the jig since you have a dozen holes to drill.

Hardened drill bushings for jigs are pretty cheap and ubiquitous.

I am not usually a fan of aftermarket wheels, but I think the new U.S. Mags Indy slot wheels you have look MUCH better than the stock (1978 - 1981) Ford wheels.  The Indy slots look more "kidney" shaped, whereas the Ford's are more squared off and is a narrow wheel.  I think the Ford ones look better on a 1970s truck than our Bullnoses.  I also think the chrome centers look better than the black, which to me also look like they belong on an older 1970s truck.  The chrome ones would be more period-correct and provide that finishing touch!  I would do it.  

In fact, Lucille had the Indy slot wheels when I first took possession of her in the late 1990s.  I think they were 15x8.5.  I had originally planned to restore them and do exactly what you are proposing, but decided to go with the 15x8 stock Deluxe Argent Styled Steel (wagon) Wheels instead.