WANTED HANDS WHEEL

[mark l shepard]

Hi
Need at least 1 Hands 5" outside rear wheel half.

Please PM me if you can help

Thanks Mark

[mark l shepard]

Any 5" Hands wheel half will help. Inside, Outside, Front or Rear. Even one with a chipped rim .... or ??

Thanks for your help

Mark

[Terry Armstrong]

Mark,

I have a 1963 Bug Wasp that originally came with Hands Magnesium 5" wheels, unfortunately the wheels are no longer with it. I'm interested in restoring someday with the correct wheels. In 3 years of attending Vintage kart meets, I have never seen a kart with these wheels!

Were these Hands Magnesium wheels super fragile or just not popular back in the day? I'm starting to think these wheels don't exist anymore!

Can anyone elaborate on this subject? Thanks.

[Rob Voska]

I have a Dart Super K with mag Hands. 1 wheels was broken when I got it and I looked for 3-4 years to find a wheel.

[Tom Luttenbacher]

I have a set on my GK 800, 4" and 5" which was at TBO last year, and the year before they were on a Brand X I brought to TBO, plus a pair of not so nice 4" fronts in spare parts dept. I've seen them on eBay on occasion. But it's possible mine are aluminum not magnesium. Keep searching. Tom

[Andy Symons]

My A-Runner, built by Midwest Model Supply Company in Chicago in '61 came with 4 and 5" Hands and I always assumed they were aluminum. They have held up well over the years and I always felt they were one of the nicest wheels out there. They're rare though and commanding big prices on eBay whenever they come up. Does anyone know if they made the aluminum and magnesium wheels simultaneously? Betraying my ignorance, I'm wondering is there an easy way to tell the difference? Andy

[ted johnson]

Mark, the mag wheels were always optional on Bugs, at least thru 1961. You can tell if Hands wheels are magnesium by the goldish cast to them, and by the fact that the beads are almost always broken. The vast majority of Bugs in '60-'61 came with aluminum wheels. Lots of the Bug inner halves were stamped steel. Of course, even the aluminums are a beast to find. The mag rims were very brittle and broke easily. TJ

[Tom Smith]

this is some of the original price list for the 1960 Evans Special, I skipped the single engine models and accessories like Fairbanks Morse clutches etc.
OPTIONAL RACING EQUIPMENT. Replaces stock equipment at slight extra cost.
PALMINI light weight motor mounts 9.00
PALMINI tuned exhaust headers 5.95
PALMINI tank 6.00 extra
HANDS mag wheels set of 4 25.00
RACING SLICKS set of 4 18.00
ALL EVANS SPECIALS COME COMPLETE WITH LOCKED AXLE, PAINT, UPHOLSTERY, SOLID LINKAGE.
3/4 IN. TAPERED ROLLER BEARINGS, 10 IN. FRONT, 12 INCH REAR TIRES
Dual 5.3 cu. in. engines, Palmini tank, alum mounts 475.00
Dual 8.2 cu. in. engines, Palmini tank 370.00
Dual 7.00 cu. in. engines, Palmini tank 365.00
Dual 5.80 cu. in. engines, Palmini tank 355.00
5.3 cu. in. MCCULLOCH Mc-10
5.80 cu. in. WEST BEND 580 series
7.00 cu. in. WEST BEND 700 series
8.2 cu. in. POWER PRODUCTS AH 82
According to this it looks like the 1960 dual Mc-10 Evans Special with optional Hands wheels was 500 bucks.

[Russ Smith]

$500 a pop fully loaded? I'll take two!