Joe,
If they are chromed wires with rust on the spokes, RUN AWAY!
If the rust is on the rims, you are ok, likewise if they are painted rather
than chromed.
The chroming process renders the spokes brittle. They tried this in the late
sixties/early seventies, I believe, and there was a major problem with
spokes breaking. Nowadays, when you get "chrome wire wheels", the rims are
chromed, but the spokes are stainless. Hence, if the spokes look chrome but
are rusting, they are probably the old brittle ones.
Likewise, you should assiduously avoid sandblasting yourself; it might
render your fingerprints hard to recognize and tempt you into a life of
chrime. Sorry, I couldn't resist the straight line ;-)
Remember that wires are primarily for looks. By the time you factor in the
weight of the hubs, the unsprung weight exceeds that of disk wheels. The
aggravation of dealing with wear on the splined hubs and wheels as well as
the expense of replacing them as frequently as you should will keep me away
from them forever. Disk wheels are much cheaper and easier to replace.
David Lieb
1972 RWA Midget
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