Halibrand Knock off wings

[Bill Kesner]

Looking for a set of true Halibrand knock off wings. Anyone have a set for sale, or know whether anyone sells them other than Halibrand?

- Bill -

[Dan Case]

The aluminum ones made from the very end of the 1960s forward are often on ebay® for sale, usually almost every week. I have purchase used, NOS (new old stock), and new production ones in the last few years. Be sure you know what size you are buying though. There are two common thread sizes and two common taper sizes, and a variety of owner modified combinations thereof.

[Bill Kesner]

Dan,

Thanks for the reply. I was not aware that there are (2) common thread sizes? Good to know! Any idea why there were two, and what the sizes were?

Thanks....Bill

[Dan Case]

Seller's on ebay® typically call them 2-1/4" or 2-5/8" but these are not actual measurements. The inner diameter of the threads is close to one of these tape measure sizes for their purposes. The average thread outer diameters I measure on 1960s Cobra hubs and axles are right at 59.25 mm which is about 2.33 something inches.

If I am not mistaken all SAI cars in the 1960s used the small size threads with one of several different taper sizes. (Check out period pictures of leaf spring competition cars, especially independently prepared and campaigned ones. I use to see racers with KOs on hubs or axles by only two or three threads. It was common to see the end of the hub or axle only partially “in” the KO. One letter in an old club publication indicated the writer bought a car with the rear KOs only engaged 1-1/4 turns and the writer wanted to know what to do improve safety.)

I have found genuine pre-1970s NOS KOs from Halibrand with two distinctly different size tapers. The “small taper” will not work on my car and its 1964 vintage wheels as the arms of the KO bottom out on the wheel prior to the taper making contact with the tapered seat in the wheel. The “large” size fits just right. Evidence suggests Halibrand KOs were made (It is believed that the aluminum ones were not actually made by Halibrand Engineering.) with a succession of different forging dies, for one thing the “ears” changed width, thickness, angle, and shape over the years.

The people selling the large thread size usually say they came from or are for sprint cars. Some sellers don’t know the difference. I have purchased some sight unseen that were advertised as being the small size but turned out to be the big ones.

[carisma]

Hi Dan:

You seem to know a bit about Halibrand KOs, So maybe you or someone you know can help me. I'm looking for an early 60s set of Halibrand Forged Steel KOs. I am enclosing a couple of pictures to show you the type I'm looking for. They are the large thread (2 5/8), Actually measure about 2 1/2 Top of thread to top of thread.

Can't figure out how to attach photos to this letter, so if you will e-mail me I will attach said photos to a return letter.

carisma@starband.net

Thanx for any help you can give me!

Regards, Steve

[Dominik]

good morning,

I am not sure if it helps the issue, but in the early 90s I ordered two sets of six-pin knock offs from Contemporary or Cobra Restorers (not at the same time, but closely together).

for the second set I got wing nuts which sit too deep in the taper of the wheel, so that the rims were actully held by the "wings" causing them to show a lot of "runout" or wobble.
and not by the taper.

both sets of wing nuts were aluminium with embossed HALIBRAND logo.

thread was the same, but I admit, I never checked the taper.

dominik