Studillac and Borrani Wire Wheels

[Don Jeffers]

Anyone know which Borrani Wire Wheels, ie RW ????, Bill Frick installed on his Studillacs ?

[mbstude]

Here's the original ad. Probably does nothing to answer your question, but I'm looking forward to any info as well. I'll contact Bill Frick Jr. and see if he knows. (He worked in his Dad's shop as a kid when the Studillacs were being built).



If it helps, here is a freshly converted Studillac with wires. The picture was taken in front of Frick's shop in LI.

[Don Jeffers]

The Sutdillac in the ad appears to have Borrani Knock-offs. The freshly converted Studillac in the photo appears to not have knock-offs. I'm not certain they are Borranis, either.

A couple of nice photos though. Thanks.

Perhaps Bill Frick's son might come across some documentation regardihg which Borranis and Borrani knock-offs his dad bought.

I wonder what the pleated leather dashboard looked like. The Marchal headlamps are availlable today.

[mbstude]

I just got off the phone with Bill Jr. There's no paper work or documentation left from the Studillac days, but he did remember the knock off Borranis. He said "Phony Borranis" (with the hubcap) was shop slang for the wires in the second photo. Not much help for your initial question, and of the 4 confirmed Frick Studillacs that I know of extant, I don't think any of them have wire wheels.

[PackardV8]

All the early '50s Borranis I've seen off Ferraris were 5".

jack vines

P.S. - looking at the pricing, no wonder why there weren't more Studillacs. The $1500 basic conversion equals $12,200 in today's dollars. A few options and the buyer had just doubled the cost of his new Stude.
Same as with the Paxton Products brochure pricing. Today, we'd love to buy R3 parts at those '60s prices, but adjusted for inflation, they were expensive for the day.

jack vines

[studegary]

Contact the SNM. These are probably the same Borranis that Bob Bourke put on his 1954 Starliner in 1953-1954 and are still on the car.

[Don Jeffers]

Is Bob Bourke's Starliner on display at the SNM ? I would like to see it. I was at the museum several years ago, but just don't remember his car specifically. Bob Bourke's custom '54 Starliner is certainly of the same era as Bill Frick's cars. Thanks for the reminder. Perhaps a phone call will clear up what wheels are on the Bourke car.

John Bridges' book Studebaker's Finest has three photos of Mr. Bourke's custom '54 Starliner. The photo on page 258 has the best perspective on the wire wheels, a right rear wheel. Examination of the wire wheel's hub and knock off appear to me to be in the style of Dayton Wire Wheels. The Bourke wie wheels appear to be painted with a chrome three ear knock off. Borrani and Dayton knock off wheels typically were/are not interchangable on their adapters. The two adapters are of far different styles.

Interestingly, Studebaker used Dayton Wire Wheels on show car Avantis nearly a decade later. I wonder if Mr. Bourke had an influence on the choice of the Avanti show cars' wire wheels.

At this point all this sheds no light on the possible choice of Borranis by Bill Frick. Perhaps an online search might show what Borranis were available in the 53-54 era.

Any further leadings or corrections appreciated.

[Bordeaux Daytona]

Bob Bourke's Starliner

[Bordeaux Daytona]

Here's some pictures I took last year when the museum had the wheels off to be restored.

John V.

[Don Jeffers]

Clearly Dayton Wire Wheel adapters with Dayton three ear knock-offs.

Thanks for the photos. Saved them in my Studebaker folder.

[beth nelson]

Don, I think I can help...

Borrani classic rims with knock offs were made for Studebaker model RW 2820. They are actually still available but by request only and take about 6-8 weeks. The rims would still be custom made to the same specifications and hand assembled in Italy. If you want more information on the classic Borrani rims you can always visit our website at www.borraniamericas.com or you can reach me at Borrani Americas (920) 725-1267 bnelson@borraniamericas.com.

I hope that helps.

[Don Jeffers]

Thanks for the independent confirmation about the RW 2820s, Beth. Glad to see you on the
forum.

For those folks that are interested, the Borrani website has a downloadable catalog listing many
of the Borrani wire wheels made over the years. It is interesting to scan over the specifications of
the wheels Borrani made for many of the exotic cars over the years, some specs going back as far
as the ‘20s and ‘30s.

Go to the Borrani website www.borraniamericas.com and click on Classic, Products, Product
List and download the full product list in the lower right corner.

Down at the end of the product list they have listed for Studebacker (sic):
Year 52; size 4.50 x 15; ref RW 2820; 52R hub; 72 spoke wheel; record (aluminum rim); price
1,160 Euros. That is a little over $1,500 per wheel. The recommended tire is a 180HR15
Michelin tire for 195 Euros ($256).

So we might assume the RW 2820 Borrani is the wheel that was supplied to Bill Frick for his
Studillacs.

A couple of points: The 4.50 x 15 wheel is obviously pretty narrow today. And if you want to
clone a Studillac with Borranis, newly made RW 2820 wheels will have their actual production
date stamped on them. I believe that if you have some originals from 1953, Borrani will rebuild
them with the original date of manufacture.

This information pretty well satisfies my curiosity about Borranis knock off wire wheels on
Studillacs.

I would like a set of aluminum rim Borranis for my 54 Stude. And I would like them in perhaps
6.5 width for the front and 7 or 7.5 inch width for the back. Hey, I can dream, can’t I.

Those polished aluminum rim, center laced Borranis as used on Ferraris and such are sooo good
looking.

[beth nelson]

Hi Don and group...thanks for the nice welcome.

I wanted to let you know that yes we can make the original rim RW 2820 but you don't need to dream about the rims on your 54 Stude - Borrani has the capabilities to develop the rim in the sizes you mentioned. That's the great thing about being hand-made. The new rims would be RW 2820/1 and could come in whatever would fit in your 54 Stude wheel wells. The off-set would be divided equally inside to outside unless otherwise stated.

FYI - Borrani did make some steel spoked wheels such as Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin and Bugatti in addition to some GM show cars and other manufacturers but do not offer the steel wheel anymore.

Let me know if you have any additional questions.

Beth

[t walgamuth]

Hi Don and group...thanks for the nice welcome.

I wanted to let you know that yes we can make the original rim RW 2820 but you don't need to dream about the rims on your 54 Stude - Borrani has the capabilities to develop the rim in the sizes you mentioned. That's the great thing about being hand-made. The new rims would be RW 2820/1 and could come in whatever would fit in your 54 Stude wheel wells. The off-set would be divided equally inside to outside unless otherwise stated.

FYI - Borrani did make some steel spoked wheels such as Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin and Bugatti in addition to some GM show cars and other manufacturers but do not offer the steel wheel anymore.

Let me know if you have any additional questions.

Beth

If a person dug deep and purchased the aluminum rim Borranis in a five lug design how much is the cost and the how much would the wheels weigh? Also if a person bought one setup for a knock off, how much would that cost including any adapters needed and what is the weight of that please?

[Skip Lackie]

Eleven year old thread. May not get an answer.