The History of Vintage Cars With Spoked Wooden Wheels

Very early automobiles used wooden spokes on their wheels.

The earliest automobiles in the United States used wooden spokes in wheels. The practice soon proved impractical and spokes were made of steel or iron by the early 1920s.

History

Wagons used wooden spokes in wheels, so it must have made sense to early makers of the "horseless carriage" to continue the practice.

Significance

Wooden wheels warped easily and creaked as they rolled along streets and roadways. They also lost their paint quickly and had an unpleasant appearance. They would also crack fairly easily.

Tires

Early on, tires were very narrow and wooden spokes made sense. As tires became thicker, which gave better traction and a smoother ride, wooden spokes made less sense and were found to be impractical.

Features

Most car makers stopped using wood spokes in the 20s, but some persisted into the early 30s. The Ford Model T ran wooden spokes from 1909 into the 1920s. It was not until 1926 that wire wheels began to be used. The Overland Willys had wooden spokes in 20s and early 30s. The Cadillac Model G used wooden spokes in its 1908 edition.

References

• HubcapMike: History of Hubcaps
• Old Cars Weekly: Ford Model T
• Concept Carz: Vintage Cadillac

Resources

• Affinity Network: Vintage Cars For Sale