Wire wheel question

[voltron]

Were the factory installed wire wheels mounted tubeless or did they come with tubes?

[ICON 1956]

Kelsey Hayes wheels would have a wide rubber band around the inner rim to prevent a puncture on the inner tube.

[Ducksface]

They were tubed.
And
The word 'tubeless' was scraped from the tires.

Do you have set of Kelsey Hayes wire wheels?

[voltron]

They are reproduction Kelsey Hayes look a likes sold by a TBird parts supplier. I put the center spinner hubcap on to see what it looked like. It was on so tight I was afraid to pry hard to get it back off without hurting it. I called the parts dealer I bought it from, he told me to use a plastic wedge tool and it worked, In the conversation he told me that I need to expect to get flats. That scares me, I'm too old to change a spare tire. They look very nice but am I doing something that I'll regret if I use them?

[Ducksface]

Go to a big box store and find the wide butyl tape.
Wrap(twicw or more) the area of the wheel with spokes in it.
I have no problems at all with my originals.
There are more than a few threads about spoked wheels here.
(Use paste wax GLOBBED where the wheel and cap interact)
And
They don't require any special treatment on any modern tire machine.

[ICON 1956]

Here's what I used on the spoke wheels on my 61