Weld Wheels Shop Tour - Super Chevy Magazine

Weld Wheels have been leaders in the field of high-quality racing wheels for many years. These well-engineered and thoroughly tested products are also highly sought after by those seeking high-style wheels either for race or show. Known for one-piece forged construction, Weld Wheels is now moving into retail distribution of their products. To introduce us to the expanded lineup and their first store, many of the automotive press were invited to the Kansas City factory for a preview. We certainly liked the finished samples but we were even more intrigued by a look at what it takes to get a slug of material in the back door and a fine wheel out the front. Join us for an abbreviated look at Greg Weld's well-tuned operation.

Every wall and nearly all the floor space in the new Weld Wheel store was packed with bright, shiny wheels such as this in an almost infinite range of sizes and widths.
Every wall and nearly all the floor space in the new Weld Wheel store was packed with brig
Whether you call it billet or just a big log of aluminum, this is how the wheels start out. Fed into a saw, precision cuts are made for each type of wheel scheduled for the factory's output during that production run.
Whether you call it billet or just a big log of aluminum, this is how the wheels start out
It looks hot, and it is hot: about 1,800 degrees! The cut piece of material is set into a brace and heated up, just before tons of pressure comes crashing down on it to form the beginning of a wheel. These guys drink lots of water and they don't have to hit the gym after work.
It looks hot, and it is hot: about 1,800 degrees! The cut piece of material is set into a

Here it comes: starting to look like a wheel.
This is only one of many steps to take the rough edges off the forgings. These wheels get machined, buffed, polished, inspected, drilled, inspected, and then inspected again. Takes a lot but they get them right.
This is only one of many steps to take the rough edges off the forgings. These wheels get
For chrome wheels, the first step if a good cleaning.

Next they get dipped in about a dozen vats of mighty interesting chemicals.
When they come out they're bright and shiny.
More buffing: These are probably not the guys you want to arm wrestle. Wheels don't leave this area until they gleam. Imagine how much metal polish goes through this part of the factory in a year!
More buffing: These are probably not the guys you want to arm wrestle. Wheels don't leave

After all that work, wheels don't leave Weld's factory unless they're well wrapped and protected. When that box is opened the new owner deserves the best.
After all that work, wheels don't leave Weld's factory unless they're well wrapped and pro
Greg Weld didn't just get into making wheels by accident. After racing sprint cars and qualifying as the fastest rookie starter in the Indy 500, he needed to find better wheels than were on the market at the time. The only solution was to make his own. That's the short (very) version of how Weld Wheels got started. The rest was all hard work.
Greg Weld didn't just get into making wheels by accident. After racing sprint cars and qua