Any rodder worth his or her salt recognizes the name Bobby Walden. The first thoughts that come to mind when he's mentioned are of his flawless metalworking skills and the first-rate doorskins and roof inserts he handcrafts and sells. But, there is another outstanding product he has designed and marketed for years that many are still unfamiliar with-his early Ford hub kits, which he's made and sold since 1999, that allow the use of '59-66 Buick finned aluminum drums on early Ford spindles. This conversion normally requires machining and fabrication that many traditional hot rodders have shied away from because of the aggravation factor alone.
The Walden hubs are a direct replacement for early Ford iron hubs and are manufactured from 6061-T6 billet aluminum. They feature multi-lug patterns-5-1/2-, 4-3/4-, and 4-1/2-inch-so they can be matched to your favorite wheel choice. Speaking of choices, the conversion not only works utilizing Ford backing plates but also with the repro Lincoln, and custom backing plates from Wilson Welding. Walden has handled all the difficult machining on the hub assemblies, so you'll be able to mate those beloved finned aluminum Buick drums to your Ford spindles with ease. One note, though; the lip of some Ford backing plates may have to be shaved a bit so they don't contact the edge of the shoe surface of the Buick drums.
I noticed the Buick drums and aluminum hubs on Bobby's personal '46 Ford sedan during a recent visit to his Pomona, California, shop. When he mentioned they had more than 133,000 miles on 'em, I was impressed and asked to see a set of the hubs. He not only grabbed a pair off the shelf but actually took the time to show me how easy a conversion it really is, and now I'm seriously considering a pair for my Bruiser A project. In turn, I whipped out my trusty camera and chronicled the demo to share with you, so take a look at this easy conversion.