In the Coker Tire garage, it's not the latest and greatest that draws the eye, but the varying degrees of vintage. Across the street at Honest Charley's garage, Jonathan Myren spends his days working with wood in what's considered a forgotten trade.
"This craft is considered the trade of a wheelwright and became obsolete in the late 20's. Prior to that almost every town had a wheelwright," Myren says. Coker's customers send in their worn wooden wheels, looking for a replacement that carries a piece of the past.
Myren measures the wheel and then makes a mold for the spokes. Each one is sanded so precisely, they fit together purely by pressure. The tools for this traditional task are as classic as the cars that will wear these wheels. "Back when they did this, they really didn't have sand paper like we know it. They would file these with tooled steel to a razor sharp point."
When the fit is flawless, the assembly is heated and then quickly cooled with water so it shrinks to fit. Each wooden wheel is crafted with hickory for it's strength and flexibility and customized to each customer's pet project. Myren says, "It's a neat feeling to be a part of or make a part to somebody's dream or their project that they've worked long and hard on."
And while Coker may be relatively new to the wooden wheel business for cars outside of their own garage, Myren knows his handiwork is hitting the road all around the world.
"To do something that's no longer done anymore, I'm especially proud to know that there's only a handful of places that do it in the world and we are one here in Chattanooga."
To visit the Honest Charley website, click here.
By: Latricia Thomas