Rusty Wire wheels?
Looking to get rid of your wire wheels from your Avanti because of rust?///

  If you have the same wheels as I have on my '82, I 
suspect that the rust is inside the wheels and it has abraded your inner 
tubes and caused a flat.  Just want you to know that I cured my identical 
problem by having the tires pulled off the wheels, one at a time, cleaned 
and dried the each wheel thoroughly, filed, wire brushed and sanded the 
inner surfaces (of course removed the rubber strips and replaced them 
later).  I used a heavy construction grade epoxy paint, first a primer and 
then a finish coat on the wheel's inner surface before reassembling.  I did 
my best to seal the holes around the penetrating wires as much as 
possible.  I did this in February 1998, four years ago (at 82,000 miles), 
and have had no problem since.  If you do this, of course replace the inner 
tube as you cycle each wheel through the process.  My write-up on this was 
published in a subsequent Avanti Magazine issue (Issue 103, Spring 
1998).  Hope this may help you.

Ernie Wolf
RQB-3479
Delivered June 24, '82

+++++++++