Wire wheel flaps (1936 1601)

During the past 10 years and 6,000 miles, we’ve “enjoyed” 6 roadside flats on our ’36 1601 with wire wheels and Coker flaps & Coker tires and recently with (made in USA) Firestone 700/750 x 16 radial pickup truck inner tubes.

I believe the Coker flaps to be the problem; they’re too wide and too thick for the wire wheel.  Concurrently, we have also used high-temperature 10 mil. HVAC tape to hold the flaps in place inside the wheel.  Upon post-flat demount inspection, the too wide/too thick flap(s) have shifted inside the wheel causing the HVAC tape to bunch-up with rough edges which eventually rubs a hole in the inner tube.

Question for this group:  1. Are thinner, narrower flaps available and if so, from whom?  2. Are flaps even necessary inside these wire wheels?  (Our ’36’s wire wheels are finished inside with a thick covering over the spokes in the hub; there are no sharp or rough edges.)  3. Would a few laps of high-temperature 10 mil. HVAC tape around the inside of the wheel suffice in lieu of flaps?

Thank you for any and all recommendations,

Stu Blair, Cincinnati, Ohio