Modifying Eagle Wheel for Irish Roads

Here is my Eagle. It is upside down on the second floor of Brian Cawley's cutting edge Castlebar Cycle Store here in Ireland. We are trying to get the 72-hole modern day 50" rim to synch up with the 1891 36-hole hub (why hairpin spokes, pictured below are needed). Jim Spillane, now in Vermont, has worked out the trigonometry, and he feels confident that a 6-spread spoke pattern will work instead of the 14 spokes the hairpin V used to cross. 

Jim also wants me to anneal the spoke elbows so we can work harden the area. This will make it possible for the spokes to make up for the changed load they will experience. For this task, my MAPP gas torch will be hard at work 

Then we lace the wheel! If all goes a cording to plan, the next challenge will be getting it to run true. 

I am willing to try Rocky Mtn Hiwheel's steel aluminium rim because, until I can get the Eagle back on US roads, I have got to make some adjustments so  I can train on the harsh Irish asphalt. 

           THX 4 all of U!!