Funky Campy hub
 

Looks like someone milled the ends. Why?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/170858858528...84.m1423.l2649

aerodynamics, baby! ;)
Seriously I don't think there's any good reason, unless you really want the grease to get contaminated all the time and easily. Maybe forces one to use oil and flush after every race...most likely the flanges/dust caps got mangled up badly and the PO wanted to try to save them with this "creative" mod.

maybe the bike was for indoor use?

Probably a dedicated over the top TT build. I think it's pretty cool.

Giong through the trouble to machine off the "extra" metal... I would have milled the center of the barrel too... I have a set like that...
And yes for a no stone unturned Pursuit build.... but I would have gone 28 or 24 hole.

I'd guess a road hub converted for track. The old tyme track guys liked to run exposed bearings like that and oil just before a race. Course, you could just pop the dust covers, but maybe someone had a lathe and too much time on their hands. Slick job.

shaving grams

just stupidity

if you want a lighter build-less spokes

looks worthless as poop in a handbag to me.

that could explain it...if this was a common practice, it makes me wonder how much oil got flung off/out of a set-up like that and what that oil might have done to a track...and the track racers :eek: