So I called a popular wheel company today to order some 15’s for a A Roadster project I’m about to start and they couldn’t tell me for sure that a 56’ Olds wheel cover would fit on anything they sold. In the past I ran 16’s all 40’ Ford stuff and now I just purchased $1,000 worth of bias tires for 15” wheels wanting to run wheel covers. My questions are: what early Ford bolt pattern 15” wheels should I look for? Tires purchased are Firestone 820’s and 560’s. Rear axle is banjo front brakes are Lincoln. Did I **** up yet? Thanks for any input Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I dont care for 15" wheels at all on hot rods but I can tell you that 49-51 merc wheels are 15" and their skinnier counterpart are F1 wheels that I believe are 48-52 or 53 but that year range could be off a little. The centers look good together and the merc wheels are wider. Both are 5 on 5.5 I have some in my garage and if you need I could measure widths tomorrow.
ford 1/2 tons all the way up into the 70's are still the same bolt pattern, and 15". i dont see why they wouldnt take a full hubcap, they came with em new
I always myself liked the 16” also but wanted to try a different look. I have some beautiful 16” wires if this doesn’t pan out like I want them to. Thanks for the advice. I can use the measurements yes please. David Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
It’s these damn Olds Caps I got that I really fell in love with that started this idea otherwise I wouldn’t have even thought about trying this. It’s going to be a 50’s cruiser looking thing. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I ran the Olds hub caps on my 32 for a bit . The wheels were 48-50 F-1 15 in . I found 2 of the same style wheel on an IH Scout . Same early style hub cap O offset 15x8 . Those wheels can be found on early CJ s , Scouts and Ford Trucks .
Memory says 1946-'48 mercury were 15" that took the '40 style caps... pick up trucks would have been 16" from 1940 to '56ish... then became 15" but all used the same style caps till '65... think the hot set up was the merc 15" out front with the wider pick up 15"s out back... matching caps.
I will dive into the Hollander books tomorrow at All American Cl***ics and nail down some specs for you.
I was going to run these on my 48 when I thought I could still get an industrial ch***is crossmember. Ford pickup of unknown year that are 15 x 5-1/2 with 3-5/8 back spacing. They will probably go on my 31 A now. They cost me 10.00 each at the local wrecking yard. Now, why the hell do ******** self styled "experts" always have to tell a guy he can't use something like a set of 15's on his car with hubcaps he already has for "the look" he wants just to please their ***? Sounds like he is shooting for a very traditional late 50's / early 60's hot rod look just like most of them in the magazines at that time had. Damn it Lowdaddyo you let out the secret, I've got that same cap for my 48.
I think those are 57 up to mid to late 80s truck wheel . You know we are really showing our age and our interests , when it is super hard to find a 15 in basic steel wheel .
I know it is not traditional... but, IMO. a 15" pick up rim with any '50's dogdish caps and beauty rings has a hotrod look... and good ones are much easier to find... 10 years ago I had a buddy put '70s [with rivets] pick up rims on '51 car centers... plus an extra 1.5" offset for the rear of my hard channeled '33 five window... like a fool I gave away the unused narrow '51 rims and '70s truck centers... ***embled those are front wheels I would like to have now...
I believe that you are correct when mentioning the one I posted the photo of. The guys at the wrecking yard didn't view them as anything special outside of being pickup wheels. With them if it isn't a big wide wheel for a 4x4 it is just a wheel.
the biggest issue with running the Olds hubcaps on an early ford is the interference at the castle nut on the end of the rear axle. you need to make sure there is enough offset on the wheel so the nut doesn't hit inside the hubcap. Simply put a hubcap on a wheel and measure thru the center hole to the cap, then measure how far the nut sticks out from the face of the drum
How do the Olds caps attach? Do they have the multi-spring-angle or like 56 Chevs that fit on the 3-4 bumps. You need outer rims the same as the Olds if they are special or only a few years.
Star fire caps should fit. If yours are fiestas, they have a deep dish that interferes with the center of some wheels. Been there...
Def not a '49-'51 Merc wheel, the centers are completely different and the Mercs are riveted.. Those are pickup.
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