History '50 Merc Hub Caps: a small tradition

For those who are running late ford rear ends the late 80's ford police cars that ran the dog dish hub caps will take the Merc caps

Here is my Roadster with a 57 Ranchero rear and 86 police car wheels which of course are the 4 1/2 inch pattern

The front is done with '56 f-100 brakes and hubs. I used late Ford PU wheels and made tangs on them to hold the Merc caps.

John

 

The guy with the '36 Roadster lives about 5 miles from me. John didn't tell you he's running a healthy flathead. He built the roadster himself and it is one fine ride. He can do about anything with sheet metal. Heck, he even upholstered the car!

The Ford wheels he mentioned were used on '92 thru '97 Ford Interceptors (other years?). A '50 Merc cap fits 'em perfectly.

As to the small (dog dish) interceptor stainless hub caps, my brother has an NOS set of 4, ($75 delivered) if anyone is interested. They fit the wheels above.

FWIW, John has had some high-dollar offers for that beautiful '36 Roadster!

Gaither

 

Great thread 50Fraud, these are the REAL traditional wheels on hot rods. All the whining about Wheel Vintiques making the early ford inner nib wheels in multi lug ignores they were not the "Traditional" wheel and whitewall look at all. 50 Merc caps on chromes were. Wheel Vintiques makes a nice 64 series chrome wheel and sells flat merc caps to fit them.

 

My 50 Merc wheels and caps.

 

Great looking RPU!

 

Yes! And the Merc caps show well with little or no offset of the wheels. FWIW, I also like the axle treatment; suicide FS isn't just for fenderless rods, is it?

 

my roadster mercs on front lincolns on back

 

4-1/2" with 5.90s and 7" with 8.20s

 

What's the smallest front tire size that will look good on a 50 Merc 5 1/2" front wheel. Similarly to Tim, I'm going with bigs/littles on a fenderless 32 Roadster with 820-15 in the back on 6" 50 Lincoln wheels.

 

I have been a fan of the Merc caps for many years. I always just used the Ford 15" wheels with the 10 1/8th" re-pro caps.

 

5.60-15 is what I ran on my 29 Tudor A in 1963

 

big fan of 50 merc wheels & caps .I think the reason so many were used was when they were new they were 15" 5.5 lug pattern all the old fords or 50s trucks were 16". I have a decent stash of merc wheels and caps

 

Bought this coupe in '66 from a shipmate while we were enjoying the South China Sea ... looked for '50 caps from that day until I sold it in '70. Found just one. '49s were everywhere, in great shape. In the photo, it has '57 Imperial wheels in back w/9.50 Goodyears

 

The repro '50 Merc caps are available in two sizes and that is what allowed me to have similar hubcaps front and rear with mismatched wheels.