On my projekt ( late 40’s style hot-rod ) I has the 4” Ford 1940 16” wheels in front and then I notice some dudes used the Merc or Lincoln 5” at rear. I found out Lincoln used clips and Merc used bulps for the hubcaps. To me as I might use hubcaps ( or maybe not ) it was cool to had the Lincolns. But the wheels I found was Ford and I guess its truck as it’s a bulp on the nut area. ( maybe add strenge ? ) I found one wheel in USA and another equal one in the Nerherlands. I also noted som reversed them back but that add near 1” more out from body, and will look very odd on a 37-40 axle that is 59.5” CC ( less fenders on. Ok I could narrow the axle maybe but did like to has it the boyz back then had it. So no ’reverse’. Ok, some more.. news. I found out it was a wheel that is 3.5” wide. But hard to find maybe. Did people use them on roadsters and coupes ? I like the tiny Firestones 4.50 in front ( as on this cool 34 ) but owner said it was the 4” wheel and not the 3.5. Maybe the 3.5” will just be to ’skinny’ ? I can’t find any pictures on cars with that tiny fronts. -What are your thoughts on this ?
I built plenty of these years ago . I used space saver hoops and Ford centers . The spacer hoop was of thinner gauge materials than the Ford center also .
Yes, they were, and still are, but not very often, and for a few reasons. Many don't like that wheel bolt pattern at-all, and, these wheels were on only the V8-60 model, which was simply not made in the numbers that the vehicles with wider wheels were made. At one time I had as many as 30 pair of Wide-5 wheels in my shop. I had a single, but never a pair of 3.5" ones, and never had any 5" ones. Running them won't make much difference with a 4.50-16" tire, and would be hard to distinguish in a picture. I would not hold my breath, or go through heroic efforts to find a 3.5" set, but that's me.
Remember, you can only see one side of the wheel and tire at-a-time. You would only see the missing 1/4". If you can see 1/4" at a distance, you are a better man than me.
They do exist, in both wide 5 and 5 on 5.5" bolt patterns, but the 5 on 5.5" was only on 1940 V8-60 cars, so they're very rare. I wouldn't hold up the rest of your build looking for them, it may take years to find some.
They do exist , I have a pair. No plans to ever use them , other than to start conversations as said , from 3-1/2 to 4 you really won’t know the difference
Correct hard to se a 1.4” but I saw one on 3.5” wide with a 4.50 tire yesterday and I did compare to the black 34 coupe that had 4” wide wheels. -I did like that ’better’. But I got confused. I has a Ford ( as I think 1940 ) 4” wide wheel for front and idea is to use it on my Ford juce brakes ( bolt patter of 5.5” = right ) Then I bought 5” wide also Ford but I has not get this wheels yet. I guess its also 5.5” bolt pattern. As nut is on a bulp I guess my rear 5” wide wheels is truck wheels. but over to the 3.5” eide. Not confuse numbers ; 5 and 5.5 from the 3.5 wide and thd bolt pattern. -So the 3.5” wide comes at both 5” and 5.5” bolt patterns ? I will not try get a set 3.5” as hard ( guess expensive ) but intresting in historic way to learn/know.
No the 3.5 wide wheels only came in 5x5.5 bolt pattern as used on most old Fords, or wide 5 bolt pattern used on 36-39 Ford vehicles.
They are unmistakeable when you know what you are looking at. Yes they are v8 60’s. I’m not sure why they ever got the following , but the look is hard to replicate. Maybe they were easier to steer ? Track width ? I’ve just never questioned it but they can and should be had as repros for a period hot rod
I hate to post the link to some long dead thread because some clown always answeres it and other guys think it is a brand new thread rather than reading through it but there are some answers in this thread from 2008. 1940 V8-60 wheels? | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com) Note, those wheels were as rare as rocking horse poop then.
I ran them on the front of the Coleman Coupe. With the Buick drums they were really nice. Wish I kept them!
On the front of my coupe is 16 x 3 1/2 V8-60 wheels. Bolt pattern is 5 on 5 1/2. Last set I saw for sale was a few years ago at LA Roadster show and were 1200.00
Ah, got it, the 3.5” ’wide 5’ is not the 3.5 x 16 with bolt pattern 5 x 5.5”. ( got confused when talk on 3.5” and 5... ) I was not into the ’wide 5’ wheel. At US 1200 for 2 wheels save 1/4” at each side is not realistic but a cool deal and limited sets bring prices up.
What hoops fit these centers ? If you have the center that works for everything you want, it may be easier to swap that center into the outer wheel shell - hoop you want. Finding old unique wheels in another country or having them shipped over is pretty expensive. I like space saver spares, keep a set of 4 around for rollers. Have been able to find dual bolt pattern versions in junkyards
you make a valid point. I went to great lengths to find the one year (1940) - 4” wide rim as opposed to the more common 4&1/2”. With the tyre mounted, doesn’t look much different to the same tyre on a 5” wide rim on my other car - I think sometimes we can get too pedantic with these things….. Ironically, it appears that for certification I will need a 4&1/2” minimum wide rim.
As I have tried to use the 16" hoops from the 3.5 wide five wheels, only 1939 Lincoln Zephyr centers work. Whoever says 1940 Ford 16x4 centers work is lying.
There is a huge difference in looks between the 3 1/2 and standard 4inch. the 3 1/2 are so rare that you never see them that much. I had 4inch on my coupe and I parked next to a coupe that had 3 1/2 and the difference was night and day. The hunt was on for 3 1/2 and after 3 years I found a set and within a week found another set so I have a set as backup.
I admit it must be inpossible to see the 1/4" difference ( one side ) but I saw a 3.5" wheel this week and I saw direct the difference. Tiny, or good locking, well it's up to each one. Bragg from has a 4.5 or a 4 inch, well I don't see that in that perspective. 2 set's... care to show one set on pictures or on the car or sell a set ?
Look at my post above for my coupe and my backup set not for sale as most people will not pay what they are worth.
The Jalopy Journal
