A little history first: I've had this car since my dad p***ed away in 2006. He bought it in 1971 as a roller and built it through the 70's, completed in 82. Lots of family history and emotion tied up in this car. It's been sorely needing a refresh for a long time, I've been keeping on the road with little repairs here and there. I've been saying this for years, but I will soon tear into this thing and fix everything as best as I can. I have an O/T front suspension on the shelf that will correct the stance issue. It will be properly nose down, "in da weeds" if you will. What I have been stressing about for years is the right wheel and tire combo. It will be a big expense, and so I want to do it right the first time. I'm not so concerned with sizes at this point, rather style. Here is a historical look at the wheel/tire combos this car has had since 82. When it was first finished: 78 Corvette wheels with real Halibrand knock offs. Super street-roddy. WWW with 4 bar caps WWW with Fiesta Caps Blackwalls, steelies (Worst combo, just keeping it on the road because the 20 year old WWW fell apart.) So here are the options I'm thinking about, 15" only, maybe 16's on the rear. 1. Chrome steelies with 1-2" skinny WW 2. Halibrands with black walls 3. Torque thrusts with blasted centers and black walls 4. Back to WWW with Fiesta caps or late 50's Corvette caps. AND? Have any other ideas?
Body color '49 Chevy steel wheels and caps. No trim rings. Blackwall big and littles with a taller rather than wider profile. Very low stance so the fenders hunch down over them.
Ask one guy here and get 1 opinion…Ask 5000 guys here and get 5000 opinions. It’s yours. You pick. Google 37-8 Chevrolets for sale. Also look at any other brand with close to the same body style. I’m a 50’s guy so a Max size for me would be 16” and probably 15” with a 5” wide in front and 6” in the back a 78 series tires for rolling resistance if your going with new wheels. Your Fiestas look really good with how it sits now with the slight rake. Hubcaps seem to be “in” right now along with those godawful 22-26’s I’m not in favor of super low car or bagging but that’s MY style. In the 50-60’s where built it…. it stayed .. for all types of roads and driving. Have fun with it. Good luck.
I forgot, I did have 56 Buick caps on it for a bit. This pic from the web accurately shows how the stance will be, as well as Vette caps being a viable option.
The Corvette covers probably only look good with whitewalls….. I would go with the 46-48 Chevy caps and black walls.
Whitewall tires, either wide or pinners, would *really pop* with your dark paint. Wheels: chrome steelies or maybe painted steelies with chrome spiders. For example, the blue/white panel-painted Ford was built by HAMBer @KIRK!
By Halibrands I mean the cheaper ones Holley is making now, but yeah, I get your point.. A new Halibrand from Holley costs about the same as one Hubcap from McVey's... actually the cap is more because then the Cadillac Medallion is another $89.
One alternative to the Cadillac wheelcovers is the 52 Buick wheelcovers... I would have to do whitewalls and full wheelcovers on your car even with the new stance. But, that's just me...
My choice is irrelevant, which ones do you like best? Take a good side pic of the car, print it out. Find pics of the wheels and tires you like in as close to the same size pic, print them out then break out the cutting tools. Place the cut out wheel pics on the car pic and stare at it a while. Poor man’s photoshop, lol. Or get somebody good with computer programs like moose to do a online photoshop for you. Actually looking at what you think looks good may change your mind. There was never any doubt with mine, I wanted TTO polished wheels, that’s what I got, very happy with the look.
Unpolished mag kidney beans in front 16”X 4.5 Unpolished mag big windows in back 16 x10 But really I like the fiestas
can't go wrong with grey spokes, ...here's my old 37,...I've always liked your (dad's) coupe, with all the different wheels.
This^^^^ I started collecting parts to do this to my sedan years ago except I was going to put the 49 centers in 8" outers for the rear.
I can operate photoshop, but I'm just beating the bush for different ideas I may have not considered. Ultimately it's not a democracy, I will pick what suits me, but I am interested in opinions, even if I don't agree with them. Killer... If I g***er'd this thing my dad would come back and haunt me.. Might have to build another one full race car some day.
Dan,...not suggesting that you build a g***er;, the right size 5 spokes would look great on your coupe...
Chrome Artillery Wheels or 46-46 Chevy Caps with www tires look pretty good. I don't know what style caps are on the 2 primered coupes, but they look good. Chopped Top by Kreepea_1 posted Nov 10, 2022 at 12:46 AM 3W Coupe by Kreepea_1 posted Nov 10, 2022 at 12:46 AM WWW and 46-48 Chevy Hub Caps by Kreepea_1 posted Nov 10, 2022 at 12:46 AM Chrome Artillery Wheels by Kreepea_1 posted Nov 10, 2022 at 12:46 AM
nice looking Chevy coupe! Hello, Wheels are like tennis shoes. There so many brands that they all begin to look alike. If one cannot find the original Tony Nancy Style Halibrand Mag Wheels and set it up correctly, then a historic name brand company style wheel would be nice on your coupe. The original Corvette ones are nice, but you probably took a lot of heat from those that like whitewalls and chrome rims on your coupe. 1937-38 Chevy coupes seem to us, to be more of a hot rod racer than a whitewall tire, lowered cruiser. It just screams: Halibrand or American Racing Equipment Wheels. So, if the original ones like Tony Nancy had on his 29 roadster cannot be found or modifying them to street usage is too demanding, then there are alternatives from the big two named companies for modern usage. Jnaki Have our expert photoshop HAMB member @themoose do a couple of versions with the Halibrands and/or American Racing ones on a side panel shot of your coupe with the hood down. His styling and proportions are usually right on the money. I have seen plenty of 1937-38 with white walls and colored rims. There are those that just like a simple style, but there are a lot of those versions, so one tends to look, but byp*** them. "We want to be different, but look the same..." That is a nice look, but for some reason, you selected So, you seem to also like the hot rod/drag racing style over the common cruising style. YRMV The old early drag racing/street style from 1958-59. Definitely no on the cross flipper bars, as they are some company rep’s version of what the original Dodge Lancer styles should look like for a 50's-60's style. But, keep in mind a cool quote: “The things that make me different are the things that make me.” YRMV
Bump this thread. @bob myers friend has a 38 and they might be thinking Halibrands or a knock off. Post pics if you have them
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