I've always used 16" wheels on the rods that I've owned before, but have been offered a set of 15" early merc rims. I know they are pretty rare (they are in Australia) and that is reflected in the price. I just wondered if anyone out there in HAMB land has run both and has a preference or just an honest opinion. They'll be going on a late 40's styled 32 3 window coupe, unchanelled, but chopped. Any ideas/ thoughts/ suggestions would be appreciated Thanks Bob
I'm building my 32 3W at the moment and running 16x4 and 16x6" rims....look killer on my Deuce. Check the pix ....email me if u like and I'll give u the drum. Rat
If you're building a "late 40's" style deuce, they should be 16". If you're trying to put it into the 50's, 15" were what everyone was trying to get and use. The newer cars then were coming out with 15" wheels. Hot Rodders were "updating" and ****-canning the old 16's!
Drum ? What drum Peddro ? MM is right.....they went to the 15's and ditched the 16's. Personally i like the look of a 16" rim on an early styled ride. The tyre choices avail allow you to tailor the fit/height of the tire to get a real clean look. Like where the top of the tire meets the rear quarter and the kinda rake/stance u get. My two pesos...... Rat
How quickly we forget Frank! You said: [ QUOTE ] email me if u like and I'll give u the drum. [/ QUOTE ] I just thought you were being generous! By the way, I'm planning on using 16s. Already have 2.
Rat, the coupe looks ****** good, mines a long way off that stage. Oh, and which drum do you want to give me?? All freebies are graciously accepted. Mild Mitch - I figured that seeing as they were 1940's wheels that the rodders at the time would have tried the 15" as soon as they hit the wrecking yards, which would have been the same time the cars were sold and used on the road. I know that the 15" were "the dogs danglers" in the 50's, another reason is that they also came off an old rod, local to me, which has been modernised (lexus motor, Jag front and rear ends) and I think its only right that they go back on an early styled rod. Another reason I thought about using them is because I have a set of 47 merc hubcaps, and a few other early merc parts. I might get them so I can alter the look if I decide to go the 50's route. Seeing as they're 5" wide they'll hopefully handle better due to the extra tyre width on the road. Thanks for the input
I've used the 16" before. They were used on my Av8 coupe I built in the late 50's (15 years old) but as soon as I could locate a set of 15" I changed them. Now I have both to use depending on the style of car I'm going to build. You can get a tall skinny 15" tire so you can duplicate the early look with the 15's. I'm planning on the 16's for a modified project that I've been collecting parts for. Frank
here's a `32 ford roadster i built with 16 X 4" front wheels and 16 X 5" `40 lincoln rear wheels....tires are 4.50/4.75 front and 7.50 rear...the rear's are very tall (33 inches!) and skinny..... i love the look
I've run 'em both ways. It seems that when I was comming up we were going to the smaller rim. Tire choices are good either way. If I were building a '40s car and wanted to get it right I'd go with the 16. But what the hell, the average person can't tell the difference at a glance so you can at least fool 80% of the people 99.9% of the time
Yeah, if you are trying for the 40's, to me, only 16"s are right. You just can't duplicate that correct look and stance otherwise. I've tried! I like the look of 15"s on a Hot Rod too. With Wide White Walls. I've run them for a long time on my Roadster. Right now it's wearing 16" Black Ford wheels Trim rings and caps with biased ply Black Walls, just like the 40's Bro! Love that look! I have other choices to run on that car. It makes it fun. It's always changing the look! And the whole at***ude of the Roadster. Here's my suggestion, and it sounds like your thinking this way already; Get the 15"s, put some good (proper) looking radials on them. The Radials will way out perform the 16" bias tires. Put the 16"s on for the right effect when you really feel like it. You'll still be ok driving it, but will have to chase it down the road as the tires will wander and drift a bit. They won't stop well OR corner well either. Just stay ahead of them mentally and stay aware.
Here's a try at photos, my first If it works, here a shot of My Roadster wearing 15" Dirt Trackers and Skinnies, putting it into the "60's" mode...
And another at***ude... 16" Black Walls on Black wheels, 40's look (if you overlook the BBC) and finally, into the 50's with White Walls on 15" Red wheels, Olds Flippers... DRD57photo
Mitch, thanks for the input and photos, I'm still undecided on what to do, though it would be nice to chop and change to alter the era/look of the car if the need arises. thanks again Bob
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