Picked up a ford 32 3 window project. It has a 5 x 4.5 bolt pattern. I want some cool wheels like 40 ford steelies or artilleries. 1. Do they make old school wheels in a 16 inch wheel with a 5 x 4.5 bolt pattern? 2. Please post your pictures of 5 x 4.5 wheels. 3. Is there something out there that would look great on a ford 32 3 window without having to change wheel patterns? Thanks.
These are a 16 inch 1940 Ford reproduction wheel by Coker. They have 4.5 and 5.5 pattern. The tires are bias ply 'Stones also from Coker which you can get in white or blackwall. Not cheap, but available. The HAMB Alliance discount helps a bunch. -Abone.
If you can find a set, older IH half-ton pickups were 16" with a 5x4.5 bolt pattern. My dad used to buy any he could find because that BP was used on quite a few farm wagon chassis back in the day. If you want new single bolt pattern I'd suggest Wheelsmith. I can help with 15s but not 16s. edit - also just remembered '49 Ford passenger cars came with 16 / 5x4.5 wheels, not sure when they went to 15s on the passenger cars.
I'm currently trying to find suitable wheels myself. Your situation is different, but the majority of stuff out there is not geared to classic style. Your best bet depends on budget. New is out there, but getting the right look is down to only a couple of places. Most carry modern interpretations, not real copies. For originals, you are going to have to decide on exactly what you want and then track that down. Try searching for 1932 coupe here on the HAMB and save pictures and info of the wheels that make you happy. If that ends up being a rare hard to find wheel, it's going to be expensive or a treasure hunt.
I saw your thread where you say you’re doing the fender thing. And 16” repops are plentiful (Coker/wheel vintiques are dual bolt patterns so really need caps). I also used a set of International rims a hundred years ago (sorry no digital photos), but they may be getting harder to find in minty shape. FWIW, I don’t do the fender thing (generally), but if I did I would consider using 15” as wheel combos are plentiful and I feel they fit as well if not better under fenders. Here’s a couple pics of a buddies fendered 5W with 15” steelies and halibrands as food for thought. I believe his Firestone WWs were 560/15 front and 820/15 rears on 15x5 fronts and 15x7 rears. He melted quite a few tires off the rear, so replacement cost mattered. *****Also, 15” bias don’t need tubes (just food for thought). .
2 or 3 extra tip things**,sometimes not checked when hunting rims.> For early Ford straight axle,, / on front ;rim out set/in set,so rim dose not put tire too far out side of kingpin; it is bad to make high scrub{ if scrub is not known or under stud,look it up,,=bad steering n braking. Also using a front tire with more tread over 5 inch wide=tire is then to heavy adds to death wabble porbs. Rear rimes off set needs to be sure of how close to body,so rub dose not happen. Don't just get rims,that fit the lugs,but be sure they fit above notes..
Early Dodge were 16" and 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern Same with Studebaker https://akhwheels.com/wheel-categories/mopar/ The hunt is on...........
Some early Broncos came with 16” plain steels wheels. If you find a set be prepared for sticker shock though. Best just get a new set from wheels vintiques or another supplier. Never mind they were 5x 5.5….
The 16” were standard on all of the shoebox Fords with 15” as an optional choice. I have a set here somewhere that I have been looking for to use on a project but haven’t found anything yet
about 1940-1947 Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth had a 16" steel wheel with that pattern made to take a 6.00-16" wheel, and they look pretty similar to a 40 Ford wheel, but they have clips to retain the hubcaps, so you might need to cut the ring out of some Mopar caps and adapt them to whatever centers you want to use. The IH truck wheels will supposedly take a 40's Ford hubcap without modification, so they're the hot ticket but also hard to find.
Yep, I took a pair of those off an abandoned shoebox that had been shoved off the road by who ever was driving it back in the early 60's because they had decent looking tires on them. and when I went to pull the tires off the wheels later I found out that they were 16 inch. Ended up giving them to a guy I knew who had a shoe box. I think he bought the other two from the wrecking yard after they towed the car in. In those days there were cars that got abandoned up and down the road from my house just about every week when they broke down and it was cheaper to buy another beater and go again rather than fix the one you had.
Check out Wheel Smith for new wheels. I have them on my truck. Great people. https://thewheelsmith.net/
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