Ok. I THOUGHT I was getting ahead, but as usual, I'm ending up working backwards to go forwards. I've got a 1951 Ford Club Coupe sitting out in the driveway. I've got a really nice set of 1957 Lincoln wheelcovers. I'd like to use the Lincoln hubcaps, BUT... The wheels on the car apparently are Dodge (thanks Grandpa Al). Correct bolt spacing, but NOT enough room to fit the hubcaps - the wheel center is too far out and the center of the cap hits. Does anybody know what wheels will fit my Grandpa Car (5 on 4 1/2) AND allow me to mount the 15" Lincoln hubcaps? Do you know the backspacing/front spacing on a wheel that would fit? Most everything is stock - I think it's got dropped spindles, maybe Fatman, but otherwise it looks Henry Ford original under there, brakes, shoes, tie-rods, etc. If you are running Lincoln caps, what wheels are you using? Heck, send me some search terms, because apparently my google-fu is google-gone.
I've got a 52 Dodge that has clips to hold the poverty caps. I had to drill out all 20 rivets to remove the clips for same reason. Thought originally the new caps were hitting rim, but the clips were the problem. The new rims are 55 chrysler, and they have a shallow center. They fit great now. .
I ran the Lincoln caps on my '50 Merc and I was running 15x6 wheel vintique wheels. The caps are a pain to get on and you have to use a rubber hammer. When I first put them on I didn't think that they were going to fit. Just be careful not to dent them. Kool thing once they are on they are not going to fly off.
If you are hitting the spindle at the center cap, you could remove the emblem and replace it with a bullet to get a little more room.
Sorry for the delay - was messing with the pics... the blue circled part of the wheel is the problem. The red double arrow shows the part that hits on the hubcap, it sticks out too far. The blue circled part of the hubcap is not wide enough where the red arrow shows to fit over the center of the cap. The caps are not super deep - eyeballing it, they're only maybe 2" deep. Thanks for any advice.
Those are definitely mopar steel wheels, find some ford wheels. Here is an incomplete list of Ford wheels that would probably fit. 1979-96 FORD CUSTOM, GALAXIE, LTD 1979-96 FORD FULL SIZE (CROWN VICTORIA, CUSTOM,GALAXIE,LTD) 1965-72 FORD FULL SIZE (CUSTOM, GALAXIE,T-BIRD,ETC.) 1957-64 FORD FULL SIZE (GALAXIE, CUSTOM,ETC.) 1979-96 FORD FULL SIZE CROWN VICTORIA) 1965-72 FORD FULL SIZE CUSTOM 1957-64 FORD FULL SIZE GALAXIE 1965-72 FORD GALAXIE, THUNDERBIRD, ETC.
I bought Lincoln caps that were in bad shape but they had good centers. Cut out the center part of the cap and put them on a different cap that fit better. I added a chrome bullet in the center instead of the starburst emblem. Just another option to think about.
If all else fails, you can use those white spoked wagon wheels like trailer wheels that were so popular on trucks years ago.
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