Projects How big a wheel is Not Hot Rod?

Maybe this should be in the traditional customs place, but it feels better asking here i think.
Just wondering were to draw the line as far as wheel sizes go.
My 54 buick build will need some wheels and thats its own question as far as esthetics for the car, but is too big a wheel choice making the car not a hot rod anymore?
I know that if i choose say 13" wires it would be a lowrider...
Thanks for your thoughts.
Build starts heating up again in January! Gotta figure this S--- out.

 

Wheel diameters that were available in 64 or before. On a Buick, probably 15s were about as big as was available, but I suppose there could have been some obscure 17" or 18" available as a special order or something. That said, I think I'd go with 15" wheels.
You might get by with a 16" version of a mag that was available back then (Torquethrust, chrome reverse), but a lot of the local "traditional" shows around here won't let you in with bigger then 15s. Gene

 

I'm thinking 15's are the limit.

 

Uhhh....Model A's had 21's. But,, if you run wheels that are 17's----21's, be a good idea for them to be Old wire wheels off your particular brand of car. Buick had chrome wires that year.

 

this is bad a$$ to

 

When I first read your question I almost laughed...but then I remembered that to many younger HAMBers oversize wheels ARE traditional. It's all in the perspective.

To be considered "traditional" here on the HAMB, where things later than 1964 are considered "modern", you'd better stick to 15" wheels on your Buick.

 

Yeah thats Troy Trepanier's 54 that i think won Sema.

21's? Thats just not fair.

 

Ha. Exactly!!! Thats why I ask.

 

In the early 30's Buick had 16" bent spoke wire's.I have 2 they are 5 on 6" bolt pattern.

 

Some of the wheels on these cars today should only be on a dump truck.

 

Headed for the dump.....................

 

Need more info, on a 54 period custom, no bigger than 15s.
On a 54 hot Rodded version, you might get away with 16s on the rear. Like the Torque Thrust.
Anything bigger puts it in a modern category, that's not for here.

 

On a traditional custom 15" would be accepted limit. On a hot rod as OE on some was 21" but they must be narrow 4 to 4 1/2" and match the year of the ride. In reality a 16" would be considered the norm but again on a traditional narrow rim .

 

Build it with "dubs" if thats what you want. Have a backup set of steelies and hubcaps for traditional events.
Plan your brakes to fit inside a 15"steel wheel.

 

If the Buick were a hot rod and not a custom as in performance based hot rod and not a custom you could actually get away with 16s. 16" halibrands are the most common.

As a custom pretty much anything 15 or 14 will probably work best depending on how late a build one is shooting for and still remain traditional.

 

Is that real? Perfect xmas present!

 

I would say 16's are the largest for a hot rod that still covers the older gasser and drag car's. These new 17 to 24 inch wheel are a total joke and if a hot rod has them I walk right past them and don't even waste my time to look at the car. They don't even belong on a custom, get real people. HOT RODS AREN'T SUPPOSE TO LOOK LIKE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE PICK-UPS!!!!!

 

Black Clover Custom - post some pics of your ride. what size wheel/tires do think would enhance the look of your Buick. as found in many places there are older rides running 18"-20", and beyond. the saying " just because you can doesn't mean that you should" comes to mind.

 

Consider the fact that the trend with the automakers in the late 50's was to go with smaller wheels. The luxury cars kept the 15's. I am not familiar with commercial vehicles, but I think I read somewhere that ambulances and Hearse's had 16's. Limo's probably too. I think the moonshiners used them on the rear.

 

Isn't this a hot rod?

 

Are Duvall Swirl wheel covers 16 like i have read on here? And if they are maybe that would be RIGHT on the car?
Plenty of nice wheels and covers in the 15 inch though. Not worried.

Yeah i will post some pics of the car.

I want to get the car done correct the first time.

 

My first car was a 46 Ford w/16" wheels, couldn't wait to get rid of them!!

 

my personal limit now is 17 inch for most anything from the 40s on. (I'm now 65.) when I was a young man 15" was the absolute biggest on anything from the 50s on. heck... my ugly Scion xB has 16 inch on it. and my stock 23 Buick has 22".

 

Anything over 16" belongs on a truck, with the exception of 20's & 30's vehicles. I've always liked 15" wheels myself, but they are getting harder to find as the new stuff is 16"+. Friend has a OT Ford Ranger with 14", had to order tires for it as nobody stocks them much anymore.

 

Put what YOU want on it. If others don't like them, they can buy the car from you and put whatever wheels they want on it.
But if you want to be HAMB friendly, then probably 15's.
I'll just put this here because it pretty much answers your Q.....
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/hunnert-first-time-there.520326/

 

Wow. sucks. Definitely something to ponder.
But i guess whats really being answered in my case is if i want a "look" to my car or if i want the car to be period the first time its finished no matter how hard it may be on some of the parts for it.
Since im kinda a rules type i will go with 15" wheels.
But im going to find something special in an archive or hear of a car that was done a certain way, way back then and use it for mine. Break the rules in a legal way!
Although i just saw some 54 pontiac covers that are a good start.

 

I dont know how to borrow the pics from my build thread ( 54 buick build) and bring them over. Figure it out tmrw.

 

The fact is, if you want it "period correct" your only options then would have been 15 inch unless you were lucky enough to find some 16" Halibrands. Outside of Bonneville, nobody in that era ever heard of 17" or larger wheels except antique or truck.

 

This Buick is AWESOME if I don't say so myself, and the caps look killer too. Photo courtesy of Dan Greenburg

 

It's not the wheels, it's the tires that are on the wheels.