I just went through my pile of wheels this weekend. I came up with a pair of the 16" x 5", (3) of the 16" x 4" and a dozen or so of the 16" x 4 1/2" wheels. Did Ford really make a 3 1/2" version, or is that just guys who don't know how to use a tape measure?
I can confirm what 3wLarry said as I've personally seen 3 1/2" wheels that came off an un-molested '39 Standard with a V8-60. DD
i have a pair with fresh black powder coat never mounted. i think one was nos not a stiche of rust or pits. can still read KH on the inside rim. will let them go for some flathead stuff like 49-53 vavle train. billy
That is what I am confused on. 37-39 cars with the V8-60, wouldn't they have the wide 5 pattern. So that would mean that the only car that did have the true 3 1/2" wheel would be 40 V8-60 cars. Is that right?
Yes, the '39s were wide 5. Just trying to confirm that SOME of the rumors we've heard all these years about 60 HORSE stuff are, in fact, true. Until someone steps-up with actual 1940 V8 60 wheels, we can only KINDA ASSUME that maybe the '40s were also 3 1/2"ers. DD
I have a short stack of 3.5" wheels. I hesitate to call any of this stuff "V8-60" because I'm not so sure these parts were used exclusively on cars with that engine. Ford (via Kelsey Hayes) did make a 3.5" wheel in a 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern so for all intents and purposes, it is a 3.5" '40 Ford wheel. But I'm not going to guess on which models it was OEM.
These damn 16x5's are a real pain in the ass to find. I FINALLY came across a pair, one was perfect, the other was hit so hard it wouldn't roll in a straight line, bent the actual center of the wheel. Sooooo now the quest to find just one 16x5... oh well, the hunt is part of the fun of the game.
Maybe the rim is good and you can just use the center from another wheel. I can tell you that swapping a wide-five 3.5" rim to a '40 center will not work big difference in size.
Hey bro, I bought a '40 steelie a few weeks back at a guys house. was there for some other parts. When I got home I measured it 3 1/2 wide. On further inspection, its stamped on the inside under the valve stem 3 1/2 KH. They did make them, just very few and far between as It was a 1 year only wheel.
I just measured some of the 5 X 5 1/2 Ford pattern 16 inch steelies that I have, thinking there were some for 5 inch wide tires, and found one measuring 16x6, with the inner nubs. What the heck would that have been from? I'll have to check in another place to see if I have its mate. I could run some real big rear tires with a pair of those!
Is it a Ford Rim? The center could be early an Early Ford piece with a wider rim put onto it. If the rivets are still in it I have no Idea.
I have a pair of 16x5s I left at a buddy's house before him and his old lady split up. Better call and find out where they are...
It still has the rivets so its original, but it may not be Ford. I looked again and it has the 5 X 5 1/2 Ford pattern, but has clips for the hubcab instead of nubs. So maybe it is Lincoln or Mercury. But with the hubcap on, it would definately look to be early Ford. I think i have a couple of these in 6 inch width, if I can just find the other one.
Maybe another option would to be used Ford 16" centers on a early Buick 16" outer. You will still have you nubs for a hubcap but it will not take a trim ring and the Buick outer is 6" wide. The only pic I have right now with Ford/Buick 16" rears and 3 1/2 fronts
Why do all of the switcheroos? This outer with that inner... Just find a nice set of F1 rims like you said originally.... As far as I know they were '48-'53 rear only. They aren't too hard to come by in the midwest here... Just put your wanted ad up and someone will come up with a set. I'll ask around.
I've got a set of 16x5's off my '60 f-100. I ran 2 on the back for a while to get me by, didn't seem bent. If you're interested, I can dismount the rims and spin em on my machine at work to make sure they're good. They do need to be stripped and painted though.
yes, they were an option on '53-'60 (i believe) trucks, no cars. they're hard to find and i have one, trying to find a clean match. the outside bump were later 60's trucks and i have 7 (5 on my panel).
They're damn hard to find over here. I got one really nice one by accident in a set of four supposedly '40 Ford wheels, and eventually found another one but that had some pitting and a bit of a wobble. I also have a set of '65-stamped 16" x 5" KH wheels that have the external hubcap nubs, but the rims are rivetted on and by my measuring would be a straight swap onto earlier centres. One thing about the early 16" x 5" wheels that may or may not be a problem is that the extra width is all on the inside - the outside face (frontspace?) dimensions are the same as the 16" x 4" and 16" x 4 1/2" wheels, while all the 'extra' width is added to the backspace.
Yes I threw it together for the jalopy drags last october but it's now apart again getting a Flathead.
My mistake........ I dismounted one of the wheels i have and measured it, they're 4.5", not 5". But they do accept the older style caps that snap into the inner part of the center hub.
One of my friends has a complete set of the early style 16 x 5's that take the '40 style cap. I believe they are Lincoln if I remember correctly. They are on his roadster. I forgot he had these. They are the only set I have ever seen in person.
Larry, A friend of mine gave me these wheels the other day. They fit a Ford cap nicely but were just to DAMM big and narrow. I put them out to junk the other day. Just kidding.
Not true, at least in my stack behind the garage. I can look at the face of the wheel, and if there is a 1/4 inch of the inner hoop sitting proud of the center, it's gonna be a 5 incher. The 4 and 4.5 inchers are flush where the center meets the hoop. Maybe it's a Kelsey Hayes versus Ford thing.
[QUOTENot true, at least in my stack behind the garage. I can look at the face of the wheel, and if there is a 1/4 inch of the inner hoop sitting proud of the center, it's gonna be a 5 incher. The 4 and 4.5 inchers are flush where the center meets the hoop][/QUOTE] Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting, Alchemy! The definitive method I have been waiting for to spot one of these 5" wheels with a tire on it. Any chance you could post up a photo?
Thanks for all of this 16" wheel info guys, I too am looking for 16" wheels for my coupe and I found that a '75 F100's here downunder has 7.50 x 16 tires as standard but I'm not sure how wide the rims are and also whether the '40's style hub caps will fit them. I'm probably directing this to other Aussie hambers if they have any knowledge please.