Projects 16 in wires or 16 in steel wheels?

I've been fooling around with wheels options, either these wheels or some regular old KH steel wheels. The question is what would be or look more correct for my car? If I have to guess the steel wheels would, obliviously the car is no where near done and just kinda mocked up

the car is on a model A frame, y block, 5 speed, have a 3x2 setup, 56 ford rear, 32 ford heavy axle, 32 bones, firewall, and looking for a original grille shell.

I know with the 5 speed it isn't period perfect but it was free and I'm building a highway car I'm hoping. Anyways, opinion on wheels?

 

Looks good channeled-are you going to chop it?? I like them chopped ( just did one) but I like the full height too ( did one of those) As far as wheels,I like the wires, but with a Y-block and a 5 spd. can imagine you cruising at a pretty good clip, and might consider the steelies.Or better still, get both!It's amazing how wheels and tires completely change a car. Great start; good luck with it whatever you choose. Gotta love an "A".

 

no chop, kinda like the old east coast look, but this is about as low as I wanna go. I have both set of wheels though!

 

Do both sets. Its going to look Bitchn with either one.

 

Thanks! I love wires and this set is pretty dang nice but I have both and just having a time on deciding which to use, which it'll be awhile before I'm ready.

 

Either would work but with the Y block I think the steelies would be a better fit.. Cool coupe by the way...

 

How well do the wires fit up to the 56 rear axle. I'm assuming 56 pickup axle. Had one under my T bucket with chrome steelies.

The question hits me as I am pondering exactly the same thing on my 31 Vic and may switch from the planned nine inch to the banjo rear in the shed if I decide to go with the wires. I really don't want to run spacers to fit the wires.

 

This is actually a spicer 41 out of a 56 ford car, my buddy gave me the lug pattern changer adapter deals for free and I had to still put those things on so it don't crush the wire wheels hub, the rear gear is I think 3.22? or centainly near just cant remember

 

With the Y Block you gotta go Steelies! Early flatty maybe keep the wires.

 

There is no 'correct' answer to OPs question. I remember in the late 1950s, seeing a Model A coupe drive by with wires on the front and a later model rear axle with steel wheels. It was REAL obvious that someone had begun to hot rod it with a late model engine and rear axle

 

Wires look good heres my 29 y block 2.5 chop 3 inch channel .
Stuffin that Y block in there is a trick tho

 

Opps

 

My vote is for wires

 

If you want era correct its 15 inch steelies with caps or wheelcovers
and whitewalls. Pick just any magasine from the second half of the
50:s and you will see all hotrods except competition cars have that.

 

That's a nice car, I really dig east coast cars!
Despite being to young, I did a lot of research.
And the conclusion is, tied up on the year you go for.
But I would say wires fit flathead, 16 ww with Y block and 15 black wall with Chevy.
15 came after 16.

But it depends on the what you do with the rest!
Everything is connected, and should be.

Are you going totally @nal about details, those things matter. And are you gonna run bike fenders, and buckets or bench?
Two tone tuck'n'roll or one color. Please don't go Mexican blankets!

I've learned a lot from the bucket of ugly threat. Those guy know there details!
Not all rods was 100% alike but some Itens was all go one year, and other defiantly a no-go. And next year it changes, but some stayed.

 

Mabe this time

 

If i would do some kind of guideline it would look something like this.
Wires for a prewar build.
16 steelies 46-55 style build.
15 steelies 55- 62/63 something.
Around 60 chrome reverse start to show up and
some later other aftermarket rims.
If a cool hotrod is more importend then era correct use the one you like best.
After all there is no rules without exception.

 

wires. really look good especially with an original grill shell. they seem to go hand in hand.

 

According to pictorial evidence in the Don Montgomery books, the big changeover from wires to disc wheels on hot rods came almost overnight in 1946 -47. There were LOTS of exceptions but this might be a good rule of thumb when building a period-correct car.

 

If you don't chop it go wires! If you do chop it go steelies. Oh and if you do chop it go 4-1/2" min! Ok I'm done

 

Well for further information, the car is definitely not getting chopped, but my plan is if I can get the metal work nice enough I'd love to do it gloss black with some sort of dark brown firewall, wheels, and interior, maybe leather? then with some brass stuff inside. That maybe a little much but its sounds good and I love black and brass stuff, maybe brass trim pieces on the interior or just a white body with the reverse with everything else black. I also have some weird ass feiaro? or something? bucket seats I thought about cutting down to make look old, I just like how small they are and the fact they was free, but i may or may not use them. And i grabbed up a late 50's hot rod mag and it seemed everyone had steel wheels with the full disc on them. I also had a mid 30's spare tire cover I was going to use for fenders but ended up giving it to a friend. and I may run big and little so I may not do fenders, still up in the air on that

 

any more thoughts?

 

go the wires wires wires wires wires
wires wires wires wires

 

I vote for wires too. But then I'm biased.

 

Fenders with the wires

 

You are telling yourself Which way to go.
AndersF is a good guide.
Everythig seems to be pointing you to solid wheels when
you are telling what turns you on.
I vote steelies, and I just started running them on my car.
It says early 50's and the Y-block supports it.
In the period world your car build is as old as your newest parts
tht actually show, and nobody but you has to be happy with it!
Another thing from my East Coast channeled perspective,
most early East Coast rods were channeled and not chopped.
Especially if you are on the tall side!
Along with this you need to consider rake.
One more thing...
Please don't let your radiator sheetmetal surround
be higher than your cowl.
Good luck!
Just my $.02

 

My favorite is Wires stock in the front and widened in the rear. (I've got a set of these).
Model A roadster with a 427 FE 4 spd.
However if you are putting a lot of torque to the rear I've heard the wires become an issue. I'm saving a set of steels if I want to put down some HP and torque.
Just my thoughts
Movin/on

 

I agree with so much of this for sure, esp the car being as old as its newest part, and I personally like the wires better but the steel wheels fit the era better I'm seeing. And I love a tall top with channel, lucky for me I'm short. And the grille shell will be shorter, I'm holding out on finding a original 32 shell so I'm not going to cut this one down

 

Right now Idk how much torque Im putting out with this little 239 but someday in the near future I going to build a mild 292 for it. still not a barn burner but I can always resort back to steel wheels if needed.