Gday guys, I have a 35 Ford 3 window coupe and I'm wanting to put a set of 15" steel rims with cadillac sombrero hubcaps. I'm currently running the stock 16" wires, the car has hydraulic brakes fitted, is lowered front and rear and I will be putting on wheel spats. The car is still running the flathead and stock diff. What I'm wanting to know can someone tell me what width rims I can fit under the car for this setup and what backset rims I would need. Thanks. Graeme Sent from my MHA-L09 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The rear drums on the 35 have nubs for mounting the wires to. Probably gonna have to change them out to 40-48 style. I would guess a 15x5" f100 wheel would work well. This is what i am running on my 47. With 6.70-15 firestones. And whats a spat?
Take your wheel off and straight edge from the face of drum. Measure back to your body/chassis/shock arms. When nothing hits, this is your backspace number. Allow some wiggle room. From there you can also figure your wheel width. Keep in mind the tires will "balloon" wider than the wheel to avoid rubbing.....
Those stock wire wheels are probably 4.5" wide, and you aren't likely to find any 15" wheels that same width. You need to crawl under the car and visually check how much clearance you have between the current tires and the fender edge and inner wheelwells. As said above, some F-100 or F-150 wheels with the same bolt pattern (5.5") will be the easiest to find, but make sure the width and offset will work with the tires sizes you plan on buying. Only you can know what wheel fits on YOUR car. Some Cad sombrero caps require a weird mounting nub. They mount to the inner face, not the outer face, right custom guys? You might only be able to use these caps with actual Cad wheels. Hopefully somebody more experienced with sombrero caps will chime in.
Easiest way to mount a caddy sombrero hubcap https://www.customcarchronicle.com/forums/topic/installing-cadillac-sombrero-wheel-covers-hubcaps/
Another way http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tech-caddy-sombrero-mounting-with-epoxy.225872/
The term "Spats" generally described a white metal trim ring that was attached to the wheel, secured by the hubcap, covering the spokes and/or disk part of the wheel to the other rim. I think the origin of the term "spates" came from the late 1920's, early '30's to describe a white cloth accessory that laced over the shoe tops extending up the leg a very short distance, similar to leggins. I seem to recall that I have a set of '39-40, Plymouth wheels that have white "spates"..
This place sells 15 x 4 1/2" wheels in the 5 on 5.5 spacing. http://www.thewheelsmith.net/CustomWheels/OEMWheelsAccessories.html They made wheels for me and I received them in a few weeks.
Jesus christ is this the ford barn?? Id take a few inches out the roof, fender skirts on the rear. Taildragger stance,just a cunt hair of whitewall visible below the rear skirt. appleton spotlights. I would prob run some wide five wheels up front with national flipper caps. Maybe a 39 caddy lasalle grille massaged in up front. Westergard style. Buts thats just me
Thanks for all the responses, the long term plan is to chop the roof, I'm already putting the fender skirts and white walls and lowering it front and rear to give it the taildragger stance. I'm going to stick with the flathead. Thanks Sent from my MHA-L09 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Gorgeous car. BTW I have an old magazine stashed away somewhere where metal masters Marcel, or his son Marc or Luc De Lay subtly chopped a 3W coupe, very nice to the point it looked like factory when finished. Coincidentally a fellow I know up here is currently building a C&W 35 3W coupe.