Technical Was Ford planning on going to 5x4.5” in 1948

...or is this just some kind of owner modification?

Vehicle is a 1948 Mercury Coupe.

The original front drums/hub and rear hubs on the banjo have two bolt patterns on them. The studs are in the normal 5x5.5” pattern but both ends also have the small Ford 4.5” bolt pattern as well.

It seems a little odd for an owner to do the work but not use the holes but I don’t know. Anyone seen this before?

Sorry for the crappy pictures... the holes did correctly measure out...

 

Modified.
Ford & Merc's were 5 1/2" thru '48.
Merc continued 5 1/2" to mid '51. Ford cars went to 4 1/2" in '49.

 

I’ve got some 40 hubs that someone drilled a second pattern into, then I put studs back into the 5.5” pattern.

 

With the 4.5 bolt circle it's hard to find a rim that will sit properly on the 46 to 48 front hub. Hub has to be machined to cut that lip back more to the center; so the rim center hole will not high center (on the center of the hub tapered casting).