So I'm getting ready to purchase new wheels for my '51 F1. I think I'm going with steel smoothies and caps but what size? I've always ran 15" wheels on 90% of what I've owned but I know the trend is going toward larger diameter. Now I am not one to follow trends but tire availability is a concern down the road. No offense to anyone reading this but I will say up front that I am DEFINITELY NOT a fan of large wheels like 20" diameter. I'm thinking 16" wheels all around, likely 16" x 6" front and 16" x 8" rear. Anybody running 16s? What I really need to see is some pics of fat fendered pickups from the 40's and 50's such as F1s/F100s and Advance Design Chevys showing your wheel choice and stance.
Hello, According to the HAMB rules, 14-15 inch wheels are on topic and those 16-17" wheels are not for publication. This green F-1 pickup has 15 inch 5 spoke rims. The style and look make it as if it rolled off of a custom car show back in 1962. There is a fine line about the size of rims/wheels, but larger wheels should be what the pre 65 rules state. Jnaki While the photos are not as clear as possible, the next time I see this F-1 truck, I will photograph the tires and rims for a close up. It is a So Cal local and can be seen driving all over the coastal areas. There is only a slight difference between standard 15 inch and a 16, that it is almost impossible to tell on sight. In my photos, I have to check or the photo gets thrown out by the moderators. The modern look of low profile tires and the next size up of rim size is/was popular, but rules are rules here on the HAMB. Stay with 15 inch rims and tires. There are a wide variety of tires that can enhance your hot rod or truck. All within the 15 inch rim size. If it is a trend, we were doing the one/two size up rims with low profile tires in the 70s. How can that still be a trend? The larger rims make the hot rod fall into the dreaded "street rod" category. Not all cars and trucks look good with those larger wheels and low profile tires. For those that still think it is a trend, it is your car/truck and you make the call. YRMV
I would think since he is talking going with 16" and it being a F-1, 16" would be factory and therefore acceptable.
Correct! I am talking about a factory style steel 15" or 16" wheel, not anything larger or with low profile tires. I hate that stuff. I'm guessing it'd be hard to tell the difference between the two at a glance.
Hey, Greg. I vote for 16s. The uninitiated might not be able to tell the difference between 15in and 16in, but I'm sure you and many of us can. Got a picture or two of your truck?
Here it is as I bought it with 15" x 6" wheels all around. Great truck but the "too wide" Mopar 12 bolt rear end in it bothered me. I wanted a wider/fatter rear tire/wheel combo but the sidewall of the tires had no more room to the fender. Ok, I could go with deeper back-spacing but I like the look of a deeper wheel as viewed from the curb side. So out came the 65" wide Mopar rear and in went a 61" wide 9 inch Ford from a '72 F100. Much more appropriate rear end anyway, right? Now I'm ready to order wheels and I'm thinking 8" wide but do I want 15" or 16"? Not sure yet.
Mine IMG_0023 by charleyw posted Jun 7, 2020 at 7:04 PM IMG_7019 by charleyw posted Nov 3, 2018 at 10:51 AM
15 inch tires are still easy to buy, how often do you expect to buy tires? Yes as time goes on they will be harder to find but most people use their on topic vehicles as a nice day, maybe a few thousand mules a year vehicle. If you have to replace every 6 years that is only 20K or so on the tires, so having to wait a couple of days for tires to come in is not a big deal. Invest in a spare tire or 2 if you plan on long trips, carry a AAA card.
I've decided to stay with the 15s. It seems like I buy rear tires a lot more often than fronts for some reason!
On my '57 Chevy pickup I dreamed about using 15x8 up front and 16x10 Halibrands in the rear but too pricey for me. Plus the 10" wide wheels in the back would call for tubs and I don't want that. I have 15x7 and 15x8 aluminum slots I am going to run but 16x8 would work in the back too. Plus it would probably open up more tire choices as well these days. Anything larger in diameter IMHO would start looking too new.
Very good and thanks to all! I've got everything on order now. 15" x 6" up front with 215/70/15 and 15" x 8" rear with 255/70/15
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