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Technical Ford Center / Buick Hoop Reverse Wheel

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Crkrjac, Aug 16, 2022.

  1. Crkrjac
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 111

    Crkrjac
    Member
    from Waxhaw NC

    Hey Hambers

    Looking at slapping together some reverse wheels using the good ole Ford center and Buick hoop. have searched and found all the info I need except for one piece, backspacing. So my question is, when doing these, what does the backspacing end up being when putting the Ford center original rivet holes in alignment with the Buick hoop original rivet holes? I know this could be “cheated” some in either direction but what ballpark can I expect?
     
    bchctybob likes this.
  2. I LOVE the look of reversed Buick hoops.... can't wait to see your results.
    I think, however that counting on rivet holes to align is a tad bit optimistic. I'm don't know if the O.D. of the Ford centers is the same as the Buick, but I'd be surprised if it is. Measure your current offset and try to match it. Kind of trial and error, and a bit time consuming, but put them together in a way that suits you. Good luck, and post pics when you've got them together.
     
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  3. Crkrjac
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 111

    Crkrjac
    Member
    from Waxhaw NC

    i love the look as well and we know there is only one way to get it.
    I guess I should have been a little more clear. I have 0 expectations on rivet holes lining up. I should have stated the radial centerline of the rivet holes. The landing on the hoop for the wheel center is only so wide and I wouldn’t want to push the center out so far that the convex part of the Ford center over hangs slightly on to the slope of the Buick hoop.
    If that makes sense?
    Never done these before so don’t know where I would end up backspacing wise. I am kind of limited with a full fender A and the rear end width.
    I don’t have any Buick wheels as of yet. I do have some Ford wheels for centers. The Ford wheels I have are 5 1/2” wide. I was curious as to what one of these would look like reversed, so I tried one. I think it looks pretty good but I am afraid with an 8.20-15 side bulge to fender clearance my be an issue 36F5FAC7-AA6E-448B-AAF6-D2C2C86106F4.jpeg 7A5957A3-7C28-41CA-BA94-FC02B70F1496.jpeg
     
    brEad, bchctybob, swade41 and 3 others like this.
  4. That depends on what you mount on them. What size tire are you planning to run? Your mock-up looks killer to me!
     

  5. The Buick outers give you a little leeway in BS. I do not have one handy to measure the range. In this case, what looks right AND fits your car is the way to go. I am building a similar set for my GMC using new hoops and previously did a set for my old 54 Chevy
     
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  6. Crkrjac
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 111

    Crkrjac
    Member
    from Waxhaw NC

    Planning on an 8.20-15.
    It’s going to be close…
     
  7. Crkrjac
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 111

    Crkrjac
    Member
    from Waxhaw NC

    Thanks Tman…
    Got any photos ?
    Where are you able to find new hoops with the right center diameter? I have measured all the wheels I have laying around and everything seems to take a bigger center.
     
  8. tubman
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 6,917

    tubman
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    My buddy and I got into making reversed wheels in the late fifties. mainly for our own use. Some other guys saw what we did and liked them and asked for some. We did a bunch (mainly reversed Ford). I'd mount them on the rear of my '51 four door (which we had jacked up) and tweaked them to get them to run straight and then weld 'em up. When we tried to put Buick rims on Ford centers, we found that the Ford centers were larger than the Buick hoops and would not fit. Since we didn't have access to a lathe to turn down the Ford centers, so we gave up on that plan.

    We did sell a bunch of wheels, though.
     
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  9. Crkrjac
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 111

    Crkrjac
    Member
    from Waxhaw NC

    Thanks for the info! Good to hear from someone doing it when it was common.
     
  10. Fortunateson
    Joined: Apr 30, 2012
    Posts: 5,331

    Fortunateson
    Member

    Interesting, I’m following...
     
    Crkrjac likes this.
  11. Last batch was Speedway hoops with 56 Chevy 12 5/8" Centers. @wheelkid is the guru on combinations
     
    Crkrjac and olscrounger like this.
  12. Do the Speedway hoops have the taper one side like the old (pre safety bead) wheels had? That taper is what really sets them in my eye.
     
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  13. Crkrjac
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 111

    Crkrjac
    Member
    from Waxhaw NC

    I seen a few hoops they had. What they have is wider tho.
     
  14. Crkrjac
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 111

    Crkrjac
    Member
    from Waxhaw NC

    Images I saw , no taper.
     
  15. Yes they do. I will try and get a pic tonight

    Yes, they are wider but I believe Bassett has some narrower ones. I wanted WIIIDE since they are going under my GMC pickup flatbed
     
    Crkrjac likes this.
  16. Crkrjac
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 111

    Crkrjac
    Member
    from Waxhaw NC

    Good info. Thanks! Looking forward to pics!!
     
  17. 302GMC
    Joined: Dec 15, 2005
    Posts: 7,856

    302GMC
    Member
    from Idaho

    Easiest way around all the matching different make parts would be finding a pair of big series Chrysler or Imperial wheels & reverse them.
    Ford caps will fit by drilling 3 or 4 1/4'' holes for dome headed screws in the same pattern as the Ford bumps.
     
    Atwater Mike and Crkrjac like this.
  18. ekimneirbo
    Joined: Apr 29, 2017
    Posts: 4,217

    ekimneirbo

    I think the stock Ford reversed in the picture looks really good. Mount a tire and see what your clearance is. You may have to narrow your rear end to make this or even a Buick rim work, so check it first. I would not worry about rivet matching. Just weld the holes up and dress it with a grinder. Then either redrill new holes when its aligned, or weld the centers in. I'd weld them.
     
  19. Crkrjac
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 111

    Crkrjac
    Member
    from Waxhaw NC

    Yep….I like the looks of the set up as is. Trying to locate some mock up tires. Don’t want to throw out the Benjamin’s on new ones until I know this will work. I believe a 235/75-15 is close?? I will weld rivet holes shut.
    Rear end narrowing is not an option…it’s all new 1-800 stuff…lol…can always just go back to my skinnier 16’s but really want to try to make this work
     
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  20. wheelkid
    Joined: May 25, 2006
    Posts: 1,238

    wheelkid
    Alliance Vendor
    from Fresno, CA

    Off the top of my head, I think you'll end up with between 2.5-3" of backspacing
     
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  21. Crkrjac
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 111

    Crkrjac
    Member
    from Waxhaw NC

    Thank you! This is the input I was hoping for!
     
  22. seb fontana
    Joined: Sep 1, 2005
    Posts: 8,444

    seb fontana
    Member
    from ct

    Mid 50's Buick [I think] had 5 on 5-1/2 pattern and look pretty good reversed. Rim width was about 5/6".
     
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  23. tubman
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 6,917

    tubman
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Nope. We would have loved that. They were 5 on 5 (like Oldsmobile's and Cadillac's). They were wider too; I think 8", but it might have been 7".
     
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  24. ekimneirbo
    Joined: Apr 29, 2017
    Posts: 4,217

    ekimneirbo

    If its too close to the fender, you can always cheat a little with the position of the center section since you are going to weld it in place. Maybe roll the fender lip as well.
     
    Crkrjac likes this.
  25. Crkrjac
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 111

    Crkrjac
    Member
    from Waxhaw NC

    Yep. Think there’s a couple ways to cheat it some.
     
  26. Erwin
    Joined: Dec 4, 2007
    Posts: 214

    Erwin
    Member

    Nostalgia. Great look especially in chrome.
     
  27. alanp561
    Joined: Oct 1, 2017
    Posts: 4,612

    alanp561
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Mid '50's Buick used a 2.5" backspacing. For what it's worth, I've done the Buick reverse with turned down Ford centers but, I've also done wider by taking the wide sides of two Buicks, or two Fords, welding them together and adding the Ford centers. You can get real creative dirt tracking.
     
    Crkrjac likes this.
  28. tim troutman
    Joined: Aug 6, 2012
    Posts: 849

    tim troutman
    Member

    I have put ford center in old white spoke wagon wheel hoops they were the correct size
     
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  29. Crkrjac
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 111

    Crkrjac
    Member
    from Waxhaw NC

    Good info
     
  30. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    One of my buddies did a set for his 55/56 Ford in ag shop about 1963. I remember that he caught hell from the auto shop teacher for jacking 4 Buick wheels out of the auto shop wheel rack without asking or offering to buy them. Funny part is at that time he could have gone to the Autobone yard or Jim Willies and got them for 2 bucks each at the time.

    They had a couple of big govt surplus lathes in the AG shop along with a bunch of metal working equipment that guys on here would kill for now. When I was teaching auto shop in the shop next door the AG teacher didn't know or car how to use the huge slip roll to shape sheet metal and only used it to roll steel rings.

    Anyhow he built the wheels and installed them and they looked great. I still like that look.
     
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