History '50 Merc Hub Caps: a small tradition

For those who are running late ford rear ends the late 80's ford police cars that ran the dog dish hub caps will take the Merc caps

Here is my Roadster with a 57 Ranchero rear and 86 police car wheels which of course are the 4 1/2 inch pattern

The front is done with '56 f-100 brakes and hubs. I used late Ford PU wheels and made tangs on them to hold the Merc caps.

John

 

The guy with the '36 Roadster lives about 5 miles from me. John didn't tell you he's running a healthy flathead. He built the roadster himself and it is one fine ride. He can do about anything with sheet metal. Heck, he even upholstered the car!

The Ford wheels he mentioned were used on '92 thru '97 Ford Interceptors (other years?). A '50 Merc cap fits 'em perfectly.

As to the small (dog dish) interceptor stainless hub caps, my brother has an NOS set of 4, ($75 delivered) if anyone is interested. They fit the wheels above.

FWIW, John has had some high-dollar offers for that beautiful '36 Roadster!

Gaither

 

Great thread 50Fraud, these are the REAL traditional wheels on hot rods. All the whining about Wheel Vintiques making the early ford inner nib wheels in multi lug ignores they were not the "Traditional" wheel and whitewall look at all. 50 Merc caps on chromes were. Wheel Vintiques makes a nice 64 series chrome wheel and sells flat merc caps to fit them.

 

My 50 Merc wheels and caps.

 

Great looking RPU!

 

Yes! And the Merc caps show well with little or no offset of the wheels. FWIW, I also like the axle treatment; suicide FS isn't just for fenderless rods, is it?

 

my roadster mercs on front lincolns on back

 

4-1/2" with 5.90s and 7" with 8.20s

 

What's the smallest front tire size that will look good on a 50 Merc 5 1/2" front wheel. Similarly to Tim, I'm going with bigs/littles on a fenderless 32 Roadster with 820-15 in the back on 6" 50 Lincoln wheels.

 

I have been a fan of the Merc caps for many years. I always just used the Ford 15" wheels with the 10 1/8th" re-pro caps.