Our '55 F100 has 15" wheels that look just like this:



But I have read here that most people seem to have 16" wheels. Our truck has 5 (including the side mounted spare) 15" wheels. Are the 15" wheels stock/original? Were 16" wheels an option?

Thanks,

Phil

 

I believe that 16" wheels were standard with the 15" wheels being an option. Luckily I have all 5 of my 16" wheels since the 15" wheels that came with it are shot.

 

The original 55 rims were 16" x 4-1/2 wide and came with 6.00 x 16 tires with 6.70's an option.
I don't recall 15 being an option although I could be wrong .

 

Hmm...I don't understand what we have then...they are definitely old and look stock. The center is riveted to the outer wheel from the back. The tires are 235/75/15.

I will take a pic and post it 2night.

Phil

 

NumberDummy posted an answer to this in another thread

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...6-f-100-a.html

 

The 15" wheels are correct if your truck has its original "innie" wheels & hubcaps.

15" wheels were introduced, became standard equipment in 1955. From 1955 thru 1979, 16" wheels were optional.

But, no Ford truck until the 1990's came with 235/75/15 P-metric radial tires. Ford didn't offer radial tires for trucks until the 1970's, then only as an option. The original 15" tires for these trucks were bias ply blackwalls.

Innie = So called because the hubcap snaps onto tabs located on the inside of the wheels center section.

1965: Ford introduced "outie" 15" wheels for F100's, but innies were also available. Outie wheels became standard equipment in 1967, used thru 1996.

Outie = So called because the hubcap snaps over raised tabs located on the outside of the wheels center section.

btw: First US vehicle to come with radial tires as standard equipment: 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado with FWD (Front Wheel Drive), the first US car since 1937 to come with it.

Previous US cars with FWD: 1929 Ruxton, 1929/32 L-29 Cord and 1936/37 810/812/Beverly/Westchester Cord, called the "coffin nose Cord" the day it was first introduced, styled by Gordon Buehrig.

The Cord's styling became the most copied in the world. 1940/41 Hupp Skylarks & the 1941 Graham Hollywood used the Cord Westchester sedan body shells, but had RWD.

 

Thanks Numberdummy. Here are the pics of the wheels. This one was side mounted as a spare, but matches the other 4:

 

INNIE WHEELS!

6A-1130-A (replaced 6A-1130) .. Innie Hubcap ~ Blue Ford letters / Late 1947, 1948 Ford Passenger Cars / 1948/52 F1.

B3C-1130-A (replaced BAAA-1130-A) .. Innie Hubcap ~ Red Ford letters / 1953/56 F100.

The only difference between these two hubcaps is their letter colors.

The 6A hubcaps were still available from Ford in the 1970's, have now been reproduced. The B3C/BAAA hubcaps were obsoleted when LBJ was prez. Not reproduced AFAIK.

 

Thanks ND! She is excited that they are originals and definitely plans on restoring them. What's the wides tire that will fit on them if she wanted to go with wider tires in the back?

Phil

 

Sorry, dunno....I'm a long time member of the strictly original club.

 

Understood and can appreciate. Do you know how wide this 15" rim is? We have tires on all 5, so it is hard to measure them.

Phil

 

I'm not questioning Number Dummy's expertise, but, will only quote a couple facts I have come across.
On p.269 of Jim Wagner's book,"Ford Trucks Since 1905,"it states for 1956 (not 1955)," the formerly standard 6.00 x 16 wheel was made an option replaced by 15 x 5." Jim is a recognised authority on Ford Trucks.
Also, the Ford 1955 Shop Manuel lists 16" rims as standard and makes no mention of
15's.

 

Number, you are always a wealth if expert knowledge. But, just to be clear for stockers: another difference besides the color of the FORD letters is that the 48-52 hubcaps were stainless and teh 53-56 hubcaps were painted argent.

 

Custom/Deluxe Cabs came with stainless steel hubcaps, Standard Cabs were painted steel.

 

My very original 56 F100 has 15 inch wheels, argent painted hubcaps with red letters. It's a standard cab.
John