Hey guys. I know I saw a post somewhere on this forum talking about after market rims for a 1949 Mercury M68 pickup. The issue is the extremely large brake drums. I believe they are 14" or 14.5". Something like that. The rims are split rims and I would like something to replace them. Any suggestions as to where to find something? I am located in Prince George BC. Somewhere within the province would be ideal but in the end I'll go where I need to. Thanks a lot.

 

I'll start with the assumption that you wish to retain your stock Timken axle. If that is not one of your ground rules we can have a different discussion. I'll also assume you'd like to retain use of your stock hub caps.

With those qualifiers there are three options. The easiest, and imho best option, is to buy a set of the tubeless Budd #71410s that are 19.5" x 5.25" and use an 8R19.5" tire. That tire size is the tubeless equal of your 7.50-17" tube types. They were optional on F-250s from 1956 to 1966. The NWRA cross reference code for them is X-45049. They were also used by Dodge and Studebaker. Below is a link to a set available in the State of Washington. I have no connection to the seller.

The next best option is to have the centers pulled from your widow maker 17" Budd #49380s to have remounted into tubeless 17" drop center rims. We've seen this done by Stockton Wheel in CA, and I'll assume it could be done closer to you by American Wheel Specialist in Kennewick, WA, or by a company more local to you. If you're area is served by Les Schwab or Commercial Tire dealers you would I believe need to work through one of them to go to American Wheel Specialist since they are a wholesaler to those companies.

The third option is also a bolt on fix. Also introduced in 1956 and optional through 1969 by my references was Budd #70720 or #73240 (same wheel)/NWRA X-45048. It is a 17.5" x 5.25" tubeless wheel that uses an 8R17.5" tire. These will clear your rear drums but will be a shorter combo than the others. The first two are about 34" while this is at best 32" in diameter. These were also used by Dodge. Stu

AKH Vintage Wheels - Ellensburg Washington

https://www.google.com/search?site=&...k1.s59iGXbZKIo

Widow Maker center remounted by Stocton Wheel.

 

Another option that was mentioned in another thread are linked below. These are claimed to clear the drum, but without a lot of extra clearance. I have personally not tried these and your stock hubcaps will not fit.

https://www.wheelvintiques.com/82-se...ack-8-lug.html

I personally have the same wheel hurtle to get over and have not been able to decide which route I want to take.

 

Yeah, that member claimed those 16" Wheel Vintiques wheels were a bolt on fix. But they turned out to be custom fitted to the drums by moving the center discs inward/rims outward away from the drums. Thus the wheel mounting surfaces move the wheels outward and fill the wheel wells a bit more. No doubt Wheel Vintiques could replicate them using their build order, but like you said they don't allow hub caps. Stu

Edit - here is that discussion thread. Stu

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...tern-fits.html

 

I guess I should have been more clear that. But yes, my plan is to keep the stock axle and to be able to use my stock hubcaps. I haven't seen too many trucks with the hubcaps still in decent condition. I am going to look into the option of using the centres from the widow makers. Either way it will cost me a small fortune to get something that will be safer on the truck so if I can keep some of the original look then I am all for it.

 

Please report back if you find a Canadian source. Would be helpful to others. Stu

 

Stu
What is the bolt pattern for these rims? Is it a 8x6.5? I am waiting to hear back from a Vancouver BC shop that MIGHT be able to do the work that Stockton wheels can. I will let you know as soon as I find out tomorrow. I spoke to Stockton wheels and being that I live in the great white north, it's going to cost me my first born to get it done. They told me between $250-$280 per wheel. Plus shipping both ways obviously. After exchange and what not I am looking at around $1800.00 CAN $.

 

Yes, 8 x 6.5" pattern. Stu

Edit - if you find a company but they don't seem to connect with what you are after, the widow maker 17" has what is called a semi-drop center (SDC) outer rim. The center disc mounts to its raised RH-5° joint where the halves connect. The inside diameter of the raised band area, the SDC, in the old rim matches the inside diameter of the new true drop center of the tubeless outer rim. This thus provides a clean snug fit for the remounted center disc. To replicate the original fit you want the center disc positioned to yield 9/16" positive offset. Stu

 

Thanks Stu. This might be a dumb question but are only the rear drums 14"? I was just looking at a pic I posted on another thread of my front wheels and they seem to have a fair bit more room in the wheel? Forgive my ignorance on this

 

Yes, the rears only are 14" inside diameter. Please note my above edit to my last post. Stu

 

Stu
So a bit of good news and bad news. There is an outfit in Vancouver BC that can do the same type of job that Stockton wheels does regarding removing the centres from the split rim and remounting into a new barrel. The bad news though is the guy said that he does not have access to a 17" barrel. Is there some specific about the style or rim that I should mention to him? Maybe what you said in the edited you made on this post a couple comments down?
Zach

 

Don't see why that should be. Stockton Wheel gets them from somebody. Have you called American Wheel Specialist? The owners, Juan Murillo and his son Shaun/Sean/? are really nice folks and if they can do it I would hope cooperate in sharing their source with the guy you've talked to. Stu

 

I have contacted a company in Winnipeg, MB with the same question. They are going to contact me next week to let me know if they can do the wheel center swap. I'll post back once they respond.

 

So the company I contacted in Winnipeg thinks they can do it but it doesn't sound like they have done it before. They would need me to provide the exact measurement of a wheel center so they can see if they can find a rim. At this point I am leaning towards doing the dana 60 swap and using 16" rims.

 

The company in Vancouver bc said he can do it. He was able to source the rim he would require but also needs an exact measurement of the centre of the split rims. He can only get one rims so the split centres need to be either exactly the right size or bigger. He said they can cut them down if necessary. The cost isn't too terrible. He said the rims is roughly $160 a piece plus the labour to cut out the old centre and re install into the new tubeless rim. Plus the shipping of course. Luckily for me I go to Van a couple times a year.