I'm thinking about buying some Vintique wheels for my 58F100--the front two wheels only. I like the wheels i have in the back just fine, but my existing aftermarket front wheels stick out a little too much etc. I just don't like the fit etc.

The Vintique wheels I'm looking at are chrome 15 x 5 with 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern and a 3 inch back space. I think thats probably what i need.
I guess the OEM wheels were 15x5.5 with a 3.75 back space? Is that right? I've never had the OEM wheels - so just guessing.

And of course they were pre radial, but I guess? I can use a P205/75R15 on them? I'll check with the tire store, but does anyone have experience using this smaller size tire. I know some go as big as P235/70R15 etc-in fact that is what I bought and have on there now, but it looks too big for my needs. Its a question of looks not performance that I'm after at the moment.

My truck is more a hot rod. Not used off road or for hauling etc. Doesn't need some sort of super big tires up front for my easy use.

And I want a smaller tire/wheel to better fit inside the wheel well and also bring the height of the truck in front down a bit.

My calculations suggest that "if" i can safely mount a P205/75R15 onto such a thin wheel as 5 inch width--I should reduce height by about .86 inch and if I can use a P205/70R15 i could reduce height by1.68 iches--if such a tire exists etc and I can use it.

My existing wheels are 7 inches wide and I don't know if tire sellers will mount a modern radial tire of this size on a 5 inch wide wheel. Anyone have experience with that?
I was thinkng maybe 5 inch wide wheels are too narrow. But I'm sure someone here has either done this or knows about it.

Also I'm looking at these Vintique Wheels on line at Summit and they show them all with baby moon hub caps etc--and I can't see the area of the wheel that shows the bolts holes. Are there really just 5 mounting holes?
Or do they use some sort of uni hole setup with more holes than 5?
I don't plan to use hubcaps and don't want--if possible some extra holes showing etc. Although i suppose maybe someone has made some sort of chrome plated-like caps etc that might be used to cover the unsused holes? How does this work? 5 holes in the wheels or more?

Appreciate any help

 

I'm gonna be useless on all the custom aspects of your question, but I can tell you what the backspacing was on the stock 16" x 4.5" wheels. The below diagram of the stock wheel shows that from the center line, the wheel mounting surface (WMS) has .620" of dish (D), or offset. So, with the wheel being 4.5" wide, half of that is 2.25" + .620" = 2.87" of set back. I don't know whether Wheel Vintiques counts that additional distance from the edge of the inner rim base to the lip's outer edge when doing their calculations, though. You'll want to check that. Stu

 

Oh, so a 58F100 had 16inch wheels? Boy I was way off. I thought they were 15? But didn't know. Somehow/somewhere I've picked up a 15x5.5 with a 3.75 backspace and I thought maybe it was an OEM 58 wheel.

Thanks for the info on backspacing.

 

No, No, No. I'm guilty of reading right over the top of the question. I looked at your avatar instead of reading fully. A '58 F-100 could have had several different wheels, at least according to my wheel resources. Maybe Bill (Number Dummy) can add info on which was standard and which were optional. Anyway, my sources show it could have come with, in addition to the 16 x 4.5, a 16 x 5.0, 15 x 5.0, and 17.5 x 5.25 in one piece construction. And a 15 x 5.5 in a two piece construction called a semi-drop center. They are all listed as Kelsey Hayes wheels, but the only other that I find offset info on is the 15" x 5" and it has the same .620" offset. Stu

 

Thanks Stu--Ya I understand about comfusion regarding my F1 pic etc. Its OK. I'm a truck junky. I've got four. I think the one 15 x 5.5 wheel with a 3.75 backspace might be an example of semi-drop/two piece construction? Just guessing. But looking at it, it has a welded in center section with very/very clean welds that looks like hi quality welding machine work etc. And I would guess maybe that's what they mean by semidrop.
I've got a flat tire on that wheel but all is good enough to put on the truck and test fit for clearances etc. I'll do that tomorrow. I'm already thinking the Vintique wheels don't have enough back space for me. I want the wheels more inboard. Often the wheel makers are pushing to get the widest possible "track". I don't want that in this case. I dont' know how good an old wheel like this is. But this one looks really good. Maybe if it fits OK I'll take it to a local tire seller and see if he can sell me P205/75 or 70R15 radial for it. And if so I'll sand blast and expoxy this wheel-looking for bad rust etc in the process-and if OK haul it around to wreckers etc until I find another. And if I can't i can get one made, but usually they come with extra lug holes for uni/fit type setups. And I don't like them.

 

Tom,have you tried Pete Paulsen Motorsports, I think they're in French Camp?They will build you about any wheel, in any configuration.Even to accept innie/outie wheel covers,according to the guy I spoke with.You can get them finished,or bare, and if you take the ones you have and like, I'm guessing they'll duplicate it.I'm eventually going to go to a power disc brake set-up, which will be 5-lug, and change the Dana 60 rear end to 9" and want to stay with 16",innie wheels.I intend to use their services.Here's a link:

Paulsen Motorsports Home Page

They're site is kind of busy and hard to navigate,it's best to call them.Good luck

 

Speaking of number dummy i do see some numbers on the wheel:

M55 12 7 5.5

Z A 11 18 85 104 15x15.5JJ MADE IN CANADA DOT DO

 

Yes thanks I'm familiar with Paulsen as well as other wheel builders. I haven't used him, but I'm sure he's good. There are many wheel builders. I have been to Stockton Wheel Service in the past and have bought wheels from them that I'm still using. That was probably 13years ago, but they pretty much were using the uni type hole setups then and as I mentioned I'm not gonna use hubcaps etc and can of course somehow weld or attach covers to the extra lug holes etc. But I'd rather find someone who would use a 5 hole center section and be done with it. Not an engineer!, but lets leave some metal on the wheel!! That's just me.

 

IMHO, I think 205/70s will be too small for the front of your truck. I would not go with anything less than 215/70 or 215/75. If you think the 235/70s are too big for the rear, try 225/70 or 225/75s...

 

Rally America "Street Rod's, Custom wheels and Wire wheels are our Specailty."

can build you what you need.

 

What I listed were the wheels that would have been available in 1958. As I was reading the old catalog, the available semi-drop center would have been a lock ring two piece style. Your wheel is I think a lot newer wheel. Maybe that 85 is the year of manufacture, just a guess. None of the other numbers fit what my catalogs show, except for the JJ. That's a pretty standard drop center one piece wheel design. Here's the cross section of that. Stu

 

After I put the test tire and wheel on tomorrow I'll pretty much know. And I'd like to have 70 ratio for the height because that means it would be less tall and I'm going for less tall-the 75 would be taller. As I mentioned this is a rod type truck and I don't haul stuff in it. So the minimum requirements shouldn't be more than a medium weight family car--I think. I've used much smaller tires in the front--when I chose too--than the engineers want, but engineers as they should--overbuild or expect other heavier uses than I intend. I find that I can take a smaller radial -if that's the look i want-and it looks right --and just make sure I keep the air at Max rated for the tire. And drive and use the truck accordingly. I've done it with success on other trucks.

By the way I have 205 60R15's on the front of my 48 IH KB1 with a small block V8 and I've used it even in work and carrying ladders plus tools etc and its still doing fine after 15years heavy service. But its true the 58F100 has a big heavy 460 with a C6 tranny and its much! heavier. So you could be right. Maybe the 215 70 or 75's will be necessary. I just need to know what the tire sellers want regarding the necessary width of a wheel. I think? they need a certain minimum width to mount a 215 70, and it might be more than the 5.5inch width wheel I'm hoping to use. But we'll see. Right now I've got 7inch wide wheels up front, and I hope i can get by with less width. I don't have the fender/tire fit that i want up front. I get a little rubbing on big bumps and don't want to adjust the fender width, the truck to too "wide track" and doesn't need to be.

And I'm only talking about the front wheels. This is a prostreet/tubbed truck with big prostreet tires in the rear that fit just fine.

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.

Tom

 

Ya I PM'd Bill and he couldn't help with the numbers I gave him on this wheel--so who know's what it is. But if I drag it around to salvage yards
maybe someone will ID it. And I can find a second wheel also. We'll see.

 

Thanks Good to know. That's a new source for me.

Tom