I need some input on rims. I want to paint steel rims to match the off white my '53 grille is and put beauty rings and small hub caps. My wheel and tire guy said most new steel rims are all offshore junk, and I would be better off cleaning up some used rims. I can have a free set of 5X51/2" steels that have the hub cap bumps on the 'outside' like the '60's dog dish caps would fit. I want the replica '50's caps and am having no luck finding rims in the southern Ontario rust belt. So, anyone using the '60's rims? with hub caps? or the chrome 'bullets' that go on first, then the rim and you see the bullet through thr centre hole? I just don't like the square sholdered dog dish caps! Any pictures would help. Thanks, Jeff.

 

Well, I guess these are exactly what you DON'T want? 70's F-150 5.5" x 15's but with '52 - '54 Ford caps... I want to add trim rings. Color is real close to the ivory used in the '50s. (Sorry for the lousy pic, but of course the Upload Failure thing is going on!)

 

LMC truck has reproduction steel 15 inch rims in their catalog with the inner ***** that are for the smaller dog dish hubcaps. Not sure if that helps but it might. As far as the debate between an overseas repro and old rims, I imagine that's a crap shoot either way nowadays. Not many of the original rims available today are even close to perfect. I know that it took me months to find the missing 16 inch rim for my truck.

 

I hoard both 15" and 16" stock wheels (15" are pretty easy to come by around here). I wanted to run 16x5's on my truck couldn't find the inner bump ones, so I have outer bump 16x5 with '51 car caps and 215/85 r 16's.

Also try rally america, they make their own wheels.
RallyAmerica.Com's 14 Series Gennie*

They also have used wheels too.




ALBUQ F-1, I also have a set of those caps in case I want a change.

 

I used Vintique wheels 6x16 front and rear with 195/65 front and 205/65 from Dimondback. You might want to think about tire diameter if you have a stock rear. The truck originally came with 600x16 tires witch are 30 inches tall, a smaller diameter will lower your overall gear ratio.
Jim

 

Are the FORD letters painted on them? What color? It appears mine originally had red letters.

 

The thing about the newer type rims (I assume even repros of early style) is that the rim has the safety bead, and they are made for tubeless tires. Originals don't have the bead and if you run them tubeless, and lose air, it's going to go bad in a hurry. But I like the looks of early with caps and rings.

 

Ross, just curious.....what happens to a tube type tire (without bead locks) when it loses air? Some thing different than a tubeless tire?

 

Thanks for all the information. I tell you, I like the car caps in the pictures. It's the truck square edged caps from the '60-80's I don't really like, but the ones Albuq F-1 has I like a lot!

 

There's a lot of great options for 40's-50's-60's Ford car hubcaps that will fit the outside nubs on later truck wheels, and look great on our old trucks, in addition to the ones shown. Here's a few found on google images...

57 Ford


Early-mid 60's


49-50 Ford


55-56


Now if only I can find a set of these Mercury caps for my truck...

 

The FORD letters on the hubcaps on '53-'56 trucks were painted red. On 48-52 they were blue. Also, the '53-'56 trucks the hubcaps were not stainless. They were painted argent (silver). I believe with the Korean War in full swing they cut back on chrome and stainless.

Jeff, if you are going stock the wheels were body color in 53 and 54. In 55 and 56 the wheels were snowshoe white which is what the grilles were in those years.

Either way looks nice. The grille color in 53 and 54 was Sungate Ivory....

Can't help you with any old rims...

 

I have one of the 55-56 caps.

 

I used the original style wheels (15") with the F-1 style hubcap. I reversed the wheels and used 8" wide hoops on the back.....still need to get some trim rings. Color is just bc/cc silver paint.