1951 15" Pickup Wheel

[Shadetree]

Where is the best place to buy an original type 15" F-1 pickup wheel? What years fit? Is a car wheel the same?

[paul2748]

Car wheels will be a 5 on 4 1/2 bolt pattern while the truck was 5 on 5 1/2

[TJ]

If you want to use the stock hub caps you can use any Ford pickup wheel from '56 to '66. If you want new wheels you can get them from Coker, Rally America, Wheelsmith. You can also find them at Summit racing. If you get new wheels you can get a variety of rim widths and offsets. The F-1 will take up to an 8" rim on the back and a 6" would work well on the front.

[Shadetree]

Originally Posted by paul2748

Car wheels will be a 5 on 4 1/2 bolt pattern while the truck was 5 on 5 1/2

Paul,
School me. How do you measure a bolt pattern? Would that be from a bolt hole to another across from it. Center to center?

Thanks

[Mountaindoc]

Here's how you measure a bolt pattern:

http://www.mrt-wheels.com/boltpattern.html


As for your wheel, the ones that you need to look at are sold by LMC truck. Sure, you can use multiple Ford truck wheels from later models, BUT you won't have the "innie" knob design to accomodate the original "dog dish" style hubcaps if you want them. As I recall, the wheels offered in the LMC catalog have the correct "innie" knob pattern. The original F-1 wheels were actually 16 inch, but a LOT of people go with the 15 inch wheels nowadays for ride comfort and the wider bead width.

[Shadetree]

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Doc,
Thanks for this information. I had no idea that it is different on some bolt patterns. It wasn't such a dumb question after all!

I am going to Hershey, maybe I'll find a wheel there now that I know what to look for.

[4t8v8]

'49 thru '51 Mercury wheels are what I used. A local tire dealer keeps a lot of old wheels in his back lot. I found mine there. The original F1 wheels are 16".

[Lanny]

Originally Posted by 4t8v8

'49 thru '51 Mercury wheels are what I used. A local tire dealer keeps a lot of old wheels in his back lot. I found mine there. The original F1 wheels are 16".

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The '49-'51 Merc wheels take an 11 inch hubcap, unlike the pickup wheels which
have the "innie" hubcap nubs for the smaller hubcap.


















.

[4t8v8]

Lanny is correct about the hubcap size. I used '57 Ford small hubcaps and beauty rings. Looks real good. Although I try to stay as close to original as I can, the difference between $5 per wheel as compared to the cost of new ones - I am not that particular as my F1 is a daily driver and not a show piece.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Mountaindoc

Here's how you measure a bolt pattern:

http://www.mrt-wheels.com/boltpattern.html


As for your wheel, the ones that you need to look at are sold by LMC truck. Sure, you can use multiple Ford truck wheels from later models, BUT you won't have the "innie" knob design to accomodate the original "dog dish" style hubcaps if you want them. As I recall, the wheels offered in the LMC catalog have the correct "innie" knob pattern. The original F-1 wheels were actually 16 inch, but a LOT of people go with the 15 inch wheels nowadays for ride comfort and the wider bead width.

Mountaindoc...The "innie" knobs are present on Ford pick-up wheels through '66 or so and accept the earlier caps perfectly. Lots of complaints about aftermarket wheels with "innie" knobs being too loose and occasionally tossing caps. DD