Ford and Lincoln 16 x 5 steel wheels information

[3W Hank]

The subject is Ford or Lincoln Hot Rod steel wheels.

I read on older articles but information or answers go all over.

As far as I heard the Ford wheels was 16 x 4.
They had the ‘Ford’ logo.

I will use Ford 16 x 4 in front and they has dimples ‘in’ ( Ford logo )
I read the 1 year only 1940 16 x 4” has straight sides but the 41/42 had 1 side straight and the other sloped.
I has 1 side sloped.
See picture of a 1940 wheel and see picture of my 16 x 4 with the Ford logo.

From what I has heard on the "volcano nut", well we can call it dimples ‘out’, but the early prewar ( my guess ) was dimples in.

To me, a hotrod wheel as seen from the mid 40’s and up to 1949 was the Lincoln 16 x 5 ( clips ) and they was dimples in.
Why, maybe it was the only 16 x 5 wheel aviable, or ?

I do has one ( 1 ) wheel 16 x 5 and I has understand it could be a Merc 1941 and they might used a 16 x 5 wheel.
My wheel has the volcano or dimples out and are market inside KH and on outside ‘Fomoco’.
Se picture
But was Fomoco a sign they used on the 40’s or is that in the 50’s.

When I was at LARS one guy deal with wheels said the 16 x 5 is Very rare.
We did not came into Ford or Fomoco or from where they came.

Now I heard the 50’s 1/2 ton pick-up has 16 x 5, so it can’t be that hard find them ( ex a pair out now at 250 USD )

So my question is did Merc had 16 x 5 1941 or is the wheels the hotrodders use 50’s made 16 x 5 ?

-Did Ford had aftermarket wider wheels ( 16 x 5 ) in the 40’s ?

I guess 'my' Fomoco wheels is a wheel from the 50's.

That is also hotrod, but not the 40's ( for me the information I search )
But I do has bought a pair of true Lincolns 1941.


- In a discoussion today a friend of my told me a Ford wheel 16 x 5 is WAY harder to get ( more cool factor ) than a Lincoln 41 that is much more easy to find. But we never came into was he talked on 40's style Ford logo 16 x 5 ( dimple 'in' ? ) or was he not aware of the wheel history and the truck 50's 16 x 5 as the thought was 40's (?)

Maybe not easy to figure out this, or ?

[3W Hank]

I think I has maybe a answer.

This is a pre post here on same subject.
One asked on Merc 16 x 5. It was about a 47 Merc.
Merc had ( updates ? ) and one answer and showed a NOS ’replacement’ wheel that was dated 8/47.
-So Ford had 16 x 5 wheels on the 40’s.
Maybe thats why so rare.
Note.
See the dimples on that wheel is not out, its = in.
So Ford had dimples in even after war.

My 16 x 5 Fomoco is truck wheels 50’s maybe all the way to the 60’s.

https://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=156772

[cas3]

All the 5" wheels I've had used the sloped on one side drop center, not square like your photo of a 4" wheel. Easier to mount tires I believe with the slope side wheel.

[3W Hank]

As I read it was 1 year only for the 16 x 4 to has both side square.
That was just more a sidenote on topics of the 40’s made 16 x 5 wheels.
If anyone has more info, please show.

Picture in the old thread showed a 16 x 5 made 1947.
I guess this wheels was a reality but maybe just aftermarket and never std on a car in the 40’s.
As I bought Lincoln 41 a true 16 x 5 from 40’s this is more for information I ask/research it regards Ford wheels.
Maybe in the 50’s some truck came from factory with 16 x 5.
Or maybe all was aftermarket.
I had a topics last week here on what was the ”coolest” 16 x 5 40’s type wheels on a hotrod ; Lincoln or Ford.
-I think I has my answer on it, and Fords was ’aviable’ but Lincoln is Lincoln.

I might should bought me a hotrod Lincoln :- ))
I has now LZ 37 carbs, LZ 39 gearbox, LZ 37 distributor, LZ 41 brakes, and now LZ 41 wheels….

[Newc]

Note: Lug stud length changed pre WW2 vs post WW2. The lug nut seats [on wheel] are 'innies' vs 'outies' and post war wheels on pre war hubs will not use all the nut threads. Case; a '40 cpe I own. Newc

[3W Hank]

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Here is the 41 lincoln drum on the 41 Ford 16 x 4 'innies' wheel.

[deuce lover]

The wheel that you show in the first pic without the sloping drop center is a 1940.There were 3.5 inch and 4 inch and only for pass cars and maybe pickup.

[3W Hank]

Yes I has understand that.
My has one side sloped so it's a 41/42.
But cool would be found a pair of 3.5”.

If anyone has = Contact me !

[3W Hank]

I read a older thread on Hamb on subject and one thing I thought before was my ( 1 ) wheel 16 x 5 was Merc 1941.
Now I’m pretty shore as it’s outies or bumps and the Fomoco logo it’s 50 or maybe even 60’s wheels.
It has no indication inside and year, just a KH logo.
On the Hamb thread one showed a 41 marked wheel ( 16 x 5 ) is 41 the year ?
See picture.
It’s a ’innies’ or no bumbs, and maybe that is a indication of a prewar wheel.
In thread it’s also mention that Ford did on the 40’s ; 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5 and even 5.5 wide wheels.
-Can this be veryfied ? ( maybe some is aftermarkets sold by Ford or others )

Can some show a marked 16 x 5.5 and year ?
Should be very intresting see it.

But on a production car, was the Merc 1941 sold with 4 or 5” wheels ( or both maybe )

[3W Hank]

I find a KH logo and 16.x5. And it was 2 letters and 12 and a 6.
1946 or 1956 ?

[kiwi nz]

Looks like a 15 x 5 to me

[3W Hank]

It shore is a 16 X 5 with bulps and my question is :
The letters 12 and 6 ( year/month but 46 or 56 ? )
What years become this bulps std and introduce ?
-Did Ford use 16 X 5 on the 41 Merc ?

I’m pretty shore the 1 wheel I had ( sold it now ) is Fomoco 50’s made wheel.
I don’t think bulps was on 40’s style wheels and I do think this 5” wide wheels is all aftermarket and Merc used 4” wheels and no bulps 41.
Only Lincoln had 16 X 5 std ( 40’s ) and in 41 16”
as at 42 it was 15”.
That’s why I see them at hotrod wheels ( but I has no chrystall ball ) and in hotrodding they did it all and we do it all still so its no right or wrong.
And I guess for most it don’t really matters, but I really like info.

[cas3]

There is usually a date on the triangle boss between the lug holes...like this.
hard to see, but its 41 at the end

[3W Hank]

cas3,
I’ll seen wheels size/year with that info inside.
I cant see anything on my 16 x 5 wheel than Fomoco ( outside ) and inside rim its zize and 2 digits.
On my 16 x 4 ( 42/42 ) its a Ford logo outside.
But its tires on them so I can’t see inside.

I think I understand most now but still search for the 2 questions mention
before.

[alchemy]

I was pulling 16x5 wheels off the rack last weekend to find a nice pair. I discovered I had a few of the “outie” style, and one single “innie”. The backspace (measured by laying a bar across the flat of the vertical tire mounting area, not the flange) is 3.25” on the outies, and only 3” on the innie.

I’ll have to search my other stash places to see if I can find a match to this innie.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by 3W Hank

Yes I has understand that.
My has one side sloped so it's a 41/42.
But cool would be found a pair of 3.5”.

If anyone has = Contact me !

"Sloped" started in 1942. The 3 1/2" wide rim was 60 HP cars, 1940.

[alchemy]

Originally Posted by Kube

"Sloped" started in 1942. The 3 1/2" wide rim was 60 HP cars, 1940.

I thought the 4.5” wheels started in ‘42?

[Newc]

My '48 Merc M-47 PU came with 16"x5" and 'outie' lug seats. Families '65 F100 HD PU came with 16'x5"- inner cap bumps and 'outie' lug seats also. Newc

[3W Hank]

That has been my indications aswell that Ford might used 5 x 16 std in the 40’s but as wheels can be easy switched I suspect if ’outies’ seats and 5 x 16 on a car that can be 50’s or even 60’s style 16 inch wheels, but then if the Fomoco logo it might not been a 40’s wheel.
Few cars now from the 40’s is totally bone stock with proof of the wheels came from factory at ( my guess )
The Fomoco wheels I seen ( so far ) 5 x 16 had both innies or outies seats.
I has not seen a Ford logo 5 x 16 with outies.
If one has and pictures, please show.