While I await the aluminum heads other plans are being made for my 57 Bird. I have a set of 15X7 Torque Thrust D's which are now on my 65 Galaxie. I am thinking using a 15X7 steel original style wheel with satin black powder coating and 57 Ford dog dish caps. My Bird is black and I would probably use Michelin 225/60 blackwalls. Is there a wheel application for this size from other Fords I could hunt for or will I need to get some from Stockton Wheel, Wheel Vintiques, etc?

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

Mopar Cop Steelies ?

http://www.themopardude.com/New_Custom_2.html

Or maybe Ford police wheels?

 Seppo from Järvenpää, Finland
www.hollowheads.net (just click the hole in the head to proceed)

Hey thanks for the reminder. I had forgotten about the Mopar wheel compatibility. Looks like 57-59 Ford dogdish caps are a little tough to find also, especially without corrosion. I am also thinking about unsprung weight with aluminum vs steel wheels.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

70 to 71 Lincoln and other mid seventies fords used a 15" Steel Wheel that holds a '57 Ford Dog Dish.

I'm having a set of Lincoln wheels powdercoated gloss black this week to use as rollers on my Courier.

You can use a 255 tire in the rear easily without any mods and up to a 275/60 15 if you roll the fenderlip and do a little clearancing on a '57 ford   You need to jack one side up at a time, with the jack on the frame infront of the leaf spring mount to change rear wheels with a really wide tire.

A 255 tire fits fairly easy on a 57 bird as well, with just a little folding, clearancing and tossing the skirts.  I have a 275/60/17 on the back of my bird, but I had to massage a bunch of stuff to make it work.  It was worth it to me as it looks cool.

Pat Fleischman

I'm not positive but I don't think you can use the Ford dog dish caps with Mopar wheels. Chrysler used smaller caps.

What I really would like to have are plain 15x6 Ford steel rims made out of aluminum. Anybody make these ? I bet they could sell tons of these.

Thanks Pat. I have carefully removed some of the welded lip around the inside rear wheel opening without weakening it. My bird is black with laser straight rear quarters and have been warned about flexing the panels with wheel interference. Do you know offhand how wide the Lincoln wheels are? I had some steelies made by Stockton Wheels about 5 years ago for my 66 Slick with trim rings and FORD small caps. I guess I could do the same and play with the offset to get more clearance in the back. My Bird is more of a driver. Lots of good mountain roads on the coast here and handling is more my thing.



RMK57,



Aluminum versions of the stock style wheels would be cool but structurally I don't think it would work. Aluminum wheels need a thicker hub for strength. Thanks for the heads up on the cap size and Mopar wheels.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

Mark,

         I run the Stocktons too, just tell them what offset you want before they build them.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Mark-

[quote]MarkMontereyBay (10/29/2010)

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Looks like 57-59 Ford dogdish caps are a little tough to find also, especially without corrosion. [quote]

I have a set of four 57 dogdish caps if you are interested. I'll check condition, haven't looked at them in a while. Picked them up for $25 for a club project and then we put on wheel covers

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

Thanks, if they are nice I would be interested. Also need to determine the width increase and relative backspacing from an original 14"x5" wheel to a 15"x7" wheel to get the clearance I need.




57 Black Tbird 312/auto