What's the difference between these wheels?

[Solo_909]

Originally Posted by JM 35 Sedan

IMHO, if you want to run '40-'48 wheels on the rear of your car, replace those '35 hub/drums with '40-'48 hub/drums instead of grinding those 5 nubs off the '35 drums. '35 rear drums were one year only, not reproduced to my knowledge, and getting difficult to find for those who own '35's and run with stock wires. If they measure less than 12.060" dia. at brake shoe contact surface you could probably sell those, buy good '40-'48 rear drums, and have money left over.
As others have already stated, your front drums look good to go with '40-'48 wheels, assuming they do not measure over 12.060" dia. in the brake shoe contact surface area.
Also, I picked up some 16", 5 on 5-1/2" bolt pattern '40-'48 pass. car style wheels, that measure 5" wide in the tire bead area. They were being used on a late '40's to early '50's pu truck that the owner was changing over to 15" wheels. I believe he said they were original factory wheels that came with his truck.

I appreciate the info! So the rear hub cover doesn't have five nubs it has a raised circle that goes around the lug bolts. I posted a photo of the rear hub on the first page. With that said should I still replace it? Wouldn't I just need to replace the hub cover instead of the complete hub itself?

I apologies for the lack of knowledge.

[Chris Marshall]

Here's photos of the 16" wheel extremes - 3.5" versus 5". These are going on my '32 roadster.

[Solo_909]

Originally Posted by Chris Marshall

Here's photos of the 16" wheel extremes - 3.5" versus 5". These are going on my '32 roadster.

Nice! What did the 5" wheels come off of?

[Chris Marshall]

I'm not 100% sure, but likely Ford pickup as they came from rural Ks. Back in the 70's there were still some early/mid 60's ford 1/2 ton pickups with these 16" wheels installed from the factory around here. They are identical to the early ford car wheels when it comes to the inner nubb hubcap attachments and such.

[Solo_909]

Originally Posted by Chris Marshall

I'm not 100% sure, but likely Ford pickup as they came from rural Ks. Back in the 70's there were still some early/mid 60's ford 1/2 ton pickups with these 16" wheels installed from the factory around here. They are identical to the early ford car wheels when it comes to the inner nubb hubcap attachments and such.

Oh cool, do you have a photo of the front of the wheel?

[Chris Marshall]

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I don't have a photo of the front, but they are identical to all the other early ford 16" wheels from 1940-1948 used on ford and mercury cars & pickups. The pickups continued to use them into later years.

[V8COOPMAN]

Solo.........This is a picture of another '41 Merc. As Chris said above, all of the 16"-ers pretty much look the same. The only difference with the later pick-up wheels that Chris talks about is that those five narrow, deeply-stamped rectangles just outboard of each stud hole probably will not appear to be stamped quite as deeply in the later pick-up wheel center. Otherwise, they appear the same. The last year for the pick-up wheels with the "innie" nubs for the early hub caps was '66. DD

[Solo_909]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Solo.........This is a picture of another '41 Merc. As Chris said above, all of the 16"-ers pretty much look the same. The only difference with the later pick-up wheels that Chris talks about is that those five narrow, deeply-stamped rectangles just outboard of each stud hole probably will not appear to be stamped quite as deeply in the later pick-up wheel center. Otherwise, they appear the same. The last year for the pick-up wheels with the "innie" nubs for the early hub caps was '66. DD

Gotcha, yeah I really like the deep stamped wheels better. I figured there was something different. I would love the 41 mercs but like you said they're hard to find. I have some 16" 4.5's lined up so hopefully that works out.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Solo_909

Gotcha, yeah I really like the deep stamped wheels better. I figured there was something different.

Not sure you're understanding the "deep stamped" I'm talking about, because the difference is hardly noticeable from early to later, and can't be seen at all with hub caps in place. This pic shows a '42-'48, 4-1/2" wide wheel likely like the ones you have on the way. You can see here that those five stamped rectangular areas just outboard of the five round stud holes are LESS-pronounced, or not stamped as deeply. You'll also notice that these wheels with the five shallow-stamped rectangles have a RAISED ridge around each mounting stud hole, where-as the Mercs and '40-'41 Ford wheels don't have the raised ridge or surface. DD

[Solo_909]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Not sure you're understanding the "deep stamped" I'm talking about, because the difference is hardly noticeable from early to later, and can't be seen at all with hub caps in place. This pic shows a '42-'48, 4-1/2" wide wheel likely like the ones you have on the way. You can see here that those five stamped rectangular areas just outboard of the five round stud holes are LESS-pronounced, or not stamped as deeply. You'll also notice that these wheels with the five shallow-stamped rectangles have a RAISED ridge around each mounting stud hole, where-as the Mercs and '40-'41 Ford wheels don't have the raised ridge or surface. DD

No, I fully understand I plan on running mine without the caps because I like the rectangles around the lug nuts that much. I do see how the Merc ones are a slight deeper and do not have the raised ridges. Do the later truck 5" wide wheels have the deeper rectangles or the not so deep?

[Solo_909]

Thanks guys for all the help. I made up my mind and I'm
Just going to run the 16" x 4.5's. I found some locally with tires for a fair price so hopefully I can get them on this weekend. I'll snap a few photos for you.

Thanks again I appreciate all the patients and wisdom.

[Solo_909]

So I ended up with 16"x4's with 550's up front and 750's in the rear. Funny thing is it seems like the previous owner upgrades the brakes but used the 35 hubs. I have no idea why but I'll be fixing that soon.

Here's what she looks like with the new wheels.