Guest 4MUL8R Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Looking ahead to using the Fleetmaster this summer, and I'm thinking about tires. And wheels. I have a set of beautifully painted wheels and some Coker repro Firestone 6.50 - 16 whitewalls. Let's say I wanted to keep the original look tires and wheels, but replace them for extensive drives in the country with the radial tires. I'm thinking that I would need either different wheels with modern bead design for tubeless tires, or some kind of tube useful in radials with the old design wheels. What would you all recommend for a modern whitewall radial tire? Could I find a wheel made for this lug pattern and centering method that would work with radial tubeless tires? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Try the bias ply first. They may not be as bad as you think.Make sure they are balanced well. some bias ply tires are rather lumpy and out of true. If you know a tire shop that has a machine to true the tires, it helps a lot. They actually shave rubber off the tire until it is perfectly round.Round, well balanced tires plus good shock absorbers, and a good alignment job will make your car drive like a dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 4MUL8R Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 I have the period correct bias ply tire repro and the tread pattern scares me. Simply grooves, no channels side to side. I would like to get maximum safety and braking force with the new tire. But I don't know if these original wheels will (a) seat a modern bead and ( hold air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Tubeless tires were invented several years after your car was built. Chevrolet did not use safety rim wheels either, although they could have.Your car has 6 bolt wheels doesn't it? 49 and up Chevs have 15 in wheels but I don't remember when they switched to 5 bolt. Pickups kept the 6 bolt wheels till the early 70s. So, you could get 15" wheels off a newer car or pickup.Safety rim wheels have a raised bead pressed into the rim just inboard of the bead. For tubeless tires you need a round hole for the valve. A set of wheels from the fifties should fill the bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Don't let the original tires scare you. Try them out, see if the cornering and braking performance is acceptable. They should be fine given the performance and braking of the car. You don't exactly have a new BMW there and radial tires won't turn it into one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Simmons Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I owned and drove many of these 46 thru 48 Chevrolet cars for years in all kinds of weather and road conditions. A few points to ponder about and a bit of 2cent advice. These year Chevrolet's came from the factory with a 6 lug 16" wheels and tires with tubes in them. In '49 Chevrolet cars went to a 5 lug pattern 15" wheel with tires with tubes in them. The pickups stayed with the 6 lug pattern clear into the mid 60's if memory serves me correctly. I don't believe you'll find a 6 lug stock GM car or truck rim that will hold air with a tubeless tire on it. I've tried several standard GM 6 lug wheels from different years in both 15 and 16 " sizes all with the same results, you have to tube them to hold air. These cars handle really well and perform beautifully within their limits and get good gas mileage to boot. You don't have a a Cadillac nor a Corvette here so don't expect it to handle like one. The wheels and tires you have should perform really well in all driving circumstances that you may encounter. Sit behind the steering wheel and enjoy the ride on the tires and wheels that you have. If you go with newer wheels and tires be sure to check the clearances especially on the front suspension and the turning radius situations. Don't ask me how I know. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I think GM 1/2 ton 4X4's still run 6 lug wheels even now. Believe it or not, Toyota pick-ups used the same pattern. I swapped wheels between a 1977 GMC 4X4 and a 1989 Toyota 4X4 without any problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 4MUL8R Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 No illusions about having a Corvette! Just don't want to hydroplane in the wet. Can't say bashing into the back of someone would be fun--this car has NO crumple zone construction. Seventeen year old Coker reproduction tires just scare me even though they have maybe 1000 miles driving and garage duty. I think the consensus is I would need tubes with original wheels. All this info is sure helpful and much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I think GM 1/2 ton 4X4's still run 6 lug wheels even now. Believe it or not, Toyota pick-ups used the same pattern. I swapped wheels between a 1977 GMC 4X4 and a 1989 Toyota 4X4 without any problems.Not all six lug wheels have the same diameter bolt circle, but in this case you are correct. Both the 1946-48 cars and the 1988-up six bolt truck wheels use the same 6 x 5.5" bolt circle. Toyota six bolt wheels also use the same 5.5" bolt circle. You will need to check the center bore diameter, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Chev pickups used the same 6 bolt wheel pattern until 1971. A set of 15" wheels from the fifties might fill the bill, and have the correct width, and clips to hold your hub caps on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Chev pickups used the same 6 bolt wheel pattern until 1971. A set of 15" wheels from the fifties might fill the bill, and have the correct width, and clips to hold your hub caps on.Read my post above. Chevy pickups used the same bolt pattern well into this century. Wheels should be easy to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Simmons Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Joe, thanks for the memory jog about the 1/2 ton Gm 4x4's I had totally forgot about them in this discussion. I think they(GM) are still using the 6 lug pattern their 4x's today. Also Bleach's comment and yours as well about the Toyota 6 lug wheels is spot on especially when it comes to the '46 through '48 Chevrolet cars. The center hole in the Toyota wheels is to small to fit over the front hub of the Chevrolet I know I've tried more than once. Bleach may have a point the trucks he mentioned. The Toyota wheels that I tried to fit on the Chevrolets were older than '89 by several years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Read my post above. Chevy pickups used the same bolt pattern well into this century. Wheels should be easy to find.Sorry, they went to 5 bolt wheels in 72 then went back to 6 bolt many years later.Modern 6 bolt 16" wheels and tires are completely different and will not fit a 1947, while 15" wheels from a fifties pickup will fit, and have the same clips to hold the hub caps on for a stock appearance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Sorry, they went to 5 bolt wheels in 72 then went back to 6 bolt many years later.Modern 6 bolt 16" wheels and tires are completely different and will not fit a 1947, while 15" wheels from a fifties pickup will fit, and have the same clips to hold the hub caps on for a stock appearance.I cannot speak to hubcap fitment, as I am sure that is different, but the bolt patter is the same 6 x 5.5" pattern used on the 46-48 cars. As I noted in my original post in this thread, while the bolt pattern may be the same, there's no guarantee that the center hole is the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Modern wheels are much, much wider than 1947. You might be able to take the 16" wheel off a 2014 pickup truck and bolt it onto a 1947 Chev but you would not be able to turn the steering wheel without it rubbing. On the back, you might not be able to squeeze it under the fender at all. And of course, there would be no hubcap clips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bobnorris Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Hi, just bought a 47 so any 6 lug wheels will fit? I run a salvage yard and have many to choose from Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bobnorris Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 For the record im not going stock would like to go with wide and low Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Simmons Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 For the good of the cause '46 thru '48 Chevy cars had relatively narrow tires and rims. Wide and low out of the box does not work with these cars without suspension work being done to them. As I stated above I've owned several of these year Chevy's. They came out of the factories with a somewhat high riding good suspension that didn't like hard turns at upper speeds. Wide tires on wide rims won't fix that. Then there are clearance factors with the wheels, tires and the front suspension in particular and can also happen on the rear as well. Tire size and width need to be addressed as part of the situation. Think it through and do what is necessary to get the look but more importantly the safe ride you are looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bobnorris Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Thanks for the advise. I'm gonna look for some 16 or 17s with outward offset today. Might work with low pro tires. Don't expect handling just building a gasser rat rod cruiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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