17-inch trim rings wanted

[Matt Harwood]

Well at least West and AJ will be pleased: I'm looking at putting blackwalls on my Lincoln. It will definitely need new tires for next spring, and as long as I'm taking it apart, I should probably put some new tires on it sooner rather than later. Whitewalls are bloody expensive, whitewall radials are non-existent, and since I'm hemorrhaging money on the car as it is, let's put some relatively inexpensive tires on it. Hell, I might even like the way it looks. The car in the catalog has blackwalls, but not many real-life Lincolns seem to. I can only find this one green coupe that wears them, and I will admit that it looks pretty good.

 

 

 

Still, to make blackwalls work, I think I need trim rings to brighten things up. As someone point out earlier, I don't want it to look like a Nazi staff car. Trim rings will help. I've looked around and I can't find anything that seems right. There are aftermarket trim rings available but I don't think they'll be correct. Does anyone have any idea where I might get some that will look right? They seem to have a stepped design that follows the contours of the wheel. Most of the aftermarket ones look smooth.

 

And on a related note, what about painting the wheels bright red while I've got them stripped down? I've seen a few maroon cars with bright red wheels--maybe that would help brighten things up, especially with blackwalls? Yea or nay?

 

 

Edited December 18, 2018 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[West Peterson]

I wouldn't go "bright" red or Chinese red, but a rich red (some blue in the formula, like that of the convertible coupe you illustrated) would look good. You shouldn't have troubles finding the trim rings. Most the ones I see are the ones that contour to the wheel.

[West Peterson]

Black walls can make a huge positive difference in a car's looks. Also top color and eclipsing of needless accessories helps.

Take a look at this, for example.

[Matt Harwood]

That's some A-1 Photoshop work, West! I am gradually starting to see your point. I'm a little excited to see how the car will look with blackwalls and since I'm not quite as emotionally invested in this car as on my Cadillac and Buick, it's easier to take a chance. I took the mock-up you made of my car when it was for sale and 'shopped in some crude trim rings. Meh, not bad.

 

 

Edited December 18, 2018 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[West Peterson]

Peter Heydon's coupe (the green one) is striking with dark wheels and trim rings. I think I'd leave the wheels alone. With the bright colored belt and trim molding on your car, there's a lot going on there. Your car looks great once you get the black tires on it with the correct trim rings. I'm sure you don't want to spend the effort, resources and time toning down the trim molding, but the tires do it for you, just like in the V-16 above. The V-16 no longer looks pink. In my opinion, the whites just make it look cheap or gaudy, even though they cost a LOT more.

[edinmass]

West is right! Take everything off except the side mount covers. Go to blackwalls, and a darker red will look fantastic. Be sure to only order four tires for the ground, and see if thr covers will go over them......probably not, then you might need 650 or 700’s under the covers. All new tubes.......for safety. And with the money you save on radials you can still have six new hoops and be way under the cost of the others. It seems lately trim rings are getting very hard to find.......lots of people ask me if thr Pierce rings will fit a Lincoln.......and the answer is no.....we tried it twice in the last ten years just to be sure. We made 18 inch rings ten years ago, only had five people pre order sets, and made twenty sets just to make the production work. We sold them all off in less than a year. People are still calling. Lesson.......when you see them, buy them, as it isn’t going to get any easier. If you can find a spare wheel, I always buy one and keep it in the trailer, so I’m the event of a flat on tour, I don’t have to fight with covers and drive on a smaller tire. 

Edited December 18, 2018 by edinmass (see edit history)

[chistech]

On 12/18/2018 at 9:15 AM, edinmass said:

West is right! Take everything off except the side mount covers. Go to blackwalls, and a darker red will look fantastic. Be sure to only order four tires for the ground, and see if thr covers will go over them......probably not, then you might need 650 or 700’s under the covers. All new tubes.......for safety. And with the money you save on radials you can still have six new hoops and be way under the cost of the others. It seems lately trim rings are getting very hard to find.......lots of people ask me if thr Pierce rings will fit a Lincoln.......and the answer is no.....we tried it twice in the last ten years just to be sure. We made 18 inch rings ten years ago, only had five people pre order sets, and made twenty sets just to make the production work. We sold them all off in less than a year. People are still calling. Lesson.......when you see them, buy them, as it isn’t going to get any easier. If you can find a spare wheel, I always buy one and keep it in the trailer, so I’m the event of a flat on tour, I don’t have to fight with covers and drive on a smaller tire. 

A 17” 32’ Olds trim ring is no easier to find either. Had 5, found one at Hershey this year mixed in with a bunch of other 17” rings. Looked internationally for over 2 years for that one ring.