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Tires and Wheels For Early '50's 3/4 or 1 Ton w/single wheels?


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Does anyone know of a source for 3/4 or 1 ton bolt single wheels with split rims for an early 50's Chevy or Ford truck? I am thinking of building a 3/4 ton Chevy using the AmT '50 Chev pickup. The problem is that the wheels are kinda different and I am wondering if anyone knows of such an item?

post-3815-0-29311700-1360206714_thumb.jp

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I don't beleive anyone makes the 15" (3/4 ton) or 17.5" (1 ton) split rims used on the old Chevies. I have seen the 8 lug steelies mentioned, they are very nice, but they are also for a much later ('60s) truck.

I may have to really get creative then. I wonder how many guys would build older 3/4 ton trucks if the proper style wheels were available in resin? It may be something that some casters could consider - both the wheels and the proper old bias ply 16 to 18" tires..

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I may have to really get creative then. I wonder how many guys would build older 3/4 ton trucks if the proper style wheels were available in resin? It may be something that some casters could consider - both the wheels and the proper old bias ply 16 to 18" tires..

Most of the available resin eight-lug wheels appear to be based on the wheels from the MPC '74-'77 Dodge pickup kits, which unfortunately are 1/20 scale and scale out to 19" (20.15" measured at the bead) in 1/25 scale. Maybe on a 1/24 scale model they could pass for 18" (19.344' measured at the bead), but 19" is awfully big for a 1/25 scale '50s truck. Plus, the wheels are really deep, and close to an 8" or 10" deep wheel, so they'd need to be narrowed considerably for use on a '50s truck.

Here are some comparison shots:

steelies.jpg

MPCDodgePU8lugsteel.jpg

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You're right about the depth on those 8 lug wheels. However, on late '50s and early '60s GM 3/4 and 1 ton trucks, there was a 19.5" single peice wheel option for single wheel trucks. So the Dodge wheel, while not exactly being the right style or width, isn't too far off as far as diameter goes.

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