ConcoursMustang Forums

1st Generation 1964 1/2 - 1973 - Questions & general discussions that apply to a specific year => 1966 Mustang => Topic started by: MrBill on April 10, 2024, 09:20:10 PM

Title: Identifying styled steel wheels
Post by: MrBill on April 10, 2024, 09:20:10 PM
Pulled these out of a barn where they have been collecting dust for almost 40 years.
Supposed to be 1966 Mustang, but they appear to be 15" in diameter by 7" in width.

Besides the center caps, and trim rings, I'm uncertain if they are for a mustang, or if Ford/Mercury could have offered a similar rim in a 15" vs the Mustang 14"

Any assistance, as always, is greatly appreciated.

Bill
Title: Re: Identifying styled steel wheels
Post by: P3sons on April 11, 2024, 12:26:45 PM
Interesting find.

I have never seen an original Ford 15 inch SS wheel.
They have made 15" reproductions for 25 plus years.
The trim ring width looks like a later year 15 inch one. 

The inner to outer is riveted together like the originals.
Repo's typically had welds for safety.

They appear to have been widened based on the 3rd photo.

You noted 1966.  It has a 1967 center cap, which if original, requires a 1/4"
notch in the center hole in order to fit into.  An original 1966 wheel doesn't have
this notch so the original 1967 center caps will not fit. 

Based on the size and width, clearance to the fenders would be an issue on a 1966 Mustang.
Of course cutting up the fenders and lifting the cars were common back in the day!
Title: Re: Identifying styled steel wheels
Post by: MrBill on April 11, 2024, 02:01:28 PM
Thanks, did not think they looked stock by any means, may try a test fit to see what they are like for the wife's weekend cruiser 66 convertible. Worse comes to worse, they go up online as a widened style steel wheel and let someone else deal with the fitment.


Bill
Title: Re: Identifying styled steel wheels
Post by: OldGuy on April 12, 2024, 09:59:11 AM
Your wheels are not really 15 inch diameter nor 8 inches wide. When measuring the diameter or width you do not measure the overall dimensions. You measure the dimensions of contact area of the tire bead. It is the diameter and width between the wheel lips.

Your wheels are 14 inch diameter and 7 inches wide.


I hope this helps.

Frank
Title: Re: Identifying styled steel wheels
Post by: RoyceP on April 12, 2024, 12:33:11 PM
Agree with Old Guy - those are rusty 14" by 6" wheels. You are not measuring them correctly. No idea if they are correct for 1966 or not but they are in bad shape.
Title: Re: Identifying styled steel wheels
Post by: 196667Bob on April 12, 2024, 01:30:01 PM
I agree that the OP measured incorrectly. That being said, I disagree with both OldGuy and RoyceP as to whaqt the wheels are. The widest Styled Steel Wheel that Ford made that looked like these was in 19678, and it was 5.5" eide. The 1965-66 SSW were 5.00" wide.Even the widest SteeL Wheel that Ford made from 1960-68 was only 6" wide.

So, either the OP's wheels are eithe 5.00 otr 5.5" wide, or they are a very, vety early w2ide reproduction of Ford's SSW. I say very, very early because riveted wheels were deemed illegal by the DOT at some time after 1967 (I can't remember what year, but maybe someone can help me out.

I have attached a listing of wheelsw for all models  1960-68 from the 1960-68 Ford Master Parts Catalog.

Bob
Title: Re: Identifying styled steel wheels
Post by: MrBill on April 12, 2024, 04:27:44 PM
Nobody said I was perfect.

I'll be giving them a general clean up this weekend if I have time, perhaps I'll come across some type of identification then.

Thanks again for the guidance


Bill
Title: Re: Identifying styled steel wheels
Post by: OldGuy on April 12, 2024, 08:33:51 PM
I agree that the OP measured incorrectly. That being said, I disagree with both OldGuy and RoyceP as to whaqt the wheels are. The widest Styled Steel Wheel that Ford made that looked like these was in 19678, and it was 5.5" eide. The 1965-66 SSW were 5.00" wide.Even the widest SteeL Wheel that Ford made from 1960-68 was only 6" wide.


OldGuy never said that these were factory wheels. Someone custom made these rims because they are reversed. The factory never made a reversed Rally wheel.

Apparently someone re attached the wheel centers to the rims with rivets as I don't see any signs of welding.

Frank