19.5 high clearance srw rims

[jumpsoffrock]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Looks great, if there is a will, there is a way. Now why can't the industry figure this out? A fortune could be made if they reproduce the 17.5" center piece with rivited clips for a common 16" wheel ring. It would be a godsend for '48-'68 3/4 ton owners who want to run period correct hubcaps.

Originally Posted by duallyjams

Just a thought on possible option.I provided centers out of 17.5 wheels and had 17" wheels 8" wide made in Landenberg PA. This gives unlimited tire option. I had the wheels powder coated in Argent / Rally wheel silver.



Looks great, if there is a will, there is a way. Now why can't the industry figure this out? A fortune could be made if they reproduce the 17.5" center piece with rivited clips for a common 16" wheel ring. It would be a godsend for '48-'68 3/4 ton owners who want to run period correct hubcaps.

If I had to take a wild guess, I'd say that DOT stipulations make it far more expensive and troublesome than simply making a call to a factory in China and placing the order, then selling them and being done with it.

Because if what you state is true, that is a very good point,it looks to be a fairly simple piece of metal to stamp.

[factorystock]

GM never had a one piece 16" 8 lug wheel in the 50's and 60's, by contrast, Ford and Dodge did have a 16" 8 lug wheel, they are highly sought after and are in high demand for replacements for more common 2 piece 16" wheels. ( prices are similar to what 19.5's go for). duallyjams custom wheels are the same process that was used when the original wide base 16.5" was introduced in the early 60's for camper owners who needed more stability. A standard GM 17.5 inner center piece was installed in a wider 16.5" outer wheel. The 5 .25 wide stock GM 17.5" wheel became a 8.25 wide aftermarket 16.5" wheel. Below is another photo of a 19.5" rim with a Michelin 8-19.5 radial. Note original argent silver paint, indication is off a '68.

[Mickeymotormount]

Yep, the one above is the kind I am looking for. Willing to drive some distance, but ones I have seen are all in the Midwest or West Coast. I live in Pa.. With the current cost of gas, even a good deal can become expensive. If I could only find a junkyard in the Northeast that has lots of older breadvans and/or stepvans.

[Stephen717]

Check at Elwood's Auto exchange in Smithsburg Maryland right between Frederick and Hagerstown, whenever I'd go there when I lived in the area I'd check in at the front and tell them what I was looking for and they would send me either to an area in their main yard or across the street to their secondary yard. They have just about everything from the 1930s on up

['68OrangeSunshine]

My '68 C/10 Stepside was originally optioned with 5.25x17.5 -- 6 lug 5.5 bolt circle rims and 7.00x17.5 bias tires. Mid '70s 7.00 tires were hard to get, so I went to 8.00. In the '80s, Radials were new, and I went with 8R-17.5LTs. Turn of the Last Century, they told me my 17.5 rims were shot. I could not find replacements.
Tire shop talked me into 6 x 16 rims and 235/85/R16 tires. I liked them OK.
Last April, I got clipped square on the right rear. I looked for 6x16 white spoke rims. Nada.
I paid a ''wheelwright'' $80 to true my 6x16 rim. [Tire was fine.] When the tire was off the rim, I saw I had been running on Trailer Rims for over 100,000 miles and 20+ years. Well for a half-ton that runs mostly unloaded, they work OK. So I hunted down a new trailer 6x16 rim, and found one for $68.

While I like the idea of getting my OEM 17.5 rims ''re-hooped'' I'm not sure I can still get 8R-17.5 tires.
After I lost one OEM hubcap, I pulled the rest. Now I only have one. But I was never keen on hubcaps anyway.

[Mickeymotormount]

Originally Posted by Stephen717

Check at Elwood's Auto exchange in Smithsburg Maryland right between Frederick and Hagerstown, whenever I'd go there when I lived in the area I'd check in at the front and tell them what I was looking for and they would send me either to an area in their main yard or across the street to their secondary yard. They have just about everything from the 1930s on up

Stephen, thanks for the heads up. I will definitely search there. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky.

[Mickeymotormount]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

My '68 C/10 Stepside was originally optioned with 5.25x17.5 -- 6 lug 5.5 bolt circle rims and 7.00x17.5 bias tires. Mid '70s 7.00 tires were hard to get, so I went to 8.00. In the '80s, Radials were new, and I went with 8R-17.5LTs. Turn of the Last Century, they told me my 17.5 rims were shot. I could not find replacements.
Tire shop talked me into 6 x 16 rims and 235/85/R16 tires. I liked them OK.
Last April, I got clipped square on the right rear. I looked for 6x16 white spoke rims. Nada.
I paid a ''wheelwright'' $80 to true my 6x16 rim. [Tire was fine.] When the tire was off the rim, I saw I had been running on Trailer Rims for over 100,000 miles and 20+ years. Well for a half-ton that runs mostly unloaded, they work OK. So I hunted down a new trailer 6x16 rim, and found one for $68.

While I like the idea of getting my OEM 17.5 rims ''re-hooped'' I'm not sure I can still get 8R-17.5 tires.
After I lost one OEM hubcap, I pulled the rest. Now I only have one. But I was never keen on hubcaps anyway.

Wow, I would have figured you'd be able to find them in the Southwest. I always see pictures of junkyards there that have all kinds of old stuff. You just don't see junkyards like those in the Northeast.

[theastronaut]

If you find a set too far away to drive, look into Greyhound for shipping. They're very reasonable on larger items.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Mickeymotormount

Wow, I would have figured you'd be able to find them in the Southwest. I always see pictures of junkyards there that have all kinds of old stuff. You just don't see junkyards like those in the Northeast.

A number of factors have killed the vast seas of great vintage truck parts that once dominated the desert landscape.
1] The Internet. Because of the lower cost of living here, the greater prices offered by Rust Belt restorers for AZ-Rust Free parts has caused a drain on local availability. A lot of the yards have been fished-out. Due to web access, digitized inventories are more available to outsiders [read Back East] than locals. I have heard of 67-72 hoarders who won't even sell to locals. They want the big bucks the snowbirds will pay.
2] High prices for scrap steel. With higher prices on good grade Detroit steel. Scrappers cashed in and crushed as much as they could for the bottom dollar.
3] Higher real estate prices. A lot of the old junk yard properties made better sense on paper being cleared of rusty iron, and converted to industrial parks or even condominiums.

And on a much narrower scale, 6 lug 5.5'' bolt circle 5.25x17.5 factory rims were pretty rare, even when new. 50-something years later they are extinct.
Perhaps their rarity contributed to their demise. Not enough call for- or interest in an oddball size, for used tire and rim sellers to want to keep them. Probably got scrapped as, ''Nobody will ever want this weird size.''
About 20 years ago, a Board Member [no names here] offered to sell me the 17.5 spare from his Suburban. He wanted a lot for it, and couldn't be bothered to take the overage bias ply tire off and just ship me the rim. The original tire might've had mint tread, but rubber that old was suspect and unsafe. Shipping for a whole mounted tire would have been a lot too. So I didn't take the deal.
I still have my OEM spare -- hardly used, and still in Argent Silver*, and a black Firestone rim, the same size, but a different Dodge center. The other four 5.25x17.5 were judged ''spent'' 100,000 miles ago. I'm not sure if the lug holes are bored out to excess by wear, or the ''hoops'' are dinged in from a lot of curb-hopping and trail driving offroad -- or both. I was simply told they were shot by the tire shop guys. [Who could have had an ulterior motive in selling me new rims. IDK.] *In 1977, when I rebuilt the first 292, I spray-canned the OEM rims with White Krylon. It was a fad.
I did like the white rims and white face '68 front grille trim together.
Then there's the availability of affordable 8R-17.5LT tires question...
Oh Yeah. Tire Rack lists Hankook 215/75/R17.5 for only $329.73 each. No other selections.

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

A number of factors have killed the vast seas of great vintage truck parts that once dominated the desert landscape.

I agree with everything mentioned. Times definitely have changed. The local scene has really dried out for everything pre '80's. Parts are still out there, but nobody's giving anything away anymore. STA shows both highway and traction tread for 8-17.5 in bias 8 ply, but nothing in 19.5 bias.https://www.stausaonline.com/product...t-truck-tires/

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by factorystock

I agree with everything mentioned. Times definitely have changed. The local scene has really dried out for everything pre '80's. Parts are still out there, but nobody's giving anything away anymore. STA shows both highway and traction tread for 8-17.5 in bias 8 ply, but nothing in 19.5 bias.https://www.stausaonline.com/product...t-truck-tires/

Twenty someting years ago, I went on a roadtrip to the Bay Area. For me it was a Quest For K/5 Parts. I got a Rider. It happily coincided with a wedding in the same county for my buddy's kin. So he rode shotgun. We had a great time.
In Richmond. [just across the Bay from Fremont] a local guy sold me a solid Windshield Frame and some other small. but-missing things. Down in old Chinatown an Arab/American Brother had some Blazer Hatch Locks, Relays, and Latches I needed for my Jimmy Hatch repair.

Sometimes you gotta go long to get the goodies.


Wait -- who's STA?

[HO455]

Here are some. Of course they're on the wrong coast and not cheap.

https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/...514488851.html

[jocko]

Originally Posted by HO455

Here are some. Of course they're on the wrong coast and not cheap.

https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/...514488851.html

I thought that was a great deal until I saw the "apiece" in the small print.

[Mickeymotormount]

Originally Posted by HO455

Here are some. Of course they're on the wrong coast and not cheap.

https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/...514488851.html

HO 455, thanks for the investigative post. Those are what I am looking for.

The truck I had was truly special. If I only knew then what I know now.

It was a 1970 GMC3500 Longhorn with 19.5 rims, HO72 Eaton rear with stock 5.14 gears, 350 engine with small rochester 2BBL carb, Muncie SM465 on the floor. Gross vehicle weight was 14,000 Lbs. All gone for the love of the bride.

I sold it about 18 years ago on Flea-bay. The real kicker: I only got $950 for
it. Ain't that some sh-t. It would cost me more for the rims today than what I got for the whole truck, which by the way, was driveable except for a broken intake valve spring. I put a 327 high performance under the hood that eventually developed the broken intake valve spring. Alot of misfiring thru the carb. That's why I parked it. It sat in the garage until I got tired of the old lady complaining about it. So I posted it on Flea-bay.

Fast forward to the present: I wish I had kept the contact info of the guy that bought it. Might have saved me some time in my searches.

Anyway, looking for the 19.5 rims to put on the C-20. It will give me the look I desire in fond remembrance of what I once had.

[hardwaa]

is this what your looking for? I have2

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by hardwaa

is this what your looking for? I have2

Those are the straight axle version, '56-'59, but should work. The 1960 and newer version is shown on post #27.

[Mickeymotormount]

Originally Posted by hardwaa

is this what your looking for? I have2

No but thanks Hardwaa. Factorystock pointed out that I am looking for the newer style.

[Mickeymotormount]

Originally Posted by hardwaa

is this what your looking for? I have2

No, but thanks Hardwaa. Factory stock pointed out what I am looking for.

[Mickeymotormount]

I got 'em. Finally found a set cheap and relatively close by. Price was right too! I just sent them off to be sandblasted.




Included is a pic of the truck I once had that had those rims on it.

[factorystock]

Congratulations, nice find! IMO, with a set of quality 8r-19.5 radials, the driving experience will definitely be enhanced.

[Mickeymotormount]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Congratulations, nice find! IMO, with a set of quality 8r-19.5 radials, the driving experience will definitely be enhanced.

Thanks Factorystock. Just a small piece of the puzzle for the refreshening of my '67 C20. Considering how hard these were to find, the rest of the parts needed on the refresh should be fairly easily found.

[HO455]

Again congratulations! Nothing like the thrill of a successful hunt ending. Your truck will be standing out in every crowd with them. Looking forward to seeing them installed.

[Mickeymotormount]

Originally Posted by HO455

Again congratulations! Nothing like the thrill of a successful hunt ending. Your truck will be standing out every crowd with them. Looking forward to seeing them installed.

Thanks HO455. Now the hunt for tires. Should be a piece of cake compared to finding the rims.

[Mickeymotormount]

Here's a couple of pics of the vehicle they were on. Van has been sitting in the same spot since 1986. She's definitely sank into the ground some. They also put up a fight coming off.

[Mickeymotormount]

Well, after some love(blasting), a couple coats of paint, and some tires, they are finally mounted for a preview. I just need to paint the hubcaps white and red for the 1967 color scheme.
I know the two tone trucks in 1967 had the rims painted the base color of the truck. I went with black because I thought the orange with the bigger rims would be too much orange.