Wheels & Tires 49 Plymouth

[Loren]

One of my projects was to put 12 brakes and a power brake booster on my 49.

The very first problem was the Plymouth wheels didn't fit over the drums.

So I got some aftermarket wheels and I wasn't very happy about it. I wanted Mopar wheels of the era.

Anyway the tires were 205/75R15

Now in case you're shopping for tires those fit the original rims and they are close to the 6.70 15 tires ( a little wider but the same diameter ).

One thing you need to know about them is they are a standard size for trailer tires. If you're shopping for price trailer tires are cheaper than car tires. I am thinking it's not a good idea to put trailer service tires on a car. The "P" metric size is P205/75R15. The trailer service size is ST205/75R15. So you can see the confusion.

Well for my other Plymouth ( a Suburban ) I acquired a 50 Windsor chassis for the brakes and other pieces. It came with wheels too.

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As you can see the are wider than stock. So I decided to investigate what tire would fit on them.

P225/75R15 is just about what a Windsor would have on it today.

I got them blasted and painted.  However the Chrysler wheels used full wheel covers and didn't have the hub cap clips.

So I had to buy the new AB trim rings and clips to hold the dog dish hub caps.

I never really looked at the hub caps before and thought they were kind of heavy. The caps are a composite of a steel cap with a veneer of stainless steel over that. 

You can't straighten them but you can polish them.

My local lumber yard ( Do it Best hardware dealer / Hillman fastener dealer ) had "4 lbs Tinner's Rivets" which are almost right to hold the clips.

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So I am really happy with how they look.

[Bob Riding]

Great job! What do the hubcaps have on them- Plymouth lettering or the ship?

 

I found out the hard way that the Chrysler wheels were different when I went to pick up my '54 Town and Country up in the mountains and the Plymouth wheels I brought with me didn't fit. Center hole and stud spacing was different too. The PO had to use his skip loader to get it on my trailer, as it had been sitting for 35 years with four flats.

[Booger]

Modern tire needs a modern rim. New radials were not going on a 75 yr old rim. After market steelies about the same price as Crager 5 spoke knock offs. kept the originals with the wide whites. EZ choice for me, and the fit (lug pattern) was perfect. Discount Tires

[Loren]

8 hours ago, Bob Riding said:

Great job! What do the hubcaps have on them- Plymouth lettering or the ship?

 

I found out the hard way that the Chrysler wheels were different when I went to pick up my '54 Town and Country up in the mountains and the Plymouth wheels I brought with me didn't fit. Center hole and stud spacing was different too. The PO had to use his skip loader to get it on my trailer, as it had been sitting for 35 years with four flats.

These were the caps on the 49 when I got it.

“PLYMOUTH” is raised on these while I seen it indented on others.

[MikeMalibu]

What is “AB”? I’m interested in riveting clips to hold my 49 hub caps and looking for a source.

 

[Loren]

WWW.oldmoparts.com = Andy Bernbaum = AB

The trim rings I think are pretty nice. They are thin stainless steel so they are easy to put on. $41 each.

They sell the clips at a hefty $3 each but they don’t sell the rivets.

I got the rivets from my local lumber yard who has two isles of Hillman fasteners which I have seen many places such as True Value, Do it best, Ace and Tractor Supply.

The rivets are “4 lbs. Tinner’s rivets” they are just barely big enough in diameter and length.

You have to be careful when you set them. I used a big bolt as a buck that happened to be the right size, a long 3/8 diameter punch and a BFH ( about 3 1/2 lbs engineer’s hammer ). I set the wheel on the floor and slid the bolt under the clip and rivet. If the buck is a wee bit longer than the distance between the floor and the rivet it will hold everything in place. The BFH is required because you’ll be pounding and messing up the rivets for hours with a little hammer.

[Booger]

BFH..got it

[MikeMalibu]

Thanks for the tips.

[soth122003]

Loren, I like the way the chrome color pops against the red rims. Makes it stand out really well. What color is the car that these go on?

 

Joe Lee

[Loren]

[Los_Control]

No, please say no .... tell me you are not going to put red rims on this beautiful car! .... Only @Plymouthy Adams would appreciate the red rims.

[Plymouthy Adams]

red rims I do like, they make a great fishing reef when submerged....

[Loren]

In 1949 red rims and trim rings were the bad boy Mags of the day!

I have photos of even foreign cars having red rims and trim rings.

Unfortunately I am old enough to remember that.

[Booger]

god I love this car. i too had a 49 biz coupe for a year. but then we had only instamatic cameras and selfies were seldom taken..Christened "the Bean"