Wheel Bolt Patterns - Early Ford & VW

[Bruce Dorsi]

I'm trying to learn the wheel bolt pattern for early Fords ('37-'38 ?) with the large bolt circle.   ....I need number of lugs and bolt circle diameter.  ....Were these 16" wheels?


I'm also trying to learn the same info for the VW Beetles of the 60's.  .....These were 15" rims??


Any help and info is greatly appreciated!   ......I tried a Google search but didn't find what I want to know.

Thanks in advance!

[Carnut]

36 - 39 Ford wheel bolt pattern is 5 x 10.5 dia. with 16" wheels.

40 - 67 VW wheel bolt pattern is 5 x 7.5 dia.

up to 51 16" wheels 52 on up 15" wheels.

68 - up VW wheel bolt pattern is 4 x 130mm dia.

as found here http://carnut.com/specs/specs.html

[Bruce Dorsi]

Thank you, Sir!!!

[GPster]

Thank you, Sir!!!

He only uses this different name so that people will call him SIR. It confusses me, but that's not hard. Just a little bit of additional information. Speedways older catalogs (10 years?) in their race section in the front of the book used to show the "Wide Five" bolt pattern wheels and accessories. I can remember seeing a lot of the old bolt pattern stuff on dirt track cars that used to run at Middletown which is in Orange County (not the show) New York. So there might be some of that in old racers garages. Another thing that is is everyone thinks they need to have '40 to '48 Ford brakes for hydralics but that is mainly to keep the '28 to '35 wheel bolt pattern of 5 x 5 1/2". '39s had hydralics to but with the "Wide Five" wheels which were only used '36 to '39. There were a lot of changes in the '35 to '36 realm that doesn't necessarily show up in the bodies of Ford but on the '37 to '39 stuff the hyrdalic pedals and master cylinders of the later years was almost a bolt-in. This may be the summation of a bunch of lies that I have been told over the years and it is more information than you asked for, but I slept good last night. With all that typing it's nap time. GPster

[Bob Paulin]

Thank you, Sir!!!

Just a little bit of additional information. Speedways older catalogs (10 years?) in their race section in the front of the book used to show the "Wide Five" bolt pattern wheels and accessories. I can remember seeing a lot of the old bolt pattern stuff on dirt track cars that used to run at Middletown which is in Orange County (not the show) New York. So there might be some of that in old racers garages.

Speedway - and many other oval-track suppliers - will sell you all the brand new wide-five wheels your little heart desires.

They are STILL very popular since the lugs are out near the tire, and the wheel flexes a lot less than one which is attached near the center.

I've been around race cars for more than 40 years, and I've bought my share of used oval-track parts.

I would humbly suggest that you DO NOT buy used wheels from an oval-tracker.  

Extra wheels are always handy to have around, and the only ones sold are usually bent beyond competition standards.

Check out the latest Speedway racing catalog.

B.P.