59 T-Bird Original Wheels with Tires

[jsnweitzel]

Here's a link for pictures:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/soLVOqcoF6aI9OVO2

215/75 Rocky Mountain tires all hold air, good tread, one has some wear from bad alignment.

Located in zip 29472
$100 or best offer

Edit: Just took a closer look and one of these is vented and the other three are not. So I take I have three original wheels and one from a full size ford.

[Woobie]

An original Squarebird wheel being of the vented design ?

[jopizz]

Squarebird rims were NON-vented. Those rims for sale are most likely from a full size Ford which used vented rims.

John

[jsnweitzel]

My mistake, they were on the car when I got it.

[Deanj]

Squarebird rims were NON-vented. Those rims for sale are most likely from a full size Ford which used vented rims.

John

Hey John, what is the significance of non-vented steel wheels other than originality? I recall vented wheels for disc brakes as a performance issue in the late 60's.

Dean

[jopizz]

Hey John, what is the significance of non-vented steel wheels other than originality? I recall vented wheels for disc brakes as a performance issue in the late 60's.

Dean

I don't know why Ford decided to use non-vented rims on Squarebirds. I don't think there's any performance advantage. I can't imagine them wanting more heat in the brakes but who knows.

John

[simplyconnected]

I can tell you why. Again, think about the production numbers.

Each assembly plant produced ~800 cars per day. That's 8 X 5 = 4,000 wheel assemblies. Yes, assembly because there are two welded stampings to every wheel.

Ford had 20 assembly plants so now the number is 80,000 wheel assemblies each day, just to satisfy production.

What single plant can make 80,000 wheels per day? Even if we did have one plant, what happens if they have a fire or a power outage. All of Ford would shut down.

Many places made Ford wheels. Each one sent their wheels to the same place. Since T-bird was made in Wixom and Fairlane cars were made elsewhere, it makes sense that the product might deviate IF Ford approved it. Wheel slots are insignificant as far as the product goes, especially if the wheel wears a full wheel cover. - Dave

[Deanj]

So an outside supplier produced these wheels? That would make it likely some other car makers used these non-slotted wheels and probably even the same exact spec wheel? This meaning there should be another potential source of these wheels?

Dean

[jopizz]

So an outside supplier produced these wheels? That would make it likely some other car makers used these non-slotted wheels and probably even the same exact spec wheel? This meaning there should be another potential source of these wheels?

Dean

Kelsey Hayes made the majority of the wheels for Ford and probably other companies back then. However Ford and GM used different hole spacing so the wheels aren't interchangeable. Chrysler did use the same hole spacing as Ford (5 x 4.5 or 114.3) at times so some Chrysler rims may be interchangeable.

John

[Woobie]

Iron Mountain or Mountain was another. At least the solid unvented wheels should be stronger than the vented. Remember the Tbird at this stage was a great departure from the two-seater Baby Bird. A high performance, luxuriously appointed four-seater sports coupe, if you will.

The OP has several hundred dollars in value represented by the three unvented wheels. The vented wheel may also be high dollar if the date code can be uncovered, or logos.

I'll have to commend the OP for editing his original post.

[jsnweitzel]

I still have these. I'm moving soon and don't want to take them.