16 inch six bolt wheels for '52

[chevypanel52]

I'm currently running 215R85-16 radials on my 1952 Chev Panel, and have been for about 20 years, great ride, great handling, have put about 65000 miles on them. The only concern is running these with radial tubes, which are a pain, getting hard to find, and very expensive.

It's time to replace the tires and I'd like to upgrade the wheels at the same time. It's very difficult to find 16 inch stock "appearing" wheels with the 6 bolt pattern to fit these old trucks. Wheel Vintiques sells similar (available through Summit Racing for about $75). One posting on this forum states running radials withOUT tubes on the stock 4.5 inch rims, but I've been told running without tubes is dangerous as the wheels have no bead lock on the rim and the tire can slip inwards when cornering, etc. and also that the stock rims don't hold air well.

Anybody have any other experience with re-wheeling their A.D. Chevy Trucks? Any recommendations on aftermarket rims that will fit?

Thanks,
Peter
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

[Rusty]

Have you tried Coker Tires? They have a great selection to choose from. Maybe they will have what you are looking for in the way of tires, and you can use the original wheel.

[chevypanel52]

Thanks for the Coker suggestion ... tires are not my problem, can get lots of those from the usual sources of light truck radials. It's the wheels that are my concern, whether the stock 1952 wheels are safe to run radials withOUT tubes, whether or not they'll hold air (they are just riveted together, not welded) ... adding the cost of 4 new tubes at $60 each to the cost of tires seems redundant if I can get brand new wheels for $70 ... I just can't seem to get answers from the wheel vendor(s) as to what offset I need, whether or not the stock hubcaps will fit, and whether or not the new wheels they sell have the proper bead-lock bump on the rim, my guess is these guys are just salespeople and know squat about wheels...

[Rusty]

Coker Tire also makes Bias Ply tires, and tubes.

[chevypanel52]

It's WHEELS that I want, not tires ... anyone running radials on stock 4.5" Chevy rims without tubes? anyone tried Wheel Vintiques 16" x 6" series 12 Smoothie rims?