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I'm trying to determine what wheels from other cars will interchange with the wheels for the 1951 Packard models. The interchange manual list only Packard models being interchangable. It does say that Packard wheels will fit Cadallac but not vice versa. Probably because of the allignment pin.

It's easy enough to drill a hole for the alignment pin.

There are 2 wheels, one for the junior (clipper) 122 wheelbase models, another for the senior (cavalier, patrician) 127 wheelbase.

I believe the small model interchanges with Ford, Studebaker, Dodge, cars and 1/2 ton trucks and vans, Plymouth,Hudson, Toyota pickups.

This would be a 5 bolt, 4 1/2" circle pattern with 1/2" lug bolts.

Not sure about the large one. If it is the same as Cadillac that would be 5 bolt, 5" circle with 5/8" lug bolts.

This was a common size wheel on full size GM rear wheel drive cars.

Not sure what you are after here. Are you missing a wheel? Want some cheap junkyard wheels to roll the car around on while working on it? Planning on buying 20" DUB wheels and don't know what size to get?

It might make a difference.

Here's a good list of what fits what.

alliedracingwheels.com/patternref.html

Thanks for the reply,

I'm not missing any wheels. How do I explain this? I want a second set of wheels to mount the wide white walls I bought at Reno Hot August Nights on. The tires on the car right now are new narrow white wall radials and can't see dismounting them to mount the WWW tires. They will probably go back on at some piont. Sence my front end is a bit hard on tires right now I may run the narrow white walls for every day use and save the WWW's for Packard outings with the club. I don't know. I really only need 3 rims. I'll use the spare as the forth.

Am I nuts or what??

PS. Why does the spell checker flag the word I'm as misspeled?

Quote:

This is only true for '54 and up models. The two '53 Clippers I had both had the larger 5X5" bolt pattern, same as my '56 Patrician. My '37 115c chassis also has the larger 5X5" bolt pattern, as well as the '48 Eight two door I used to have.

On the GM wheels, the thing to watch for is the center hole diameter. I had a Cadillac wheel given to me to use as a spare only to find out when I needed to use it that the center hole is smaller than a Packard and would not fit. If you're using it as a spare, you can torch out the center hole to make it big enough to fit on, but I don't recommend doing this on a regular use wheel. Incidentially, I know a wheel off of a '54 Buick Super will fit a Packard, as I used to have one of those too, and stole a wheel off of it to fit my '48.

As for the Junior wheels with the smaller bolt pattern, you also have to watch the center hole, as Ford wheels have smaller holes than Dodge wheels. I used to have a '49 Hudson that has the 5X4.5" wheels and Ford would not fit them, but MOPAR wheels would, as they had the larger center hole.

Keep in mind that MOPAR used an even smaller bolt pattern, 5X4.25, that looks very close to the larger size at first glance. I found a wheel adapter made of aluminum that I carried around with me to junkyards to verify bolt patterns of unknown wheels. It came in VERY handy, but is only for the 5X4.5" pattern. I need to find one with the 5X5" pattern for the same use.

OK so you want a stock set of wheels to mount wide whites. Gotcha.

A set of used Packard wheels would be your best bet. Maybe there is a Packard fan near you that has some spares. It seems likely as there are so many Packards in California. Or maybe it only seems that way to me, when I check out the ads there are hordes of good deals but only on the west coast, 3500 miles away from me.

I have an entire set of rims for a 51-54 Packard. They are too large of a bolt pattern to fit my '54 Clipper which uses the smaller 4.5" bolt pattern (same as the 55 Clippers).

If you want to come get them, then you can have them!

You people are confusing me with your talk of "rims" and "wheels". Hopefully, some of you guys can get me straightned out - I really honestly THOUGHT I knew something about automotive and light truck wheel technology.

It is my understanding that the entire American auto industry buys their wheels from MOTOR RIM AND WHEEL or BUDD. I am not aware of ANY American auto manufacturer who EVER made their own wheels.

It is my understanding that NO American car has used a wheel with a separate "rim" on their wheels since the introduction of the "drop center" steel wheel in the mid 1930's (the wheel's rim is welded and/or rivited to the wheel's "disk" and thus are not a "service" part). I should qualify this by noting that early 1930's Packards could be ordered with spoke wheels, but I KNOW they will not fit post-war Packards. In any event, my recollection is the spokes were WELDED, so you couldn't get the rims off the wheels.

Straighten me out, guys !