1939 Rim

John McCulloch said:
Split a rim this summer so need one or 2 commercial rims for my 1939 Cadillac/La Salle hearse.
measuring across the rim (diameter).....17 3/4" depth.....6 1/4"
12 rivets for each rim 5 bolt holes 5 clips to hold hubcap
tire size...7:50 X 16
We're attending the Detroit meet in August. You can bring them or ship them to the hotel.
Contact with info: John McCulloch (Ontario) 519-369-2432
pjmcculloch@eastlink.ca
Click to expand...

John,
All '38-'40 Cadillac Commercial Chassis, Series 90, & Series 75 models came from the factory with 6-lug wheels. If your '39 LaSalle hearse has 5-lug wheels as you stated, then they are not Cadillac C.C. wheels, but most likely standard LaSalle wheels.
 
Hollander shows all LaSalles using the same 5-lug wheels. Your hearse wheels would not be the same as the Cadillac C.C., Series 75, or Series 90 rims, which are 6-lug.
 
This is getting weirder now LaSalle was just about history in 1939 and went off the map in 1940. I have no Cadillac or LaSalle parts books for that era. However calling attention to Buick they had quite a selection of wheels available in this era, heavy duty,export,special application even an 18inch rim to raise the cars road clearance for high crown farm roads. Perhaps GM did the same for five lug Cadillac passenger and LaSalle. Thus what we may have here is standard 16 inch passenger car wheels and a heavy duty optional wheel ordered when the vehicle was being sold for a Hearse conversion on ordering all you would have to do would be tick off the correct box just like no or one or two sidemounts. Just a thought if any one has a parts book for that era perhaps that will shed light on this.
 
It could also be that when the chassis was ordered, knowing what it was going to be built into, the assembly plant sourced wheels from another GM brand, such as Buick, and installed them, knowing that the bolt hole diameter, number of lugs, and backspacing was the same. I have seen many wheels that appear to be the same on the front side and width, but don't have the proper back spacing to properly accommodate the braking or steering mechanism.
 
Thanks for all the information fellows these things can get very complicated.
I sent a e-mail to Stockton wheels but no reply yet. I will keep looking for rims that match my original post measurements. Thanks again John
 
Good thought but Buick is not workable as they had lug bolts with a locating pin on the drum to use when installing wheel and I think the offset on a Buick may be slightly different although I have used Buick wheels on Packards with great success. As I said we need a parts book for the era as I think there was an HD wheel offered that would have been part of an order placed for a Commercial conversion car. Much like the Cadillacs of the early 90s where the Aluminum wheels on commercial chassis were HD but looked the same at a casual glance.
 
Ed you
said most likely the tube blew out and the rim split when it hit the pavement. if the source Paul gave you can make them correct I would certainly check into that.

I don't think so as we were turning off the highway to a smaller road we heard the rim go bang then it was ticking on the u bolt holding rear springs for 4 revolutions before the tube blew was almost stopped be this time so no damage to tire. Have contacted Stockton tire as Paul suggested and had to send pictures of rim as he had no idea what I was asking for a commercial rim.
 
39 Rim

Kurt in your reply you said Cadillac rims were 6 bolt holes and la Salle were 5
mine are 5 bolt hole and larger than the standard la Salle rim picture added to show you.DSC_0242 Crop.jpg

DSC_0259 Crop.jpg
 
As I said before if someone has a parts book for this era La Salle/Cadillac I think it will be found it is a heavy duty/commercial car wheel it is wider thus to accept larger tires and their greater width. Also see rivits.
 
They were all riveted in those years. The grey rim has rivets as well. Just hard to see them.
 
3 rim9

So Kurt does this mean if I should look for a 1939 Cadillac rim since the 39 La Salle regular car rim is to small and lighter. John
 
Unfortunately, the only Cadillac parts manual that I have, that goes that far back, is an 8th Edition Master Body Parts Manual, which covers 1942 and prior. Rims, however, are not classified body parts.
 
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