Original wheel color on '70 C20???

[65standard]

Does anyone know what the original wheel color is supposed to be on my 1970 C20. I want to find the correct 16" chevy rims and get rid of these silver Ford rims.

[Greasey Harley]

Rat Fink green? :-)

Seriously though, I've just seen white.

[burb71]

I know silver is correct for a 1967-68 C/10 and white for a 1971-72 C/10

[SS Tim]

On 70-72 its the same 521 white as the roof and bumper on your truck.

[special-K]

'67 had black wheels with white hubcaps. '68 and '69 had silver, then '70-on was white. The correct 16" wheel for your truck will be a split rim. Are you sure those are Ford rims, or could they be later GMs? I'd have to see closer. If they are Ford wheels, the center hole will be larger than the hub

[65standard]

I have a few of those weird split rims. I thought they were 16.5". I'll have to double check. Yes the silver rims are Fords. They have the Ford oval stamped on them and the hub hole is larger than the chevy hubs.

Thanks everyone.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by special-K

'67 had black wheels with white hubcaps. '68 and '69 had silver, then '70-on was white. The correct 16" wheel for your truck will be a split rim. Are you sure those are Ford rims, or could they be later GMs? I'd have to see closer. If they are Ford wheels, the center hole will be larger than the hub

My 69 C20 came new with white 16.5" wheels. Did the color vary depending on the type/size of wheel (for example, split rim vs. non-split)? For that matter, what were the 3/4 ton wheel choices in 69, 70, 71 and 72?

[1972BlueC20]

Someone correct me if i'm wrong, but a lot of people prefer the ford wheels over the chevy wheels because the original 8 lug chevy wheels are 16.5" and they are very limited on the tires that you will have to select from.

This is why i'm actually looking for some 16x7 8 lug Ford wheels to put on my c20.

If I was you, i'd paint your ford wheels white, get some hubcaps and call it a day!

Just my .02

[65standard]

Okay, I looked at the wheels split rim wheels that came with my truck. They are 16", not 16.5" like I thought. My truck is supposed to have the optional 7.50x16 tires. That is what is on these white 16" split rims.

Not sure I want to use them because you need inner tubes. That will double the cost of tires.

The 16" Ford rims are a fine a dozen in the junkyard by me. I just saw a set that looked brand new. Thanks everyone for the help.

[Longhorn 70]

I went to the ever popular 73-87 Chevy truck wheels. They are 16" rims. I have the later hupcaps on it too. I know they aren't correct. I don't know if the correct year hupcaps will work on these rims.

[Sicklajoie]

Originally Posted by Longhorn 70

I went to the ever popular 73-87 Chevy truck wheels. They are 16" rims. I have the later hupcaps on it too. I know they aren't correct. I don't know if the correct year hupcaps will work on these rims.

Yes, the 69-72 hubcaps will work with those rims.

[Elliot949]

The thing with split rims is finding someone that will work on them... Most tire shops today will not even touch them so you are stuck with dealing with Big Truck shops or Farm implement shops... While that up front doesn't sound like a huge seal but the cost of working on a split rim is about 4 times that of working on a regular rim... Most of this is because of the danger involved in working on split rims... alot of guys have been killed while working with them when the ring blows off of it while inflating the tire...

My 67 C-20 Custom Camper came with split rims the rim was Black and the ring was the typical Wheel color of Argent Silver... I took those rims to the metal scrapper and put on a set of Ford 16X8 and that is what I ran until it was stolen...

I would never put a split rim on any pickup...

[65standard]

I'm going to look for some 1973-87 C20 rims. I prefer the chevy rims over the Fords because I want them hub centric. The split rim require a tube and that is enough reason for me not to use them.

Thanks everyone for the help. Looks like 521 white is what I will be painting 1973-87 rims.

[The Swed]

The factory wheel paint color is off white. Here's a before "factory paint" and after picture painted white. The factory color appears to be a Bone and/or Ivory to me. Hope that helps.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

My 69 C20 came new with white 16.5" wheels. Did the color vary depending on the type/size of wheel (for example, split rim vs. non-split)? For that matter, what were the 3/4 ton wheel choices in 69, 70, 71 and 72?

I've never been sure just what got which truck which color hubcap/wheel/bumpers if painted. I thought it was a matter of body paint color. but maybe it's the base trucks got the silver and a truck with chrome trim/bumpers got white. I just know some/most '68 & '69 got silver hubcaps, and no others did. The wheel options were abut the tire, not the wheel, so it was a matter of diameter. I'd have to look to have it all straight.

[Elliot949]

Originally Posted by special-K

I've never been sure just what got which truck which color hubcap/wheel/bumpers if painted. I thought it was a matter of body paint color. but maybe it's the base trucks got the silver and a truck with chrome trim/bumpers got white. I just know some/most '68 & '69 got silver hubcaps, and no others did. The wheel options were abut the tire, not the wheel, so it was a matter of diameter. I'd have to look to have it all straight.

The base trucks in 67 got white dog dishwith "red" bow tie. And ring and the 68 got argent dog with black ... Both years got the chrome dog dish as a option and the CST got Stainless steel dog dish on both C 10 and C 20... the C 10 in late 67 through 72 also had a full cap available...

[special-K]

Thanks, I guess I'm wondering about what got silver painted bumpers/hubcaps/mirrors and what got white. I think it depended on body color or if it had chrome hubcaps. Only 68 and 69 had silver on these parts, but not all.

[65standard]

After I had the tires removed from my original split rims, I decided not to use them. I found a nice set of 1975 C20 rims.

Here you can see the two styles side by side. My only question is do I repaint the 1975 rims or leave the patina so it goes with the trucks original faded and scratched up paint?

[Sicklajoie]

Originally Posted by 65standard

After I had the tires removed from my original split rims, I decided not to use them. I found a nice set of 1975 C20 rims.

Here you can see the two styles side by side. My only question is do I repaint the 1975 rims or leave the patina so it goes with the trucks original faded and scratched up paint?

Pictures not showing up

[65standard]

It works for me, but see if these show.

The original 6x16 split rims and the 1975 6.5x16 rims.



And the 1975 6.5 x 16 C20 wheels



And with a late model center cap. I only have one original 12" hubcap.

[Sicklajoie]

Nice find.
I'd leave them the way they are.

[65standard]

I chemically stripped the rust off these wheels leaving the original paint and scratches. I think they will match the original patina on my truck nicely. Repainted wheels would just stand out too much.

[Sicklajoie]

Good move. Looks good.

[65standard]

Im thinking about using these later center caps. They would need blue bow tie emblems to look more period correct.