Chrome Simulators

[FleetsidePaul]

I am planning on putting some simulators on my 70 dually. Everything I see is for later model trucks. Nothing listed for the older trucks. Are they the same? They are all 16's like mine. I don't know if GM changed anything and I don't want to get stuck with a bunch of junk that doesn't fit because it's just a hair off. We all know how that goes.

[special-K]

It's probably best to talk to where you are ordering them. What was that truck, a '69? Are the wheels split rim?

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by special-K

It's probably best to talk to where you are ordering them. What was that truck, a '69? Are the wheels split rim?

They're for my 70 flatbed. I figure I can pop them on and off depending on my mood. I want to keep the truck stock but these are just basically hubcaps. Not a big deal.

My buddy has a 62 with them and I asked him about them. He said he bought his used and they came off a Dodge.

My 70 doesn't have split rims. I don't think that there is a lot of difference between the wheels. I just overthink things.

Heck, my 71 has the wider Ford van wheels on it and you'd never know.

[va72longhorn]

I’ll take a closer look at mine, Paul, and see if I can find an identification

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by va72longhorn

I’ll take a closer look at mine, Paul, and see if I can find an identification

Thanks. That's just the look I was thinking. Beautiful truck by the way.

[maxx442a1]

I haven't seen chrome ones but I bought a set of polished stainless steel ones from these guys for my '85 Dodge dually. Nice fit and finish. It is out at the farm so I don't have access to it for photos:

https://duallyparts.com/shop/

[special-K]

Yeah, they are polished stainless. The only thing I worry about with fitting are the later GM wheels, 88-newer, look like they have a different shape. The Dodge wheels look like what would work in newer vehicle fitment

[FleetsidePaul]

Well I bit the bullet and bought some stainless ones. They should fit. Fingers crossed.

[va72longhorn]

I didn’t see any identifications, but they definitely are stainless steel.
….. and thanks, Paul.

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by va72longhorn

I didn’t see any identifications, but they definitely are stainless steel.
….. and thanks, Paul.

Thanks for looking. I kind of figured they wouldn't have any markings. Hopefully the ones I got will fit and look as good as yours.

[special-K]

I put them on a '78 I had. The benefit of these is no matter what position a wheel is in you see the simulator.

[FleetsidePaul]

It's odd but I had never heard of them before.

[special-K]

When I bought that truck is when I found out about them. That was in '86. Nobody had those. In the Southwest guys were running actual chrome Budd wheels on their 1t trucks. I knew those would rust right up back east. Simulators really took off by the '90s and you saw them on about everything that didn't have alloys. The Alcoa 16" wheels came out back then, too.

[FleetsidePaul]

I totally missed the whole simulator thing. All my buddy's with dually's were running Alcoa's.

Maybe I saw them all along and didn't know what I was looking at.

[CG]

Missed this thread I seldom look at this part of the board. Im sure the ones you chose will be fine. When I got mine I just looked for 16 inch and 8 lug. They fit with zero problems. Sounds like thats what you did. Now Ill have to check this side now and then so I can see them all purty on your truck.

[special-K]

The one tons kind of ride the line, go either way. They are the biggest light truck but getting up there with medium duties by use. Here in MD you can register 10s and 20s "up to" 10,000#, 30s are "no less than" 10,000# and up into where medium duty numbers start.

I ran the chrome Budds on my '70 C/30 because I wanted the real deal, period correct. That was '88 or '89. I built the truck like it could be from the '70s

[FleetsidePaul]

I'd like to go with the real deal but to tell you the truth I had a hard time finding some that weren't all modern looking. Defiantly not the direction that I want to go and they were pricy. I wasn't even going to go with shiny wheels but I had a moment of weakness and got them. These pop on and off. I'll give them a shot. If I don't like them then there's plenty of dually's up here and I'll just sell them.

[special-K]

These are great. Cheaper than wheels, stainless steel, Just look like wheels that shine and not an art project, and when you switch tires around you just pop the pretty back on.

I don't think you can even get the good old chrome Budd wheels anymore. Once the Alcoas came around, guys went to those and the chromies disappeared. That '70 was a complete custom-built truck. I left no stone unturned and spared no expense.

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by special-K

I don't think you can even get the good old chrome Budd wheels anymore. Once the Alcoas came around, guys went to those and the chromies disappeared.

I thought it would be a no brainer to get chrome wheels. Nope. Granted I didn't look very hard because I was still on the fence. I think that the simulators are actually a better choice. Not so much of a commitment.

But it makes me wonder. Doesn't anyone want the old school look anymore?? I know I do.

I have the aluminum wheels on my F450 but they are factory and it's a newer truck. Big difference IMO. I want to keep the 70 looking like a 70.

[FleetsidePaul]

I have a problem here. The simulators are at the Post Office at my other house. USPS won't drive up to my place. Not a big deal but I'm not there and my wife is going to get the mail.

She asked if I bought anything heavy? I said no.

How heavy are these things?? If they're heavy she's going to be mad and I'm never going to hear the end of this.

[special-K]

Not real heavy.

I had the chrome Budds on that '70 C/30 for that exact reason, period correct. It was the '80s and I still wanted (still do) the '70s vibe. When I was done with that truck I sold it to the guy down the road not far. It sat here for a year or two and I didn't keep up with the chrome, the wheels and the mirrors I had done. That fool tore the truck down and never put it back together, which is his specialty. That was mid '90s. Fast forward and this guy had bought a '71 C/30 wrecker that he put those chrome Budds on. Forward about five more years and I bought that truck. I got my wheels back!

The red paint was faded like your Baja Bug, the truck had a visor from the '70s, GM bedrails, and the aged looking chrome Budds really fit the "Was a nice truck in the '70s" look. The one rear wheel had the chrome really gone. I tried to find another and never had any luck. Nothing new and used I never found.

this was a job close by I took it to for one last time after it had been sitting. Notice the rusty chrome on the mirror and rotted rocker

Same wheels years later. I removed the Kmart mirrors and put small westcoasts on. The kind with yellow chevrons.

[FleetsidePaul]

Not too heavy is a relative term. If she thinks it's too heavy then I'm going to hear about it. Oh well. Not the first time.

After looking at your trucks I can't wait to get these simulators on my truck. I just got a new buffer so the old girl should have some shine to her pretty quick.

I was planning to keep it bone stock but plans are meant to be changed. I'm going with a chrome bumper. billet grille inserts, and a cowl induction hood. My hood is full of Bondo. Screw that. And then just repaint the truck. Like this.



And cut the bed sides or whatever they're called down like the ones on this flatbed.


I like the look of both. Eh... So much for keeping it stock. That didn't last long.

It's going to cost more than the truck did but I think it'll look sharp.

Better than this. I'm not hauling hay. I don't even have a horse.

[CG]

Probably too late ... again. These things aren't heavy at all. Just a tad more than a standard full size hubcap, cause that's all they are, a bigger hubcap.

[special-K]

I'll be more specific. Not too heavy for her... I guess .

True, they are just 16" wheel covers. They might be lighter since they don't have the steel snap-ring at the bead.

I hope the paint turns out nice from buffing

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by special-K

I'll be more specific. Not too heavy for her... I guess .

True, they are just 16" wheel covers. They might be lighter since they don't have the steel snap-ring at the bead.

I hope the paint turns out nice from buffing

I do too. But I'm thinking it's too far gone. I wanted to keep the original paint but the hood got munched at one time and Bondo was the solution. I might have been able to save it if it wasn't for that. Something must have fallen on it. I don't think that I can bring it back so I'm just going to replace that and repaint the truck as much as I don't want to.

It also needs tires. The ones on it came over on the Mayflower. They are OLD! A guy up here on CL has 5 new tires. Only 5. Didn't we just go through this with the 3 hubcap thread? Always one short. At least another tire is easier to find than a hubcap.

And the simulators were dropped off by UPS. Not USPS. My tenant got them. I'm off the hook on that one.

Now I just have to get over there and play with my new toys.