Identifying 14x6" vs 14x7" trim rings, hub caps, and Sport Wheel Covers

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My Car
'71 Mustang Mach 1 M-code "Soylent Green"
'69 Plymouth Valiant 100
'68 Plymouth Satellite
There seems to be some confusion as to the differing width trim rings offered on cars with the standard 14x6" rims, and the "deep-dish" trim rings used on Mach 1s and '71-73s ordered with optional 14x7" steel rims.

Additionally, less known is the fact that the hub cap centers were also available in shallow and deep-dish versions, also according to the width of the rim.

Let's end the confusion. Here is a side-by side comparison. 14x7" "deep dish" on the left, 14x6" on the right:

34retsl.jpg


Too subtle? Try these angles:

30c5fgw.jpg


sl7kog.jpg


Also note the valve stem hole. Though elongated, its spacing from edge to edge is still larger than that of the standard cover:

1gglxk.jpg


Keen on measurements? The 14x7" trim rings are approximately 2.5" wide, while the 14x6's are 1.5". Not really a surprise, when you think about it:

34glggh.jpg


33kgcia.jpg


Even though the wider trim rings added additional dish, Ford engineers found it necessary to design deeper/taller center caps to protrude from the center of 14x7" rims. The proper caps look like this, and are ____ (will have measurements for you soon) deep:

33z5nwh.jpg


9av82b.jpg


If you mount a shallow 14x6" cap on a 14x7" rim with a 14x7" trim ring, the combination will look wrong, like Toby Halicki's cobbled-up combination on Eleanor from Gone in 60 Seconds (beauty car shown):

jv591g.png


With that done, let's look at Sport Wheel Covers. These are roughly similar in overall depth to the 14x6" trim rings:

muj15l.jpg


A deep-dish 14x7"-specific Sport Wheel Cover was available, and had essentially the same depth as the 14x7" trim ring:

1z4hkhu.jpg


Photo from auction by eBay seller "gaprilday" - reposting here, as I don't have one of these caps myself.

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The Sport Wheel Covers in 14x7" are often found with all-dark grey centers. These are for '69-70 models and are more common on the market. The '71-73 carryover is identical with exception to the argent center, as seen in the dealership photo. You may find it difficult to locate 1971+ Sport Wheel Covers for 14x7" wheels - for some reason, they are far less common than the 14x6" variants.

-Kurt

 
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I have a set of trim rings and caps from the 73 I sold. I was sure the original wheels were 14x6. After reading this I'm confused. The trim rings I have are 2.5 inches deep. Did the 73 s come with 14x7 wheels? Did I sell 14x7 rims dirt cheap thinking they were 14x6?

 
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.Both E70-14 and F70-14 wide ovals were available in 1973.

I would think they both used the wider trim ring and caps, but not positive...

Ray

 
Could these have been 14x7? I sold the rims with the tires on them so I never was able to measure them. The tires were only 195/70/14 so they were not very wide. That's why I thought they were 14x6.



 
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.Both E70-14 and F70-14 wide ovals were available in 1973.

I would think they both used the wider trim ring and caps, but not positive...
My M-code - which would default to 14x7" rims - was ordered with WSW E70x14's according to the Marti.

Chances are, the cars ordered with E78x14's used the 14x6" rims.

Could these have been 14x7? I sold the rims with the tires on them so I never was able to measure them. The tires were only 195/70/14 so they were not very wide. That's why I thought they were 14x6.
My 14x7" rims came with 205/70/14's on them. Still too small, IMO:

2ikbnlx.jpg


33z5nwh.jpg


9av82b.jpg


From the photo you supplied, yours certainly do appear to be the 14x7" versions.

In fact, I've yet to see a '71-73 with 14x6" rims and the dog dish/trim ring combo (which was optional); most of these cars seem to use the standard wheel covers.

I wouldn't be surprised if the 14x6" rings are more unusual - as they relate to our Mustangs - than the 14x7" rings. So many Machs were ordered in '71 that the only large source of additional 14x6" rings would have been the rest of the Ford lineup.

What does your Marti say about the tires on your car?

-Kurt

 
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What does your Marti say about the tires on your car?

-Kurt
No marti report and no other documentation left. I sold the car last fall and the new owner didn't want the original rims. Sold the rims and tires and still have the trim rings and caps. I just need to know what to post on CL. For the size rim they will fit. I don't want to post they fit 14x6 only to have someone buy them and they don't fit their rims.

 
No marti report and no other documentation left. I sold the car last fall and the new owner didn't want the original rims. Sold the rims and tires and still have the trim rings and caps. I just need to know what to post on CL. For the size rim they will fit. I don't want to post they fit 14x6 only to have someone buy them and they don't fit their rims.
Of course.

FYI, if you're willing to ship, PM me and let me know how much you'd ask for the set.

-Kurt

 
FYI, updated the thread - apparently, 14x7" Sport Wheel Covers were available in 1971, and probably 1972/73 as well.

I have no use for them. Here's a link to the CL ad with pics of condition. Make an offer.

http://burlington.craigslist.org/pts/4443862533.html
Hmm. Nice set, a bit steep for my wallet.

Why don't I ever find these a bit more clapped out to help my pocketbook out?

-Kurt

 
FYI, the Ford rings should not be confused for 14x7" General Motors trim rings:

1z4crat.jpg


GM made more than one variant for 14x7" rims - some with oval valve holes, others with holes like the ones above, and versions with an inner lip and without (as shown).

All are similar, the faces on the GM trim rings are curved, while the Ford rings have flat faces on all areas. If you're not familiar with them, you won't spot the difference. If you know this detail, you may be able to pick up some 14x7" Ford rings cheap, being sold as GM.

-Kurt

 
FYI - I just updated the main post with center cap info, and cleaned up the information about the Sport Wheel Covers.

-Kurt

 
Kurt,

Very good post with lots of good info. I do really like the trim rings and hub cap look. I do have a question...

My Marti (73 Grande) says F70x14 belted tires and white sidewall tires. The car currently has the 73 slotted rims, I don't know if the car originally came with these rims. Current tires are 205/70/R14. Would my car have come with 14x6 or 14x7 rims? Thanks...

 
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Kurt,

Very good post with lots of good info. I do really like the trim rings and hub cap look. I do have a question...

My Marti (73 Grande) says F70x14 belted tires and white sidewall tires. The car currently has the 73 slotted rims, I don't know if the car originally came with these rims. Current tires are 205/70/R14. Would my car have come with 14x6 or 14x7 rims? Thanks...
Without doing some research I'll have to use my best guess :-/

I would say your car did not come with 73 slotted aluminum wheels unless the Marti states them as "forged aluminum wheels". Even 73 owners that special ordered their cars and requested Magnum 500's were instead sold or equipped with the "forged aluminum wheels" as a required substitution.

Since you mention your report states, 14" F70 tires, I'd say it was equipped with 14x7 steel wheels with trim rings and (dog dish) caps.

I am guessing here - assuming a LOT.

Ray

 
Kurt,

Very good post with lots of good info. I do really like the trim rings and hub cap look. I do have a question...

My Marti (73 Grande) says F70x14 belted tires and white sidewall tires. The car currently has the 73 slotted rims, I don't know if the car originally came with these rims. Current tires are 205/70/R14. Would my car have come with 14x6 or 14x7 rims? Thanks...
Without doing some research I'll have to use my best guess :-/

I would say your car did not come with 73 slotted aluminum wheels unless the Marti states them as "forged aluminum wheels". Even 73 owners that special ordered their cars and requested Magnum 500's were instead sold or equipped with the "forged aluminum wheels" as a required substitution.

Since you mention your report states, 14" F70 tires, I'd say it was equipped with 14x7 steel wheels with trim rings and (dog dish) caps.

I am guessing here - assuming a LOT.

Ray
Hey Ray,

Sorry, after re-reading my post I obviously led you (everyone) to believe that my cars currently has the steel wheels and hub caps when it has the forged aluminum wheels. So unless the Marti states the forged aluminum wheels, my car came with steel wheels and hub caps?

Thanks Ray... Pete

 
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Hey Ray,

Sorry, after re-reading my post I obviously led you (everyone) to believe that my cars currently has the steel wheels and hub caps when it has the forged aluminum wheels. So unless the Marti states the forged aluminum wheels, my car came with steel wheels and hub caps?

Thanks Ray... Pete
I think so... with those tires I am ruling out the unique 72/73 Grande wheelcovers. Unless the Marti spells out something different, I think the 14x7 wheels and trim rings and caps just sound right. As you can see the factory Grande wheelcovers might be a play here... Help guys - what do you think???

Ray

 
Ray is probably correct here, though one of the strange things that I've noticed is that tire sizes don't always correlate to the rim and vise-versa.

For instance: Far as I've been told, Mach 1s are equipped 14x7" steel rims by default (if Mag 500's aren't checked), as opposed to the 14x6" wheels.

However, I have Marti reports here for three Mach 1s - one F-code, my M-code, and the DAF M-code, and all of them list E70x14's, either blackwalls or WSW. Only my '72 Q-code lists F70X14 belted blackwalls. Yet, all of these cars were supposedly equipped from factory with 14x7" wheels, and enough of them still have at least one original rim (or were photo-documented when new) to prove the fact.

I do have one interesting entry here: The infamous, Q-code 4-speed '72 Coupe in my neighborhood. That came with F70X14's with "Belted Raised White Letter Tires" and "Trim Rings/Hub Caps" (the only time I've ever seen rings and caps listed on a report, but that may be because it's not a Mach). Unfortunately, the car no longer runs its original rims, though it may be safe to say that it had 14x7"s. This is probably the case on the '73 Grande as well.

-Kurt

 
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