Steel wheel dress up...

[ZackN920]

I still haven't found a set of wheels for my Lincoln. Everything I come across is either beat up/coroded or overpriced. For example, it looks like there is a decent looking set of Lacey spokes in the Chicago C.L. They want something like 750 for the set of 4. They're not perfect either ... Sounds really overpriced to me.

The wheels I looked at in the local junkyard were all beat to shit. Nothing good was found when I went looking last summer.

So... I hate the wirewheel covers. They are kinda rattley and have some corrosian. Little bit of green on my left front. I also just plain don't like the look. Now, when I put new tires on the car I kinda liked the look of the white walls on the bare black steelies. Only problem was, I kept getting told by the people I know that it looked kind of ghetto, so I put the stupid covers back on. Well, I'm fed up.

Has anyone on here taken them off and done something different with the steelies? I was thinking trim rings and chrome lugnuts with little center caps to cover the hub and center of the rear brake drums. Or maybe little covers that go over the lugs and trim rings. Heck, I just want to get away from the full wheel covers. I don't like em'.

Anybody got pictures of what I'm thinking of on a box? I've tried a bunch of googling and came up with nothing.

[jaywish]

You could consider 95 and up mustang rims. They seem to be relatively plentiful, particularly compared to TC/CV/GM rims. Available in many styles. I don't know if they are still compatible up to 2021.

Also being larger size you are positioned for a brake upgrade and the selection of tires is better.

[Mainemantom]

Allot of Lacy Turbines listed on Car-part.com variety of prices. You will have to do some homework regarding getting pictures, negotiating. I just looked at midwest stock. Lots available !

[87gtVIC]

When driving a lincoln driving on anything other than full wheel covers or alloy wheels will look off.

Maybe get a cheap set of beat wheels from the junkyard and have them refinished would be a good compromise.

[Arquemann]

I hated my wire covers aswell, I should've taken them off way earlier.
The "ghetto/beater" look lessened a bit just by cleaning and waxing the wheels with autoglym SRP.



I like how it sits now, for being on stock wheels and tires:


Personally I reeaaally want poverty caps, but I need other wheels for that. Stock sizes would be okay, maybe spacers all around to fill the wheelwells better.
I wouldn't mind some wide tires on wide rims, maybe 8" in front and 10" in the back. Get a mean look for every one of those 140hp...

Steelies will somehow always look more out-of-place on a lincoln vs ford and merc. Turbines fit a Town Car the best.
Newer wheels might be hard to fit due to a generally high backspacing.

MK VIII wheels might be cool

[VicCrownVic]

Too bad the hub snouts stick out so far in stock form on these cars.
If it wasn't for those hubs something like center caps from a 2003-2005 Lincoln Aviator might fit. Would require 12 collared lug nuts. Same bolt pattern on the Aviator. The only problem I see is those center caps not being tall enough. Might fit on the back wheels, but highly unlikely on the front.
https://centercaps.net/products/linc...QaAr5XEALw_wcB
There are better deals out there but that link has the picture of the backside of the caps that I wanted to see.



If your local JY has an Aviator and a Panther in stock, grab one center cap and test fit on a '79-'91 box Panther. If no suitable Panthers in the yard and if center caps are cheap enough, get one and test fit on your car.

The more I look at these the more certain I am that these will not work, but my vote is still for some center caps.

[ZackN920]

Thanks for the ideas all.
For the most part I just want something different than the look I got now. Also want to be able to pull the wheels off easier. As it is now, I have to back out some odd bolt, then take off the covers. That bolt can be a pain. Yea, I suppose the plain steelies don't look right on a Lincoln. Probably why I didn't find any pictures online.

Jaywish, thanks for the idea but I really don't like what was on the 95+ mustang for a Lincoln. Just doesn't look right to me. Maybe I'm picky, I don't know.
The only ones that do look good to me are the other options available in the 80's for the Lincoln and an aluminum wheel that was available for the 90-97 TC. Probably others out there that I'd like but that's all I can think of at this moment. Edit- just thought of another, those hpp? or is it hpv? wheels look good on a TC.

I've never checked out that car-part.com website before. There are lots available, but I'm surprised that there isn't much for a full set off of a single car. Most is 1 or 2 of a car, then ya got to find some from another. Don't like that because they could have different patina wheel to wheel depending on how the different cars were treated.

Vic, that's a good idea and eye for those Lincoln caps. Never would have thought of them. I'll have to see if our yard has any of them vehicles and experiment. I wonder if the plastic on the center of them caps could be cut out on the backside to fit over the hub. Theyd probably look allright for now if theyd fit and maybe a set of thin trim rings to set the look off.

[WagonMan]

How about a set of factory wheel covers? Then you won't have to change tires over? I have a set of 4 from an 89 I parted out years ago. WagonMan

[ZackN920]

Hmm. That don't work for me either. Guess I am too picky.
So, the problem with those to me is that they look too - ...old people-ish to me.

Changing tires over really isn't that big of a deal for me. As long as I find the right set to put them on. Gotta be in nice shape, not necessarily perfect but not beat either.
I also considered the steelies with accesories like mentioned above because I've liked the look on other cars and trucks. My old pickup for example, has black steelies with chrome lug nuts and white letter tires. Looks freakin sweet to me.
Full wheel covers though, never appealed to me.

If anyone's got pics of my ideas on there car, post 'em. Don't care if its a Lincoln or not. Just want an idea of how they'd look. Meanwhile I'll be looking online now for more options and what's available. I just don't like the idea of no being able to inspect in person, then having them shipped to me.

[gadget73]

Mark 8 wheels have a different bolt pattern. You'd need an adapter to make it go. Forget the metric but its basically 5x4.25 vs 5x4.5.

I have Mark VII LSC wheels on mine. Needs spacers to make it go. Same issue with most any Fox or SN-95 chassis wheel though. Lots of Chrysler product wheels also fit but need the spacer. Jeep Cherokees at one point had a neat set of lace wheels that wouldn't look bad on a Lincoln.



personal opinion but I hate naked steelies, and honestly all of the factory hubcaps are crap so I get where you're coming from.

[Arquemann]

A Lincoln's gotta look dignified and formal, not a boyracer. It's a fine line between dignified and "old people-ish". I agree with Zack, full wheel cover mostly look boring and grandpa style.
I rummaged through my random stash of pics on my PC, found a couple.


Don't know either wheelbrand or anything about those.

What if... ...big steelies?
Like 18" detroit steel wheels smoothies? With chrome caps or Lincoln center caps like above? Bigger diameter plus polished lip / trim ring would look proper even without white stripe tires.



A cool, different look and improving handling and tire selection at the same time?

EDIT: These center caps might have a better chance fitting than what Vic linked

http://www.midwestwheelcover.com/3053usedrimschrome-1.aspx

[tbear853]

Wow, had no idea someone wants that much for Lacey Spokes.

The 16x7 Lacey Spoke wheels, even though painted or powder coated silver metallic would look at home and fit with their near zero offset. I have a set that were on my '01, never hit a curb, no rash, that I've saved for future use after I went with 17x7 Sport wheels and 235/55-17 rubber. I think the OEM 16x7 Teardrop wheels I took off the Mercury in 2002 would look great on a LTC too, they are elegant wheels, especially with the narrow WW Michelins!

The odd ball picture is a set of Chrysler Police Car 15x7 wheels (same lug pattern and offset, though I forget the hub hole diameter) on a Blue & Grey 1980 Plymouth Gran Fury police car wearing deep dish beauty rings from a Corvette and the Holed Dog Dish hub caps.

[VicCrownVic]

EDIT: These center caps might have a better chance fitting than what Vic linked

http://www.midwestwheelcover.com/3053usedrimschrome-1.aspx

[ATTACH=CONFIG]55861[/ATTACH]

I saw those but didn't look at them because I thought those were turbine center caps that require the little nub/stud things. They do look like a better candidate, but I'm not sure they will fit on the front. Junkyard test fitting definitly requird, although that might not be as easy in other areas compared to Detroit where we always have donors and test fit vehicles.

The ones I linked will definitly not be good. After coming across a side picture I see the sidewalls of the cap don't go down far enough because of how the wheels they go with are designed. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lincoln-Avi...oAAOSwZpJfO95f
There would be a huge gap between the cap and the wheel.

[VicCrownVic]

Junkyard test fitting definitly requird, although that might not be as easy in other areas compared to Detroit where we always have donors and test fit vehicles.

ZackN920, I keep a list in my phone of things to look for at the JY. Added test fitting some Lincoln centers from other modles on a box with your screen name so I know who to reply to.
I may not make it to the yards before you, but next time I'm out I'll see what I can get for pictures and let you know if any fit ok.

[massacre]

I run a set of MarkVII wheels on my fox and I think they look really nice.
Small hubcaps and beauty rings look nice too.