Wheels / Tires: Champ wheel substitution options

[landriopa]

Even after reading several previous posts on this topic, I am not sure what wheels can be substituted onto a 62 Champ with 15 inch wheels to have a wider, ie. 6 or 7 inch wheel. I am fortunate to have the Studebaker Truck Specifications Book, and attached is the page on wheels. My local tire shop went to a search of regional auto salvage yards and did not yet find anything to fit.

The reason for this change is that I am replacing the dry rotted 30 year mis-matched old tires with 215R75-15 replacements and although they can be used on a 5 inch rim, recommend 6 inch rims. My son's Champ is using 235R75-15 tires to get as close as possible to the original tire diameter to keep the speedometer close to original and minimize the revolutions per mile. Any suggestion on sources and/or rim origins to search for?

[r1lark]

I am using Chevy Express Van wheels on my Champ. They can even be modified slightly to use the original Champ hubcaps. Look at my blog here: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...Type&goto=prev

If you are interested in something like this, I can look up the years. Similar Chevy/GMC pickup wheels will work also.

[52-fan]

A Chevy or GMC wheel with the bulge that misses the Studebaker raised area on the drum face works. My brother runs these on his trucks. We see them at lots of swap meets, but prices vary greatly.

[Skip Lackie]

The 5x5" bolt pattern on Chevy/GMC 1/2-ton trucks is the same as Stude trucks, but the ridges on the Stude drums prevent the GM pickup wheels from mating well with the drums. The Chevy/GM van wheels shown above are a different design and do not interfere with the ridges. However, they are harder to find than the Gm pickup wheels. Another alternative is to machine the Stude hubs so that the commonly-available GM pickup drums can be used. This is explained on Bob Johnstone's web site.

[63r2]

You could have the Champ centres welded on to wider rims. I'm sure there would be specialist places in the US that do that.
My Champ has that set up.

[62champ]

You could have the Champ centres welded on to wider rims. I'm sure there would be specialist places in the US that do that.
My Champ has that set up.

My Uncle did this back in late '60s so he could run a wider tire - truck centers ended up on some Buick 14" outsides - could then run '58 wheel covers as well...

[RadioRoy]

You could have the Champ centres welded on to wider rims. I'm sure there would be specialist places in the US that do that.
My Champ has that set up.

I would be skittish about doing that. Many times Studebaker wheels have oblong holes or cracked holes where the lug nuts attached.

[63r2]

I would be skittish about doing that. Many times Studebaker wheels have oblong holes or cracked holes where the lug nuts attached.

I have heard that before but if cracking etc was to occur I would have thought that would happen regardless of the outer rim used.
Obviously you would convert damage free centres as it would be a waste of money and a safety issue to do otherwise.
pb

[Kurt]

I converted my Champ to Chevy brakes drums so that I could choose any wheel. It really is a fairly simple change. You can read about it on Bob Johnstones site.

[dynolou2]

The wheels shown in the picture are for a chev van, I put a set on my 77 chev 1/2 Scottsdale to dress up my old plain jane in 1978. Lou Cote

[landriopa]

Do you have any information as to the years of Chevy vans that might have these wheels?

[Lynn]

Can't help you with a list, but believe I had those wheels on my 85 Suburban. That has been 33 years ago, so forgive me if I mis remembered.