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Hey again my 53 chevy 3100 5 window did not come with what apears to be original rims and I am not sure about the parts truck I bought. Does anyone have a good image of what they looked like for the 16" tires. I looked at the online manual project and viewed the old pictures but things aren't very clear. any thoughts?

The standard original rims for your '53 would have been 4 1/2 x 16 inch, six lugs with clips for the hub caps. With the 5 window deluxe option, they would have been painted body color with three pin stripes and looked like this. Rim

Huck,

Is that rim in the photo a black rim or a colored rim (nice photo, by the way)?

It should be noted that the rim you show (and, I think, all Advance-Design 1/2 ton rims) have 6 hub-cap clips (195355 has a non-original rim which might have 3 clips, if from a later truck).

RPO 387 Rear Corner Window option does not mention body-colored rims in 1953 (in the Truck Data Book or in the Specifications manual). In 1953, there was no deluxe cab option (due to the need for special metals for the Korean conflict). In most other Advance-Design years, there was also an RPO_390 De luxe Equipment option (with rear corner windows and other features).

Supposedly, all 1/2 truck rims came with wheel pin-stripes (same color as the body pinstripe, and coordinated with the body color).

I have often seen body-colored wheels and wonder which option they came with or if they were special ordered. If anyone has non-1954/55 documentation for colored wheels, it would be interesting to see (colored wheels apparently were common - my Windsor Blue 1948 panel had them and they had remnants of striping).

Tim
The picture is a 4x16 inch rim that was painted sort of a very dark metallic gray. I have since sand blasted the 4 of them and repainted them black without stripes and mounted them on my '50 1/2 ton.
You are correct on there not being a deluxe option in 1953. The corner windows were continued as a regular production option #387. According to page 68 of the 1950 Specifications from the GM Heritage Center, it appears that the body colored, pin striped rims were a RPO and the standard rims were black without pinstripes. I think these Heritage Center specifications for each year would actually be the best source of documentation.

Huck,

Thanks for the 1950 reference.

"page 68 of the 1950 Specifications from the GM Heritage Center":
I'll look in that location in all Advance-Design years (I know, I'm a sick man).

For others who may not be familiar with the GM Heritage Center, here is a link to it. Click on the option to show other model year trucks other than those shown on the page that opens up to view the Advance Design years. GM Heritage Center

Wow thanks for the great info. Knowing that mine is a 53 and knowing the delux option was not realy offered in that year I will be looking at all rims later tonight I do believe that I have none that match. I will again be on the hunt. Thanks agian for all the help this will be of great help!!!

by the way are the rear and the front the same? offset?

Yes - the same wheels were used on the front and rear.