Barn Find OEM Bronco Hubcaps (on a 42 year old F-250 with 139 original miles!)

[Jaxgtc]

Here is a really neat story about a 42 year old F-250 from NC that was parked in a barn after just a few trips. The old guy hated the "plain" hubcaps and put some '77 Bronco hubcaps on instead.

 

[Lewko66u13]

Very satisfying video to watch. I wonder how those guys found that truck. She’s a jem it is for sale.

https://www.firehousevintage.com/vehicles/66/1978-ford-f250-ranger-lariat

 

[Robert Paulson]

Amazing!

 

[gnsteam]

Incredible find. Thanks for posting.

 

[andyp]

Awesome

 

[BGBronco]

Great video. I wish he would have said 'why' he parked it for 42 years.

 

[Bitch'nBronco]

Love AMMOs videos, this one was great!

 

[glass76]

How would '77 Bronco hubcaps fit on the '78 F250 16.5" wheels?

 

[Kbpony]

How would '77 Bronco hubcaps fit on the '78 F250 16.5" wheels?

Exactly my question?

 

[Broncobowsher]

I just scraped my original '77 16.5 F250 wheel. Never thought to try hubcaps on it.

 

[DirtDonk]

Maybe the F250 had 16 inch wheels. Did the bronco 16’s ever come with caps?

 

[LUBr LuvR]

How would '77 Bronco hubcaps fit on the '78 F250 16.5" wheels?

Actually happened to randomly drive by Firehouse Vintage one Saturday weeks ago and did a quick U-turn after seeing the 67 Highboy and a 2nd gen behind the glass doors. Was standing there peeking in (they’re open M-F), when one of the owners came up and asked “would you like to come in and have a look around”......uhhh, Yes please!!

They had picked up the F-250 just a day or so before. It is a true time capsule, didn’t even look like anyone had sat inside. The Bronco hubcaps fit, didn’t look closely to verify the wheel size - but the locking hubs sat well inside the front caps. I did offer to take those wrong-year hubcaps off their hands if they decided to part with
them,...

Was allowed to take a few pics, as long as I agreed not to post them anywhere before they did their reveal. They specialize in big Broncos and pickups, and have quite a few in various stages of restoration. They’ve done a number of Coyote swaps and patina builds. The yard behind the cool old firehouse-turned-shop has at least 30 2nd gen and OBS trucks. Justin and Jake are really accommodating and obviously enjoy what they are doing. They had done an EB, a ‘74 Samoa Lime - but said the prices have turned their focus to the other generations.

If you’re in the area, it’s well worth stopping in.

 

[fordfan]

No guys.....They won't fit a 16 or 16.5 wheel.. This was one of "Ford's Better Ideas". Instead of having to make another set of caps for the F250, Ford made an additional ring that snaps in the 16.5 wheel first and then the 15" hub cap will fit inside that. The first ring has stainless edge trim and if you look closely on the video, you will notice the extra ring between the hubcap and the tire. Most F250 4X4 trucks had a dog dish cap either steel (custom) or stainless (Ranger), and the 4x2 trucks had the inserts and the standard 150 style cap. Many times the F150 style cap wouldn't clear the axle ends on the full floating rear, but if the wheels are wide enough they would. This truck appears to have 8" rims so they will clear.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I learned about the full floating rear axle bearings. They can be had in narrow and wide. And wide is WIDE. Put narrow center caps on wide bearings and the axle bolts will leave impressions in the cap as you tighten down the wheel. That is why a tire shop will keep the center caps in the stock locations as they rotate tires. I was lucky and my F250 had narrow bearings and I could use the narrow caps on all 4 corners that look a lot better.

As for the spacer ring to run 15" hubcaps, that is a new one on me. Doesn't surprise me, thrifty way to reuse the inventory of hubcaps and future hubcap designs and not need anything new for years.

The walk around pointing out the poor build quality, mine was like that as well. Found 2 different factory pinched wiring harnesses. One under the parking brake bracket and another pinched in the aux fuel tank mounting. Dent in the back of the oil pan where it banged into something as they were swinging it into place. The build quality was really bad.

 

[fordfan]

I have some of the reducer rings somewhere I think... I'll post a photo if I can remember ....

 

[toddz69]

Thanks fordfan for the info on the hubcaps - always learning something new!

Todd Z.

 

[fordfan]

Thanks fordfan for the info on the hubcaps - always learning something new!

Todd Z.

Hey Todd. We are always learning and forgetting!

I went back and looked at the video and at :56-58 seconds into the video, you can see the rings when they have the caps off .

 

[glass76]

No guys.....They won't fit a 16 or 16.5 wheel.. This was one of "Ford's Better Ideas". Instead of having to make another set of caps for the F250, Ford made an additional ring that snaps in the 16.5 wheel first and then the 15" hub cap will fit inside that. The first ring has stainless edge trim and if you look closely on the video, you will notice the extra ring between the hubcap and the tire. Most F250 4X4 trucks had a dog dish cap either steel (custom) or stainless (Ranger), and the 4x2 trucks had the inserts and the standard 150 style cap. Many times the F150 style cap wouldn't clear the axle ends on the full floating rear, but if the wheels are wide enough they would. This truck appears to have 8" rims so they will clear.

Thanks for that info.