Sep 2004
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It turns out there is a wheel wholesaler warehouse here in fargo that
has some of the ford rims in stock.

I went over there friday with a tape measure and got some dimensions. 
I also remeasured my stock '53 rims this weekend and also a '63 lark
stock rim I have around.  So here for future reference is what I
found....

Stock '53 rim:

Tire bead inside Width:                   5"
Overall outside width:                    6-1/8"
Backspacing:                              4-3/8"
Offset (tire centerline to inside edge):  1-5/16"
Center hole ID:                           2-3/4"

Stock '63 lark rim:

Tire bead inside width:                   4-1/2"
Overall outside width:                    5-5/8"
Backspacing:                              3-5/8"
Offset (tire centerline to inside edge):  1-1/16"
Center hole ID:                           forgot to measure

6" Ford rim, NWRA X-40273:

Tire bead inside width:                   6"
Overall outside width:                    7-1/8"
Backspacing:                              4-1/8"
Offset (tire centerline to inside edge):  9/16"
Center hole ID:                           2-3/4"

Currently, my '53 has a stock mid 70's Maverick 8" rear end in it. 
With the stock '53 rims, my track width from center to center of the
rear tires is about 54-1/2" to 54-3/4".  I have 205/75R15 tires on it
and there is about 3" to 3-1/2" clearance from the tire sidewall to
the fender lip on each side.

While at the zone meet in WI last month, I took the opportunity to
check out some other cars.  There was a '54 Champion hardtop there
with stock sized bias tires (6.70-15).   I'll assume it had the stock
wheels since everything else about it was stock....  Track width was
56-1/4" center to center and about 2 to 2-1/2" clearance from the
sidewalls to the fender lips.  I also checked the rear track on a '58
packard hawk and it was also 56-1/4".

Soooo.  It would appear that the Maverick rear end is about 1-1/2" to
1-3/4" inches narrower than the original rear was in my car.  Taking
into account the rim width increase and change in offset, if I put
these wider rims on the back, I should increase my track width about
1-1/2" and get back what was lost.  The outside of the wheel should
push out 1-1/4" over what I have now and will make my fender clearance
essentially the same as the stock setup was like I measured on that
'54.

Jeff Hopman
'53 Starliner