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There is something about a classic Ford truck on American Racing Torq Thrust wheels that just looks right.
The five-spoke Torq Thrust design has the vintage American styling that belongs on an older F-100 or F-150, but going to a 20-inch American Racing Torq Thrust II gives the truck a completely different stance.
The truck pictured here shows exactly what we're talking about: classic 1950s Ford styling combined with 20-inch American Racing Torq Thrust wheels and 245/45R20 Nitto NT555 G2 tires.
Instead of trying to make a vintage truck look like a brand-new truck, the Torq Thrust II keeps the classic character and simply updates the proportions.
20" American Racing Torq Thrust II on a Classic Ford Truck
For this style of build, we're featuring the American Racing VN615 Torq Thrust II 1-Piece.
The wheel package we're offering at A2i Wheel & Tire is a set of four 20x8 chrome American Racing Torq Thrust II wheels with a 5x5.5 / 5x139.7 bolt pattern, 0mm offset and 87.1mm center bore.
That combination makes these wheels particularly interesting for select older Ford trucks using the traditional 5x5.5 bolt pattern.
The result is exactly what many classic truck owners are looking for: a larger wheel without losing the vintage appearance of the truck.
245/45R20 Nitto NT555 G2 Tires
The truck pictured uses 245/45R20 Nitto NT555 G2 tires.
That's a great-looking size on a 20x8 wheel because it still gives the truck some sidewall rather than making the tire look excessively thin.
Nitto specifies the 245/45ZR20 NT555 G2 for 7.5" to 9.0" wide wheels, with an 8.0" measuring rim. It measures approximately 28.66" tall and 9.57" wide on Nitto's measuring rim. Nitto Tire
The NT555 G2 is Nitto's ultra-high-performance summer tire designed around dry traction, straight-line stability, cornering and wet handling. Nitto Tire
For a classic Ford street truck, that gives you a very different package than the tall, narrow tires these trucks originally came with.
You get the vintage appearance of the Torq Thrust wheel with a modern performance tire.
Classic Ford F100 Wheels
This wheel style isn't limited to one generation of Ford truck.
The Torq Thrust design looks at home on Ford pickups from the 1950s and 1960s all the way through the OBS F-150 era ending in 1996.
Depending on the exact truck, potential applications include classic Ford F-100 and F-150 builds using the compatible 5x5.5 bolt pattern and proper hub dimensions.
That includes everything from early custom F-100s to Bumpside, Dentside, Bullnose, Bricknose and OBS Ford builds.
1967-1972 Bumpside Ford F100
A Bumpside F-100 with a set of chrome Torq Thrust wheels is one of our favorite combinations.
The five-spoke design fits the late-1960s and early-1970s body styling without looking overly modern.
For a lowered Bumpside, restomod or street truck, a 20-inch Torq Thrust can give the truck a more aggressive stance while retaining its classic Ford appearance.
1973-1979 Dentside Ford F100 & F150
The same idea works extremely well on the 1973-1979 Dentside Ford trucks.
These trucks have become increasingly popular for custom builds, and the Torq Thrust II gives them the classic American wheel design that works with their squared-off styling.
This era is also important because you'll find both F-100 and F-150 models.
1980-1986 Bullnose Ford F150
Moving into the 1980s, the Bullnose F-150 can take on a completely different appearance with the right wheel and tire combination.
A 20x8 chrome Torq Thrust II adds modern diameter without turning the truck into something it isn't.
It's still unmistakably an older Ford—just with a much more aggressive street-truck stance.
1987-1991 Bricknose Ford F150
The Bricknose Ford F-150 is another excellent candidate.
Chrome five-spoke wheels work especially well with these trucks because they provide contrast against the square late-1980s body design.
Add the right tire size and ride height and you can build a clean retro Ford truck without needing an overly complicated wheel design.
1992-1996 OBS Ford F150
Then we get to one of today's most popular classic-truck markets: the 1992-1996 OBS Ford F-150.
The 20-inch Torq Thrust II works extremely well on an OBS Ford because the wheel is modern enough to update the stance while the five-spoke design still looks period appropriate.
For someone searching for OBS Ford wheels, 1992 F150 wheels, 1993 F150 wheels, 1994 F150 wheels, 1995 F150 wheels or 1996 F150 wheels, this is a combination worth considering.
The Most Important Measurement: 87.1mm Center Bore
This is where classic Ford wheel fitment gets important.
The American Racing wheel we're discussing has an 87.1mm center bore.
Having the correct 5x5.5 bolt pattern does not automatically mean the wheel will fit every older Ford truck.
The hub still has to pass through the center opening of the wheel.
Large-Hub and Dana Applications
If your Ford has a large protruding hub, locking hub, Dana axle, axle conversion or other large-hub configuration, measure it before ordering.
If the portion of the hub that needs to pass through the wheel is larger than the available 87.1mm opening, this wheel will not fit.
That's why we don't recommend buying wheels for a classic truck based on bolt pattern alone.
We want to know the bolt pattern and hub size.
What About 1950s Ford Trucks?
The truck pictured is a perfect example of why we don't like to reduce classic truck fitment to a simple year chart.
A 1950s F-100 may have its original suspension and axles—or it may have been modified during the last 70 years.
Disc-brake conversions, axle swaps, suspension changes and bolt-pattern conversions are extremely common.
In fact, published examples of 1950s F-100s running Torq Thrust wheels include trucks with altered bolt patterns, reinforcing why the actual truck needs to be measured rather than assuming fitment from its model year.
So for a 1950s Ford, we recommend checking the truck itself.
If it has the proper 5x5.5 bolt pattern, compatible hub clearance, brake clearance and suspension clearance, then we can evaluate the 20x8 wheel from there.
Why 20" Torq Thrust Wheels Work on Vintage Trucks
The key is that the Torq Thrust doesn't look like a modern wheel.
It's a classic five-spoke design.
Moving from a traditional 15- or 16-inch wheel to a 20-inch wheel changes the stance, but the design still looks appropriate on the truck.
That's what makes this combination work so well.
Classic design. Modern sizing. Modern tire technology.
Build the Look: 20x8 Torq Thrust + 245/45R20 Nitto NT555 G2
For a street-oriented classic Ford build, the combination shown here gives you a useful starting point:
Wheel: American Racing Torq Thrust II
Size: 20x8
Finish: Chrome
Bolt Pattern: 5x5.5 / 5x139.7
Offset: 0mm
Center Bore: 87.1mm
Tire: Nitto NT555 G2
Tire Size: 245/45R20
Nitto approves its 245/45ZR20 NT555 G2 for a 7.5–9.0" rim width, so the 20x8 wheel falls directly within the manufacturer's approved range. Nitto Tire
Remember that the pictured tire size is an example of the truck shown, not a guarantee that 245/45R20 will clear every F-100 or F-150.
Ride height, suspension, brakes, fenders and modifications all matter.
Need Help Fitting Your Classic Ford?
If you're building a classic F-100 or F-150 and aren't sure what fits, that's exactly where A2i Wheel & Tire can help.
We've been working with wheels for decades, and classic trucks are often about more than simply looking up a year, make and model.
Call or text A2i Wheel & Tire at 616-330-6600.
Tell us the year of your Ford, whether it's 2WD or 4WD, the bolt pattern, hub measurement and what has been modified.
We'll help you determine whether this wheel package is appropriate for your build.
Free Shipping + Free Returns from A2i Wheel & Tire.
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