I see pics all over the place with 544 with the old style chrome cragar or american racing torque thrust wheels on them but have not been able to find any even on cragar and amer racing sites that are only 4-5"wide. They all start at 7"wide which without a wicked negative offset would scrub on the front sub-frame very badly unless you want to put up with reduced turning radius. Has anyone found a supplier for 15 x 4 or 5 in wheels in this style. I guess I'm old fashioned but I really think this wheel is the one for a 544. Even tried to find for a 122 but no luck. Appreciate info if you have any.

Nothing that I can think of...you could just run the correct offset (is it negative like the 122?). I've run 7" wide on the front of the 122 without issue.

As far as I remember the wheels were zero offset, stock was 4" x 15". I ran 4.5" x 15" off a 122 wagon. I thought the wheels looked better than the stock wheels. You can see them under the Pics forum in "my two volvos". I remember running C78 x 15 tires on the car on my first tire change and when I turned lock to lock the tires would rub on the sub-frame so I don't think 7"wide wheels would be a good idea. I would have to run quite a positive offset that would necessitate opening up the wheel wells and flaring them or widen the fenders completely. Front bearings would take quite a beating also. I've seen a 5 spoke wheel like the Cragar SS or American Racing Torque thrust that were only 5"wide but only in chevy bolt pattern. The 544 had same bolt pattern as early 50's Ford and Dodge. I know this because the first 544 I ever owned came off a farm and had two volvo wheels and one each Ford and Dodge. Of course the "foreign"wheels went on the back and volvo out front til I found 2 more volvo wheels.

American Racing Wheels still makes the Torque Thrust polished aluminum 15 x 4.5 wheels that are fitted for early Ford or Dodge, just like what I had on my first PV. Only prob is that they are $155 each from States but come with lug nuts (which probably won't fit), centre caps and chromey valve stems. Looks like I'm gonna have to start saving even more cash. They are -25 offset and 1 1/2" back set, does that sound right?

That's the correct offset for a 122 and the newer cars (ie 122 and 240) have 1/2" - 20 lug nuts. They're pretty standard.

544s have negative offset wheels, or positive offset like 122 and all other volvos? I'm pretty sure I once measured a 122 wheel and came up with around 25mm positive offset.

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/tec ... techid=101

The specs Pops gave us say 1.5" backspace, and on a 4.5" wheel that means the hub is closer to the car than to the curb, and matches pretty neatly with the -25 spec.

Pops: if a 122 wheel rubs your frame, that Torq-Thrust should not. I think the centerline of that wheel will be about 2" further outboard, so your frame is safe but your fender lips might not be. Double check the specs please.

mutter mutter...positive and negative reversed....

What you didn't see on my end was the confusion and self-doubt and searching American Racing's site and Tire Rack's site for clarification, and the memoy searching to remember what a 122 wheel looked like 'cause I've never seen a 544 wheel, and more.

American Racing did or does do a 15x6 one pce cast torque thrust D, you do not want 15 x 4.5!
I had them- wrong offset and fit poorly. I sold mine on Ebay and bought a 2nd pair of 15x6's!

OE wheels are +25mm offset, yes.

Ian (red 544 with torquethrusts)

I just want to stick with a good set of 165/70R15 tires with my 544 so that would be quite a stretch getting them on 6" wheels. Gonna hafta look into this a little more. Might just stick with the 122 wheels I already have with original stainless steel beauty rings. I wonder if you can still get the Volvo dust cap covers (also stainless) they were expensive back then in '70, must be priced like platinum by now.