Tires

[Sniper]

Disclaimer

 

If you're a purist, go no farther.  lol

 

Finalized my rear tire package.  For reference the following picture is the stock equivalent rear tires that were on my 1951Plymouth Cambridge.

 

 

 

 

[Sniper]

Decided I needed fatter tires so I did some thinking, measuring and testing. 

 

I did a write up on my process here http://www.yourolddad.com/tires

 

Decided on P255/50R17's on a pair of steel rims that fit various late model Mopars.  Center hole fits fine, bolt pattern is right but I did need to knock out the aligning pin.

 

 

[Sniper]

Here's a comparison of the stock specification tire next to the replacements

 

 

[Sniper]

Here's a shot of one stock tire, left, and the fatter one, right.

 

 

[Sniper]

Both installed and on the ground

 

 

Edited August 31, 2021 by Sniper

[Sniper]

Now for the clearances.  Closest spot is the front of the tire to the lower fender.  Inch and a half of space.

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2021 by Sniper

[Sniper]

Sidewall of the tire to the fender, 2 inches and a bit. 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2021 by Sniper

[Sniper]

Rear of the tire to the fender

 

 

[Sniper]

Leaf to tire clearance

 

 

[Sniper]

Side view of the car.  Not real obvious, which is what I want.

 

 

[Sniper]

Now, the point?  Better traction.  Which I got, sort of.  It now really aggravates the wheel hop issue.  So I guess that is next.

 

Hubcaps?  Don't fit.  So I am going to go with Moon Discs, as a nod to tradition.

 

The size I went with matches the height of the spare.  But I obviously have room for more in there.  Probably could fit P305's in there with good clearance.  Maybe the 230 I am building might need that big a tire, lol.

 

For the fronts?  Not sure yet.  Probably need to do the front disc conversion first because it's real tight up there for fatter tires. 

[plymouthcranbrook]

Interesting plan. I used 215 65 radials on my 52 with of course no issues. Tires are wider by a bit and ride is infinitely better.

[Andydodge]

I put 195/75 x 15 and 235/75 x 15 front/rear on the Plymouth, 15x6 and 15x7 Wheel Vintique Chrome Smoothies with the standard offset, basically the center was "centred"........ but the Dodge has 205/65 x 14 and 275/65 x 15 front & rear with 14 x 6 and 15 x10 Oz Magnum brand alloy wheels from the mid 1970's the fronts fit without any issue, the rears required a slight adjustment to the width of the rear fenders, see attached pic, I gas welded/hammer finished a 2" strip into the fender, front to back to get the tyre clearance I needed........I was bright eyed & bushy tailed back then.......lol......the vinyl top lived there from 1975 to about 10 yrs ago, looks better without it..........andyd 

[DJK]

Better traction??? Up here in snow country we use the narrowest snow tire possible, more weight per square inch!!!!

[Sniper]

Some of us had our fill of shoveling snow as a kid and don't live where snow is common.  Though back in Feb we got 7 inches here, I just stayed home till it melted.

[Booger]

Man thats a fat tire. I really like the Darth Vader look on the Crannie

[Los_Control]

40 minutes ago, Sniper said:

Some of us had our fill of shoveling snow as a kid and don't live where snow is common.  Though back in Feb we got 7 inches here, I just stayed home till it melted.

LOL .... I am going to fix my windshield wipers this year on my daily driver truck. If raining or looks like rain, I just stay home  

[Los_Control]

I know it sounds bad, but learned behavior from when I was working.

 

Just imagine it does not rain often., then you go to work in the morning and set your chop saw, table saw up in the rain. Then you walk into the customers house you are trying to remodel ... You track in mud ... they are pissed, you are pissed because your tools are set up in the rain ... If it is going to rain we were told to just stay home.

That worked well for me and still follow same philosophy today.

 

I understand how stupid it sounds if you live in the pacific Northwest. Where it rains everyday and you bring your rain gear to work. But living in the Southwest, just not the same.