Lot of Talk on 16" wheels/tires - anyone running 18"?

[DougVieyra]

Lots of discussion on running 1935 Ford 16" V-8 wheels and 16" tires - better riding, better handling, better looking, easier accessability, etc, etc.

So, who among you run the 18" Ford wheels, and how many run the 17" Ford wheels ? And why ?

[glenn in camino]

17s and 18s are probably cheaper because tire companies don't sell 17 or 18" radials. Just a guess.

[Tiny]

I run 17" Ford wheels. When I bought my coupe it did a nice little giddie up dance due to 4 bent wheels. I already had tires on 17" wheels. So the solution was easy. I run 550 and 750 BFG's. I don't know if I'll be able to go back to 19's. The 17's are a bit wider with taller sidewalls giving a better "feel" on the road. Also the 750's on the rear give a poor mans overdrive. My car does 55 easy now and 2nd cruises most residentials at 25-30 without over revving the motor. Before 50 was the top end and residentials always either lugged in high or over revved in 2nd.
I think the 16's look too small on A's. Amazingly one inch helps the proportions a lot. I know I know. That's what she said!!!

[QGolden]

I am running 17's. I like the looks.

[Rock Hornbuckle]

Originally Posted by QGolden

I am running 17's. I like the looks.

Do you have a pic of your 17's?

[CarlG]

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My friend (& mentor) runs 17's on his 29 Tudor.

[QGolden]

Yes, but they are on my Speedster project, which is only in "chassis complete" stage, so they are probably not what you are looking for.

[Marvin/TN]

I have 17's on my 30 coupe. The reason I am running them is because they were on it when I bought it back about 1957. I have since acquired some 19" wheels (about 25 plus years ago) but I doubt I will ever put them on. I like my 17's. I do believe Coker does sell 17' radials.

[DougVieyra]

Marvin/TN : "I do believe Coker does sell 17' radials."
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Coker's 2011 Catalog, page 18 : Stahl Sport Radial 550/17 - 6 ply Poly-Steel, 4.50 / 5" rims. Black-wall. $214 each, Tubes $42 each.

Stahl Sport Radial 550R18 4"-5" rims, 6 ply Poly-Steel, Black-wall. $216 each, Tubes $42 each.
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Page 26 ; Standard Bias Ply, Firestone 525/550 - 17" : 4 ply poly Blackwall $137 each ; 3"
Whitewall $180. Inner-Tube $15 each.

Firestone 550-18" Blackwall $144 each ; 3 1/4" Whitewall $178 each.
Double sided whitewall : $271 each (ouch !).

[ronn]

The selection in 16's is far greater, and obviously they are wider and smoother riding, but I do prefer the look of the narrower tires myself. So 18's are not a bad compromise.

[DougVieyra]

Ron : "I do prefer the look of the narrower tires myself. So 18's are not a bad compromise."
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Ron, I really do like the artistic balance that the larger hubcap of the '32-35 wheels have, but the 16" wheels (ignoring tire superiority) just don't look 'appropiate'. I like / prefer the 18" Ford Wheel/tire because is 'looks' (and is) age appropiate, whereas the 16" wheels/tires do not. An additional advantage is that I don't have to fight stuffing the fat 16" tire into my wheel well, and drive around with a half-inflated spare tire.

That being said, I will confess that 50 years ago I drove my '31 Dlx Roadster with 16" Wide White Wall tires - even in the fender wells, for many years. Maybe it was because 50% of the Model A's of the time also ran 16" tires and my dad ran 17" tires on his roadster in the '40s and '50s; but somehow it did not seem so 'out of sorts' then, as it does today.

[Marco Tahtaras]

Originally Posted by DougVieyra

Ron : "I do prefer the look of the narrower tires myself. So 18's are not a bad compromise."
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Ron, I really do like the artistic balance that the larger hubcap of the '32-35 wheels have, but the 16" wheels (ignoring tire superiority) just don't look 'appropiate'. I like / prefer the 18" Ford Wheel/tire because is 'looks' (and is) age appropiate, whereas the 16" wheels/tires do not. An additional advantage is that I don't have to fight stuffing the fat 16" tire into my wheel well, and drive around with a half-inflated spare tire.

That being said, I will confess that 50 years ago I drove my '31 Dlx Roadster with 16" Wide White Wall tires - even in the fender wells, for many years. Maybe it was because 50% of the Model A's of the time also ran 16" tires and my dad ran 17" tires on his roadster in the '40s and '50s; but somehow it did not seem so 'out of sorts' then, as it does today.

Ok, that throws me! I never saw the Roadster in person but recall seeing a good photo of it at Byron St. I'd swear it had 18" wheels and tires!

[DougVieyra]

Marco : "I'd swear it had 18" wheels and tires!"
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You may remember Marco, that was after three hours of playing VolleyBall and two hours of drinking Beer ! You probably would have remembered 16" wheels/tires BEFORE the beer !

When you are up for your next visit, we will review the photo. - Doug

[Marco Tahtaras]

Originally Posted by DougVieyra

Marco : "I'd swear it had 18" wheels and tires!"
______________________________________________

You may remember Marco, that was after three hours of playing VolleyBall and two hours of drinking Beer ! You probably would have remembered 16" wheels/tires BEFORE the beer !

Yep, but I usually remember better after beer!

[DougVieyra]

Marco: "I usually remember better after beer!"
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So Marco - what beer are you drinking now ? Hires, Dad's or A&W ?
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- For all of you Model A drivers who want to be totally authentic, an historically accurate and authentic Beer from the 1920 - 1932 period - in the West we can still (on occaision) find Henry Weinhard's "Gourmet Soda - Draught Style Head" ROOT BEER. It is now brewed in Ft. Worth, Texas. This is the product that the Blitz-Weinhard brewing company shifted to during the Prohibition Era, when alcohol was not allowed for commercial production. This stuff DOES NOT taste anything like the common 'Root Beer' offerings available today. It is the 'Real Deal' from 1932, before Roosevelt's 'New Deal' of 1933 ! This is the stuff that George Cluny (Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou ?) would drink when applying 'Dapper Dan' hair gell, while driving his stolen, Model T, Model A, Model 18, etc.

An 'informational' on the side of the bottle says: ". . . During Prohibition, this Gourmet Elixir, brewed with Sassafras. Vanila and Honey, proved to be a popular alternative to our Beer Drinking Loyalists."

This is packaged in a tall brown 'Beer Bottle', with a 1920's vintage label. Neat Stuff !

[ronn]

That settles it then-root beer and 18's it is!

[foxfire42]

Originally Posted by DougVieyra

Marco: "I usually remember better after beer!"
_______________________________________________

So Marco - what beer are you drinking now ? Hires, Dad's or A&W ?
__________________________________________________

- For all of you Model A drivers who want to be totally authentic, an historically accurate and authentic Beer from the 1920 - 1932 period - in the West we can still (on occaision) find Henry Weinhard's "Gourmet Soda - Draught Style Head" ROOT BEER. It is now brewed in Ft. Worth, Texas. This is the product that the Blitz-Weinhard brewing company shifted to during the Prohibition Era, when alcohol was not allowed for commercial production. This stuff DOES NOT taste anything like the common 'Root Beer' offerings available today. It is the 'Real Deal' from 1932, before Roosevelt's 'New Deal' of 1933 ! This is the stuff that George Cluny (Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou ?) would drink when applying 'Dapper Dan' hair gell, while driving his stolen, Model T, Model A, Model 18, etc.

An 'informational' on the side of the bottle says: ". . . During Prohibition, this Gourmet Elixir, brewed with Sassafras. Vanila and Honey, proved to be a popular alternative to our Beer Drinking Loyalists."

This is packaged in a tall brown 'Beer Bottle', with a 1920's vintage label. Neat Stuff !

No wonder it was so good. Sassafras is a member of the psychedelic stimulant family of drugs

[DougVieyra]

FoxFire42 : ". . . Sassafras is a member of the psychedelic stimulant family of drugs."
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And you know this how ? ? ? -

Never mind - "Don't Ask - Don't Tell . . . "

[Tiny]

Originally Posted by foxfire42

No wonder it was so good. Sassafras is a member of the psychedelic stimulant family of drugs

Makes me want to build a AA school bus and follow The Dead again !!!

[Rocketsled]

Back in time, to the turn of the 17th Century, explorers of our Eastern Seaboard were looking for sources of Sassafrass. Here in Old Plymouth Colony that tree is abundant and grows like a weed all around my place. In those times Sassafrass tea was the Elixir of Life, Fountain of Youth, etc. like the Viagra of today. Later, Catherine of Bragdanza, the Portuguese Princess who became Queen of England popularized tea drinking as we know it.