I finally got the right rims and tires put on today, The rear ones....Well lets just say Dont have a flat on the back PLEASE! LoL http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=24712&pictureid=280703 I dont know why but it wont let me put the picture up just the link.
nice. i like what a simple tire/wheel change can do for a car. maybe i should try to change my rear tires before summer gets here, just to see what im in for.
Yes, yes yes -That looks just right. I've been tracking your posts regarding the car, and if I remember correctly you did the Aerostar front end, standard springs in back, correct? And, what size 15" rims/tires, front/back? I'm thinking 6" rims, 235-70Rs on back and maybe 225-70Rs on 5.5" rims up front, am I close? I'm about ready to get something different for my '56 and that stance with tire/rim combo is about as perfect as can be IMO. Ron
Thanks raceron1120, I have 15"x7" rims Standard Offset all the way around and they are perfect no rubbing and fill the wheel wells up nice. I havent put the Areostar springs on the front yet..the front is stock. The rear all i have is Airshocks. the tires are 205-60-15 in front and 225-70-15 in back. The rear tires were a yotch to get on and if i have a flat I hate to think about how hard its gonna be to get them off on the side of the road! LoL but I like them the size they are and will just have to deal with the aggravation when I have one. I had to let the air out of the back tires in order to get them on but I believe if i swap the shackles it may be easier. The height is not a problem it is the width but thats what i wanted the widest tire i could squeeze under there! So i'm happy with them. Thanks again
Looks good. I think the 55 & 56 look better with more of a hot rod look. The 52-54 look better as customs. I've got 235-60-15 with 8 inch wheels on the back of mine & have another set of 15x8 Cragars for the front. When I get the money for new tires I can get them put on.
Hey stiq, I got my tires from discount tire w/ free shipping for about $80 a tire. I didnt think that was a bad price it was cheaper than anywhere around here.
Looks really great ! I really love that clean , no trim look ! I thought about doing that to mine as well but would like the straight Customline trim if I still use some . I have all my trim for a fordor that is the Vicky style over the fender trim , but I just don't like it . I agree with Ron . The stance and look of yours just fits so very well . I would leave that front springs alone . With the weight of a 302 up front it will be sitting about where you want it . I have air shocks on the back of mine too . How did that carb make out for you ? I did pick up a nice endura shine Edelbrock 600 . Jim
You have to remember Jim the Y-block weighs in at around 620 pounds,the 289-302's run 460 pounds and with headers and aluminum intake you are at about 400lbs which makes the front sit higher like my '54 does.
That weight difference is something I didn't think about. Since I've got the Yblock in mine I hope the Aerostar springs won't drop it too far. I think there's enough room up front for 235-70Rs, they're a bit higher profile than the 60 series tires and on 6" rims maybe it'd be best for me to just go that way all around. I have air shocks on back too but I don't like the extenders for them. Besides making it look like it's on stilts, one of the extenders failed (bent/broke and ruined one shock) last year so now they have to be changed anyway. I think I'm going to try the KYB gas shocks on back (shouldn't need extenders) & see how it looks. Has anyone else used them?
Jeff I thought Mark had a 6 cyl because I saw the single exhaust . If he has a Y block the yes I would change or cut the front springs . Jim
Ron , I bought my Gabriel's air shocks off ebay about 5 years ago and they fit fine and the rear sits very nice and not stuck up in the rear like those damn shackles use to make the rears sit . I didn't use any extensions . I think they were the same ones as the full size Fords from the 60's . With about 3/4 extension of the shocks it sits about 18" to 20 " from the ground to the bottom of the rear bumper . If you want me to I will crawl under and see if there are any numbers you can use to find a pair . Jim
Jeff, you are right about engine weights. I put the aerostrar coils on the front of the wagon and added kyb gas shocks. It cornered like a slot car, but rode like a buckboard. I decided that there was not enough weight on the front end for the stiffer springs and the gas shocks with the 390, being lighter than a y-block. I took out the kyb's and went back to my old adjustable gabriels set on firm. now it rides like it should with the suspension actually working. I may even crank the shocks down to normal just to see how it is.
Mine has the Inline 6 right now, So i figured once I put the aerostar springs and with the lighter 5.0 in there my height should stay about the same. I dont have extenders on the rear shocks but am going to flip the shackles up to see what that does. I tell you one thing though..just adding the new wider tires on it and new swaybar links and along with the smaller steering wheel this car drives nice down the road. When i first got it it felt like the car would just want to go wherever it wanted when taking a curve but now i can cut curves as good as i can in my 2007 f150. I think once i get the new springs in it will drive like a new car! Now all i needs is that engine Jim's gonna build me...More money I need more money! LoL
The front end of my 56 sat about 3" higher after putting in my 5.0l. Those straight sixes weigh a **** load.
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