So i have the 16x 4 Kelseys and need tires. Looking on various sites I have come to think I need Firestone bias blackwalls.No one close to me in Aus sells them so I am going to be buying sight unseen. After comments and maybe even pictures of the smallest front and largest rear I should go. My thoughts are 450/475/16front and 700/16rear. This is the look I am chasing. Picture stolen off another thread.
Yeah maybe I should have said close to me in Aus. Melbourne is 2000k away. Can't just slip down there with a tape for a look.
Any of those sizes would be ok, I would probably go for the 500/550 front and 700 rears would look good. I'm sure Antique Tyres (that's Cokers Australian connection) will ship them out. You're not walking into your local tyre shop and ordering these. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I like your plan but I would only use the 4.50's if the front is really low so the tire is up into the fender.. Cool sedan by the way...
So you got the 750's on the 4" rims O.K. I was thinking they would be too big but they look fine on your car. Thanks for the pic.
Mine is on 650/16 Firestones (front and rear) from Antique tyres. 700s would look good on the rear. This is an older picture, I have recently fitted these tyres to 16x4 KH wheels.
Firestone Bias Ply 7.00 - 16 rears & 5.50 -16 fronts on Kelsey wires, with 4" dropped axle. 000_2074 by Jakesrocks posted Jul 21, 2014 at 10:33 AM
You are basically in Brisbane aren't you? When is Toowoomba swap as I'm sure Antique Tires attend that and could deliver them to the swap at no charge. All you'd need to do is take a trip out there for the day. They wouldn't be able to fit them but you could check them out before you paid. Talk to Ben at Antique as he runs 16" on his 32 roadster.
Thanks for the pics. Jake has it what I need I reckon. Swifty I'm going to Toowoomba swap, it's in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the tip, Il'l give him a ring.
I'm running Firestone Champion cross plys; 7:00-16 on the rear and 4:50/4:75-16 on the front. Those fronts are pretty small - I think the 5:50-16 size would be a nicer proportion up front for a full fendered car - keep it low. The 7:00 rear tire has a nicer shape than the 7:50 IMHO. The 7:00 has slightly more tread width - not so tall and skinny in the tread as the 7:50. Worth a thought?
Yeah I reckon you are right. That's what I had decieded but now I can get the 700 firestones O.K. but can't get 500/525 or 550 for the front at the moment unless i go excellsiors. Can get a look at the Excellsiors in 2 weeks at the Toowoomba swap.
I wouldn't run the Excelsiors and the Firestones. Why can't you get the larger sized ie 550 Firestones ? Do they not have them in stock? I like the Excelsiors, and would run them on my car when the time comes, what about them all round? They just don't have the same look as the pie crusts. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
He hasn't got any firestones in 550 and only has one 500/525 and hasn't got excelsiors in the 700's . Ben assures me the excelciors look O.K. with the firestones but I havn't physically seen them and must admitt I'm not convinced though he seems to know his stuff.
I guess I just like things to match. Pretty strange he doesn't have any stock, although there's hardly any guys over here in the west who run bias plys. Can he order them ? Otherwise I'm sure you would be happy with the Excelsiors, they are still quite skinny and ride better than the Firestones. I guess it depends on look you are going for. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
He has them coming but won't be in time to bring them to Toowoomba swap and it's $80 a tyre freight to Bris. I like things to match too but also like my play money to go as far as possible..
$80 a tyre, to freight them from Melbourne to Brisbane? That's ridiculous. I've got 2 18" Firestones that I imported from the States, they only cost $200 to bring in. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
That's what he told me it is. How did you get them sent from the states? Postage or a freight company?There is a mob called Lucas Tires at Long beach that supposed to stock them, I am thinking of seeing if they can drop the 4 tyres to someone at long Beach port to a freight company to send over assuming they can't just come post.
I use an auto importer, basically $200 for an item, say 4 tyres to a maximum of $500 for pallet full of stuff. If you knew some other guys in your area who might want to think ahead, could save you a bit of money for something else. She actually uses a Qld based company called California Image USA, they are an auto importer, kind of like a sub contractor arrangement I believe. If you are getting other parts or can get some guys together for a bulk purchase could work in your favour. Be aware there are import duties, about 15% I think. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
450/475 up front are a little small looking. Thats what I used and I wish that I hadnt. Go for 500/550. Exceliors are radials so shouldn't have radials up front and bias on the rear. 700 or 750 on the rear are very similar height, about 1/2 inch difference only in overall height.
The tire set up is different between highboy and full fender. On full fender hot rod you have to be carefull what realy fits well under the fenders. 7.00x16 tires are wider in the tire tread as 7.50x16 tires. the 7.50x16 tires are a bit higher in the diameter. A popular good looking combo on full fender 1932 Ford and Model-40 Fords is 5.50 / 7.50 x 16 tires. ( On 4 1/2 x 16 rims ) On the pictures, the Deuce Coupe runs 5.50/7.50x16 Coker Radials, the 1933 Ford (Speed33) Convertible runs 5.50/7.50x16 Excelsior Stahl-Sport Radial tires. On a Model-A I saw 7.0x16 in the rear, dont know if 7.50x16 will look nice. ----------------------------- Check your weight of the car, front axle & rear axle. The weight has match your tires ! Often, Rodders drive SBC or even BB and run skinny front that do not fit to the total weight of their "ride"
I'm pretty much set on 700/16 rear 550/16 front. Car is stock as a rock model A sports coupe so I wouldn't think I have a weight issue. I have some 32 spindles on the way thanks to a member on here so I hope to have the lowering sorted and back on the road in short time once I get the tyre delivery sorted.