Pictured is my '32 Tudor. I would like to change over to a set of bias tire look radial. It currently runs Deluxe Champions, 7.50-16 in the rear and 5.50-16s in the front. I was thinking of going with a 4.50/4.75 in the front and keeping the 7.50s in the back. My question is the 4.50/4.75 to much of a drop or will they look good? I like the rake in the car but wouldn't mind a little more. Thanks
I wouldn't go smaller than a 5.50 on the front. Smaller than that it can look a bit too skinny. Full fendered car like the 32 looks good on what you have. I was thinking of going with 7.00s on the back, rather than 7.50s. Weirdly, while shorter than the 7.50s, the 7.00s are wider.
Can you score a used one or borrow one from somewhere to see before you make the investment? I have a similar dilemma
Check out Coker. I just got an e-mail about their new Bias look Excelsior radials. They have the perfect look for your car. They offer the 450/475/16 and the 750/16's currently on sale. They introduced this series of tires this summer at the LARS and it looks perfect for what your wanting to do. The 450/475's are about 25.5 tall which is perfect. Careful going to big in front and getting that 4 wheel drive look. Nothing needs said about the 750's you already know about them. I've done lots of 32 Fords and like to end up with a 3 or so degree rake.
My dad has some of the new Excelsiors mounted up on his highboy 32 coupe. They are great looking tires! But he hasn’t driven on them so can’t give a full opinion yet.
Not on a Ford and also no fenders but here are the Excelsior 4.50/4/75x16 and 7.50x16 on my '33 Plymouth. I thought I would of wanted 5.00 or 5.50 also but glad they don't make those yet. Dave
I’ve been running the Diamondback Auburns (550 and 750) radials on my Tudor for a few years (and on my 5W before that), and have really liked them. It’s a highboy so the taller tires work/look great. On a fendered deuce I’d probably consider using something a little shorter and maybe even go to the 15” Auburns like the 560 and 820 combo or maybe even the 1000-15 for the rear depending on rim width/offset, but would need to see. Currently working on a highboy deuce roadster and just recd some Coker excelsior Roadster tires for it. Rather than going with the 750 rear I decided to use the 700-16. The 750 auburns were kinda max tall to my eye and when I read that the 750 roadster tire was even taller than the auburn I thought the sizing might be a little too much for the 450/475 front height. I’m really picky about the big/little ratio look, so maybe I over thought it. As a point of reference I ran 560-15 bias firestones on front and 700-16 bias firestones on rear of my last roadster and thought the big/little combo worked well. It’s really nice to have the choices we now have, and the change to radials (now that we have pie-crust choices) was a no brainer for me. Not dishin on bias, just my preference for roads and distances I drive up here.
Here’s why I went with the 700-16 Excelsior Roadster for the rear. It’s sitting in front of a mounted 750r16 DB Auburn Deluxe. Added a pic of the Auburn on my Tudor so you can see what I mean by “max tall”. Hope these help and best of luck in your choices.
If you want just a little more rake, raise the back slightly and put a bigger/wider tire back there. Keeps your tire fender gaps (which look good now) and makes it look a little more aggressive at the same time. I think the car looks great, but even if you don't change the rear diameter, I think wider would look even better.
Bigger front tyres are more traditional. 4.50/4.75 seem to me to be a more modern thing and are a very skinny tyre with quite a low load rating. Your car looks great, but as stated above, maybe lift the rear a little.
The Excelsior Roadster 4.50/4.75x16 has a load rating on the sidewall of 992 lbs each at max pressure! My '33 Plymouth weighs 2750 with a 50/50 weight balance even with the Hemi which was a very pleasant surprise! I'm not at all concerned with the size/load rating. In fact, above the load rating it says EXTRA LOAD. Dave
Good to know, as I ***umed that all smaller hot rod tyres would have similar load ratings That’s a 50 % difference from the tyres he is running, which are deluxe champions, which have a load rating for the 450/475-16 - 660 lbs., and 750 lbs. for the 500/525-16. He wants to keep the rears the same, so I was ***uming that would be on the front as well. Over here radials on the front and bias on the rear are not allowed. more info here…… https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/firestone-450-475-16.1302096/ .
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