I know I know Yes its another g***er thread. Sorry but if you dont ask then you dont learn. Anyway what i would like to know is your thoughts on what tyres i should run on a 40 willys g***er on the street. I wont to get a period correct look. The rim sizes are 4.5 wide on the front and either 8s or 9s on the back, the tyres must have a full tread to be street leagel in australia . thankyou david street rodder from oz
David, I built a '41 Willys street g***er about 4 years ago, I ran Ansen 15'X5" front wheels with a 165R-15 tire, and a steel 15"X8" rear wheel with Hurst 30"X15" Pie-Crust slicks that I had them groove in the 'Dirt-Track" pattern. Here are some pictures for you:
I bought some Nankang tires and shaved the lettering off of the sidewalls. Trying for the Pirelli tread pattern of the 60's, a lot of g***ers and altereds ran them. I think Speedway sells Hurst grooved slicks and "nostalgia" Firestone tires. You might check there. Larry T
We used to run Ives cheater recap drag tires on the street in 1960, They had 2 grooves around the tread. If it rains, park it right away, you will spin it out! Casler recaps came out in the mid 60's & worked better on the street but not in the rain. The best early street tires were 4 inch wide Atlas Bucrons which might last a weekend
I think the grooves are to "mimic" the grooves that made these tires "cl***" legal in the 60's, but NOT necessarily so for the street
my buddy had a 37 chevy sedan set up as a g***er in 75 and he ran goodyear blue streaks on chrome reverse on the rear and little bias plys on 4 inch cragar ss on the front. i dont know if that was a legit g***er set up but those blue streaks sure looked nice. mike
Hi Ozzie we have the same laws with tyres over here (England)but the baddest street tyre I,ve seen are the Firestone dirt track tyre. they can be bought big and fat.Hey, I.m sure Ive seen an advert from Oz,there,s definately someone importing this stuff.I,ll get back to you.Hows the hotrod world there,its becoming a money hobby in England I reckon.
Pie Crusts are a little overrated... and not really a late 60's g***er look. The cats *** would be some 16x11" M&H Racemasters... the spec tire for the fuelers... and period correctamundo. And second, would be a M/T ET Street... has "The Look"... except for the lettering... and you could buff that off. Front I'd go with Coker BFG Silvertowns... 15-5.00
Good shout Sam.I.ve been thinking of putting the MandH mothers on mine,its just they.re totally not a street tyre.I don.t think your talking any kind of whitewall here are you?How about Goodyear Eagles,they're fat and they dig in,not nostalgic enough?I was running McReary,s with tread cut in,looked real kool>I thought so anyway,went down like a lead balloon in England though. nick
I doubt you will find anything modern to look like this but I would go with the Mickey Thompson ET Streets:
I was looking through an old '67 HOTROD last night....saw an ad for M&H slicks........with piecrusts..........used on g***ers??? Maybe not, but they were available....
yep,thanks for that,M and H spells nostalgia!They come in a new fatter tread,is that what we.re looking at?Don.t polish the rims!!!=================================================Carol.s not a dirty bird,she's not grundgy.she's *****in!
The picture shows Halibrand 16x10's with old 11.00-16 M&H Racemasters. These tires are old and for display only. No plans on polishing the wheels. M&H is repoping the 12.00-16 slick.... but I know the original question was about a "street legal" tire. Sorry to get off topic.
Hey Shakey the guy who set the original post has left us to it methinks.I really appreciated the pictures anyhow.I must learn to do that sending pictures thing,my lad says its not so hard.12-x16 that sounds kool,are they proper launching material?---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I.m a dirty bird,Carol.s not grundgy she,s *****in!(yes I think that was it)
i ran some et street's (28x12.50's) and 145's on my anglia....if i had it to do over i would have probably went with a 11.50x30 (or something in that range) brandon
NO guys i have not left. Been busy building my g***er but still on the h.a.m.b. postong and reading. Feel free to discuss anything on this thread. But for now i have settled on what i am going to run for now. While waiting to find the rite rear tyre. The tyres i am going to run for now to be street legal here in oz are on the front, 165/80 /15 kumos on americian racing 15/ 4.5 torq thrust ds .This gives a very narrow straight groved thread resembling an old rag tyre but with a slightly rounded shoulder. On the rear 255/75/15 kumo tyre on americian racing ,rod master 15/8 rims. All this works out at 26in dia front, 29in dia rear which looks to be in prorortion and to what i think looks good. david
i built it from a stocker that was found sitting since 62 in chicago area...i bought a another ch***is out of a old local g***er and swapped a bunch of the suspension from it....it has a olds rear ....box ladder bars....chrome straight axle and hairpins ....had a full cage ...old school kellison buckets...1pc front....it has a real mild 355 in it....as i was wanting something to drive....it now has a 4 speed....and a new owner... brandon
Hi oz,yes I should be giving mine more garage time;I don't want to rain on your parade,and I realise your concentrating on the rake,but 255 under the m***ive fenders of a 40 Willys,you sure thats fat enough?Are they whitewalls?
Thamesvan dont wory you arent raining on my perade.. As you will have read i am trying to make this car street legal and comply with our street rod rego guide lines as set out by the d.o.t.. The rules state that the front tyre width must be at least 50% of the rear tyre width. Secondly we are required to cover the tread with the guard. Third we are only allowed to go as far as 8in wide rims on full rego,if we go wider the car to p*** a lane change test at speed, and i am not sure a willys g***er with a high center of gravity would p*** this.Allso if i go wider or have more than 2in wider offset outwoods on the rims we may be required to put fully floating hubs on. But all that said, with were the tyres are placed in relation to the guards and sizes to each other, the over all look resembles what a 60s g***er looks like if not exactly correct. The rear tyres 255 equates to a tread width 8in and tyre width of 10 in. david