16 or 15 inch wheels and tires
- Thread starter Jackw
- Start date
I hope I don't start a debate with this, but I'll give you my comments and let others to theirs.
The 15 or 16-inch wheels will use a higher profile tire than the 19-inch, and thus will afford a somewhat smoother ride. Also, they will add to the amount of contact patch to the road.
But, I myself love the 19 and 21-inch wheels. They are what came on the Model A, and IMHO should stay on the Model A.
The 15 or 16-inch wheels will use a higher profile tire than the 19-inch, and thus will afford a somewhat smoother ride. Also, they will add to the amount of contact patch to the road.
But, I myself love the 19 and 21-inch wheels. They are what came on the Model A, and IMHO should stay on the Model A.
steve s
Well-known member
Jack,
The bottom line is personal preference, which includes authenticity, appearance, and performance issues.
When I got my car in 1960, it had solid-wheel 16" tires. I was told they were truck tires. Here we are, back in the day.
Here's another view showing the wheels better. A family friend gave me $20 to drive around with his political sign on top. We were goofing around trying to drive the car into school. At one time or other, the driver and the two front guys on the running board all had crushes on the brunet in the first photo. The guy beside her married her. I leave Sunday for a reunion with that crew at his home in Idaho, by the way.
The tires were mostly bald, and since the original 21" wheels had been tossed in the back seat with the "extra stuff" when I bought the car, and new Allstate 21" tires were the same cost and I thought might look cooler, I converted back to originals. The first thing I noticed was how much easier to steer the car was--less rubber on the road. Here it is, also showing off its new interior, on a weekend home from college.
Fast forward 40-some years. Here we are all restored, with 21" blackwall Universal tires.
A few years ago, I was ready to get new tires and contemplated switching back to 16" tires, this time using some spoked, 1935 wheels I had bought and restored. My goal was to get improved stability and safety. Several guys in our club have done this and love them. But, before final commitment, I borrowed a set of mounted 16" tires from a friend and put them on. To my great aggravation, I discovered I just didn't like their looks--major bummer. They were kind of fun to buzz around town in--gave the car sort of a hot rod feel. Calculations show they cut down top end speed compared to my Universal 21" tires as going to a 4.11 rear end would do. Kicking myself, I sold the wheels at a loss and bought a set of new whitewall Firestones. To wit:
My personal feeling is that 16" tires look good on pickups and coupes, but not on Fordors. Tudors are a gray area.
As far as performance goes, here is a table I put together using online data when researching this stuff. At the time, I was interested in maximizing my tire diameter, for top end speed, and tread width, for stability and safety. Since then, I've got an overdrive so diameter doesn't matter so much. All of my club colleagues who are happy with their 16" tires, also have overdrives.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Size Brand O.D. Tread
(inches) (inches)
4.40/4.50x21 Firestone 30.79 3.75
4.40/4.50x21 B.F. Goodrich 29.75 3.75
4.50/4.75x21 Universal 30.75 3.88
4.50/4.75x21 Dunlop 31.00 4.00
4.40/4.50x21 Lester 29.75 3.25
4.75/5.00x19 Firestone 29.80 3.90
4.75/5.00x19 B.F. Goodrich 30.12 3.75
4.75x19 Goodyear 29.60 4.00
4.75/5.00x19 Universal 29.50 4.00
4.75/5.00x19 Lester 29.50 3.75
4.75/5.00x19 Dunlop 29.50 4.13
5.50x18 Firestone 29.13 4.30
5.50x18 B.F. Goodrich 29.00 4.30
5.25/5.50x17 Firestone 29.02 4.00
5.50x17 B.F. Goodrich 28.13 4.00
6.00x16 Firestone 27.91 4.63
6.00x16 B.F. Goodrich 28.36 4.63
6.00x16 Coker Classic 28.30 4.13
6.00x16 Coker Ford Script 28.36 4.50
6.00x16 Goodyear 28.53 4.50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, just for fun, for those folks interested in authenticity, here's my dad with his 1930 Model A back in 1939. Only nine years into the era, and already modification apostasy was rampant!
Steve S.,
Kalamazoo
The bottom line is personal preference, which includes authenticity, appearance, and performance issues.
When I got my car in 1960, it had solid-wheel 16" tires. I was told they were truck tires. Here we are, back in the day.
Here's another view showing the wheels better. A family friend gave me $20 to drive around with his political sign on top. We were goofing around trying to drive the car into school. At one time or other, the driver and the two front guys on the running board all had crushes on the brunet in the first photo. The guy beside her married her. I leave Sunday for a reunion with that crew at his home in Idaho, by the way.
The tires were mostly bald, and since the original 21" wheels had been tossed in the back seat with the "extra stuff" when I bought the car, and new Allstate 21" tires were the same cost and I thought might look cooler, I converted back to originals. The first thing I noticed was how much easier to steer the car was--less rubber on the road. Here it is, also showing off its new interior, on a weekend home from college.
Fast forward 40-some years. Here we are all restored, with 21" blackwall Universal tires.
A few years ago, I was ready to get new tires and contemplated switching back to 16" tires, this time using some spoked, 1935 wheels I had bought and restored. My goal was to get improved stability and safety. Several guys in our club have done this and love them. But, before final commitment, I borrowed a set of mounted 16" tires from a friend and put them on. To my great aggravation, I discovered I just didn't like their looks--major bummer. They were kind of fun to buzz around town in--gave the car sort of a hot rod feel. Calculations show they cut down top end speed compared to my Universal 21" tires as going to a 4.11 rear end would do. Kicking myself, I sold the wheels at a loss and bought a set of new whitewall Firestones. To wit:
My personal feeling is that 16" tires look good on pickups and coupes, but not on Fordors. Tudors are a gray area.
As far as performance goes, here is a table I put together using online data when researching this stuff. At the time, I was interested in maximizing my tire diameter, for top end speed, and tread width, for stability and safety. Since then, I've got an overdrive so diameter doesn't matter so much. All of my club colleagues who are happy with their 16" tires, also have overdrives.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Size Brand O.D. Tread
(inches) (inches)
4.40/4.50x21 Firestone 30.79 3.75
4.40/4.50x21 B.F. Goodrich 29.75 3.75
4.50/4.75x21 Universal 30.75 3.88
4.50/4.75x21 Dunlop 31.00 4.00
4.40/4.50x21 Lester 29.75 3.25
4.75/5.00x19 Firestone 29.80 3.90
4.75/5.00x19 B.F. Goodrich 30.12 3.75
4.75x19 Goodyear 29.60 4.00
4.75/5.00x19 Universal 29.50 4.00
4.75/5.00x19 Lester 29.50 3.75
4.75/5.00x19 Dunlop 29.50 4.13
5.50x18 Firestone 29.13 4.30
5.50x18 B.F. Goodrich 29.00 4.30
5.25/5.50x17 Firestone 29.02 4.00
5.50x17 B.F. Goodrich 28.13 4.00
6.00x16 Firestone 27.91 4.63
6.00x16 B.F. Goodrich 28.36 4.63
6.00x16 Coker Classic 28.30 4.13
6.00x16 Coker Ford Script 28.36 4.50
6.00x16 Goodyear 28.53 4.50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, just for fun, for those folks interested in authenticity, here's my dad with his 1930 Model A back in 1939. Only nine years into the era, and already modification apostasy was rampant!
Steve S.,
Kalamazoo
Last edited:
d.j. moordigian
Well-known member
Steve S...What about the women, the one gal looks like the one behind the wheel in the later photo ?
Jason in TX
Well-known member
I was thinking the same thing about the radio head. I had a 1937 Plymouth that had the radio speaker and tubes all in one unit mounted to the firewall behind the steering column down by your feet.
steve s
Well-known member
Don't know. One of many things I'd love to have the opportunity to talk to him about.
I had a tube radio in my car in the first two photos. It was from a 50's Pontiac and cost me $5. I mounted the main part on the floor by the shift lever. You can almost make it out in the "Jun 63" photo. Another section went under the seat, including the part holding the OZ-4 that was constantly needing replacement. I made a little wooden box with cloth cover to hold the speaker, which I screwed to wood cross bows in ceiling right beside my head.
Steve
Last edited:
steve s
Well-known member
Different girls, but both petite brunettes. The couple really leaning into the car in first picture ultimately married. The other girl, who was recruited by the yearbook staff for the photo, was out of my league.
Steve
steve s
Well-known member
Thanks, guys. Since several folks seemed interested, I've stuck in another early photo.
Steve
Ice man
Senior Member
My 29 came with 16 Wires, He asked which I wanted, he had both. Soon after, I had a 29 restore job, and wanted my 16s powder coated, so I borrowed the 21 of the restore job, and had mine powder coated. Was able to see the difference between both. I now run 16s with Radial 600/16s and never had a regret I can go run with the slo spokes, or the fast ones. I reciently had a 2nd improvement. Even with a good balance job I still had some bounce between 45/55. I got some Dyna Beads, installed them through the valve stem, filled up with air and NO MORE shimmy. Great improvement. Iceman
skip
BANNED
Goodyear All Weather Diamond Tread 4.75 x 19 W.W. I like 'em.
Ron/IA...
Btw, Those 16" weenies "Also, they will add to the amount of contact patch to the road." Wrongo! me thinks, not more contact but a wider contact that is less in length. The surface are of the tires at 4.75 x 10 or 6.25 x 16 are the same area of contact. Just a different shape when Road and Track did there tire experiment from under glass when both tire imprints were photographed. The same area. So they concluded.
skip.
Ron/IA...
Btw, Those 16" weenies "Also, they will add to the amount of contact patch to the road." Wrongo! me thinks, not more contact but a wider contact that is less in length. The surface are of the tires at 4.75 x 10 or 6.25 x 16 are the same area of contact. Just a different shape when Road and Track did there tire experiment from under glass when both tire imprints were photographed. The same area. So they concluded.
skip.
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
I believe Skip has something here, because at 35 lbs tire pressure it takes so many square inches to support the same car weight.