Re: [FWDLK] gangsta whites

["Paul Clark" <paulcl@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Modern tire sizes are metric; the first number is the width of the tread in
millimeters, the second is the profile, or sidewall height measured (of all
things) as a percentage of the tread width. R means radial, the last number
is the wheel size in inches, of course.

Older tire sizes are sometimes written (as in my '63 & 64 Dodge FSMs) in
inches with no profile number: 6.50 x 13

I can't give you hard and fast rules about what will and won't work;
however, you can see that as you increase tread width, you must decrease
profile in order to keep the diameter of the tire at stock height. However,
if you put a too-wide tread tire on a narrow rim, as has been mentioned
here before, the bead will become so puckered in that you'll get sidewall
flex which could even lead to blowouts at high speed under duress. Think of
those big-tire 4x4's with tires way too wide for the rims- they get
balloony and unstable.
        Exactly what the limits are is up to you to find out- but generally the
sales staff of a tire store can give you an idea of what's safe- they have
to deal with idiots wanting stupid things all the time, and know what to
warn you against. (In fact, I'm going to Cc: this to Jeremy Bartlett, an
MML'er who works for Firestone- he's got a nice '63 Valiant vert with super
wide low profile tires really nicely done. I bet he'll have good advice on
this. )
        My '64 Dart had skinny 6.50 x 13's (equivalent to 165's) when it was new,
recommended inflation 24# (!) Don't know the profile or actual tire height.
When I got it it had 185 80 R13's, which are 626mm or 24.6" high. I wanted
something wider for better grip, so I switched to 205 70 R13's, which are
(205mm x .7) sidewall height, or 24.3" overall height- only about 3/8"
lower. The wheel height looks the same, except for the wider treads you can
see in front. Wheel height has much more to do with a generally stock
appearance than tread width does, because it affects ride height and visual
proportions- not to mention keeping your speedometer accurate!

Hope this helps,

-Paul Clark
'64 Dart GT





-----Original Message-----
From:   Glenn A. LaGasse [SMTP:plymouth@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent:   Thursday, May 21, 1998 11:49 AM
To:     L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject:        [FWDLK] gangsta whites

hello all. a couple of questions for ya.

i'd like to spiff up my Belvedere with some wide white walls. i'm not
really sure of the width of the white wall used in 1956 by plymouth, but
Josh's 55 looks swell with the 3 1/3 inch white walls
<http://members.aol.com/acker75/myply.htm>.
so, first question: is 3 1/3 the correct width for a 56 belvedere?

i'm not able to find tires with a white wall of this width in radials. i
was hoping someone on the list had some ideas.
coker seems to be the place to get tires for older auto <www.coker.com>,
but the best they can do me for is 2.5 wide, P215 75 R 15
<http://www.coker.com/vincar/radialwide.html>.
second question: does anyone have another source for wide whites?

not knowing too much about tires, i'm wondering which of the numbers in
the tire spec i can "play" with (if any) without getting new rims.

final questions: in other words could i get P215 70 R 15 tires? or P255
70 R 15? (both are BFGoodrich Silvertown Radials
<http://www.coker.com/vincar/Silveradial.html>) and if so what do the
numbers indicate for differences between tires? (i assume width and
diameter but don't know what corresponds to what)

thanks!

     glenn.

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