Thread: The timesaver coupe

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I got her back wheels in yesterday so I installed the hidden valve stems in them and I was bored so I scrubbed off all the blue on the raised white lettering on her tires and then I BLACKED THEM IN with permanent marker...(Cue evil laugh). Man these tires are huge! They almost take up the entire kitchen table. I think I'm pushing my luck with 6 wheels and 4 tires hanging around the house. I just walked in from work and it smells like townfair tire in here. Just for a day or two till I get them mounted then they will all disappear into the man cave never to be seen again. I promise. Really I do! Then we can light a candle or two.

Very nice Jim!

The transformation has begun. Larger tires in the rear and skinny's in the front. New rims all around. It rides like a totally different car. A taller tire in the rear affords me some side wall flex making for a more comfortable ride and being taller it fills the gap between the tire and the fender well. The tire is pretty close on the inside near the fender well (about 3/4") but we took her for a spin and it doesn't look like or feel like it's rubbing. It steers easier with the thinner tires and the car sits about 1.5" higher for more ground clearance too. A plus too is...I think it looks bad ass! And I finally got a shot of the car from the rear. What do you guy's think?

got a real nice stance!

Much better with the new tires and wheels.

It looks great.

Thanks guy's. I honestly can't believe the improvement in ride quality. I'm thinking the old tires were harder and maybe a bit over inflated (for the weight of the car). From all I have read on line max tire pressure is for max load. Lower the load and lower the pressure to achieve the same ride quality (within reason). I have read on other forums where they run them in the 18-20 PSI range. I'm at 25 PSI now but wouldn't feel safe going under 20 max is 35 PSI. I'm running 28 in the front max is 44. I have a lot less sidewall in front.

I was told by a wise man to find a nice level area, preferably concrete, and pour a little water down and drive through it. Check the pattern the tires leave and adjust air pressure accordingly. It works better if the tires are warm and do the fronts first and then the rears or vice versa.

You can wet the tread with a paint roller and water

.......and no white letters......................yay!!

Jim, I've always used a heavy chalk line across the tread, drive about 50' to 75' on asphalt and check your line on the tire. Start high pressure (wipes the center), and drop your pressure by a pound until you're wiping the line evenly across the tread. Kids driveway chalk, which is a big chunk about 6"L x 1"OD works great, as it's pretty soft.

I'm at 20 pounds on the rear of my sedan and it rides great, any more and the ride suffers. Used the chalk method to confirm enough air..

Originally Posted by rspears

Jim, I've always used a heavy chalk line across the tread, drive about 50' to 75' on asphalt and check your line on the tire. Start high pressure (wipes the center), and drop your pressure by a pound until you're wiping the line evenly across the tread. Kids driveway chalk, which is a big chunk about 6"L x 1"OD works great, as it's pretty soft.

I've used that method too; in fact I think I initially got the idea from a previous post of yours.
It works well.
The '47 rides at 25 lbs all round, the Cobra at 22 lbs in the front and 18lbs in the rear, the Morris Minor is at 25 lbs all round too, and I have yet to get around to doing the bus, so am currently running it at 65 lbs all round.
The same pressures for both the '47 Ford and '49 Morris were a bit of a surprise initially, because of the disparity in their weights, but with a few seconds of thought I realised the tyres themselves are different sizes and widths, and therefore different loads on different footprints.

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

.......and no white letters......................yay!!

And no red rims!! Double YAY!

Originally Posted by 34_40

And no red rims!! Double YAY!

Seriously! I like the red wires on her car. Hell probably on any car for that matter. They're just cool rims.