What tires are people running in Pure Street Racing?  I looked at the rules and they say 70 series radial tires may be run on older cars.  From what I can see, 8.00x14's were the largest size offered on 57 Fords.  Coker also lists 8:50x14's for these cars too, and their cross refererence says that 225x70Rx14's are equal to 8:00x14's.  It looks like a 6" wheel is the minimum recommended  for 225X70RX14'S.   The tires I see advertised are BFG T/A's, Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's, Goodyear Eagle 1 NASCAR and others.  I used to run Firestone 500's on my first 57.  These new tires all have raised white letters, which don't seem period appropriate to me, but the WSW's seem quite high priced.  Are ther any good WSW's that have decent traction?  I guess you could turn the letters in if the inside of the tires looked OK.

Thanks, 

Paul J. - '57 E Code

Paul,

     Most of the real "hot Shoes" are actually running bias plys! I wouldn't have believed it either.

      Depending on what organization sanctions the race you are allowed up to 235x70's or the tires must be as originally offered on the car. The year one race at Martin allows larger tires as long as all four are the same. Stanton, on the other hand wants original wheels and tire sizes, although radials are OK. John and I are both using 205/75x 15's and getting by with it so far.

                                                            Frank

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Paul:

To further what Frank wrote, I have found an old service bulletin from Ford with a speedometer gear chart.  On the chart it gives gear choices for "all 1957 Fords" with 15" tire sizes and various rear gear ratios.  If they question Frank's or my tires, I will present that bulletin and ask them why they would have such a listing if 15" wheels were not available.   Also, I think they tend to overlook minor infractions of the rules the first time, but tell you not to bring them back next year.  Ted Harbit once put 65 series radials on his Studebaker, arguing that the rules state "no 60 series tires".  They told him not to bring them back, and changed the wording of the rules.

John

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Frank& John,

I imagine they don't pay much attention to wheel widths then either?..within reason, 5.5" or 6" should be OK.  Did only Rancheros, Skyliners & wagons come with 5.5" welded wheels?  Is Pure Street just bracket racing withing an ET group?  like a 15 second bracket, etc.  I have misplaced my new YBM, I wanted to re-read what you guys wrote.  Why are you running 75's instead of 70's, is that just what you happen to have.

Thanks,

 

Paul J. - '57 E Code

More questions...I am trying to remember the difference between Ford and Chrysler wheels.  I forget which one has the larger center hole, I think it's the Chryslers, so...you can put Chryslers on Fords, but not Fords on Chrysler?  Is that right?  Also, what brand of tires are people using in Pure Stock, bias and radial ply? 

One last thing, there are four 14" Dodge wheels with slightly used radial WSW tires on eBay and no one has placed the $49.00 opening bid.  If I were closer, they are in Madison, Ohio, I'd try to buy them.  It is item #  110029887166.  I have some late 15" Crown Vic. wheels, maybe I'll just use them.  I have some 65 LTD spinners that I think would look good on my car.

Paul J. - '57 E Code

Paul:

These are not bracket races.  Everyone makes 2 qualifying runs to establish your ET.  The quickest 8 are put on a ladder sheet to run each other until a winner is declared.  Of the rest of the field, #9 qualifier runs #10, #11 runs #12, and so on.  All races are heads up with a pro tree, all 3 yellows come on and then the green.  Best two out of three.  No money purses.  Perhaps if you look at PSMCDR website, you can look at the rules and what they expect.  This is the group running next weekend at Stanton.  The group that runs at Martin is a different group, but the rules are pretty similar.

Don't know about center holes in Chrysler wheels, but I have used Chrysler wheels, I have some '81 Cordoba wheels I normally run on my '57 Bird.  I know that late Ford wheels have larger center holes than our '50s cars, so the '50s wheels won't fit later cars.  Are you planning to join us at Stanton.  I hope so.

I am running Kelly 205x75x15s on my Bird, because I had just bought them for my '56 Bird a couple years ago, and I was not going to buy a new set of 14s just to race pure stock.  If they rule my tires out, I'll quit racing pure stock, simple as that.  For now I just swithch the wheels from one car to the other to race.  The tires on the '57 don't look out of place, they may not even notice they are the wrong size.  The folks at Martin haven't noticed in two appearances, neither Frank's or my car.

John

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Thanks for the info John.  I didn't mean the tires themselves looked out of place, just the large RWL. raised white letters.  I remember in the late 50's and 60's when Goodyear Double Eagles, Atlas Bucrons, and Firestone Butylaires were the hot tires.  I have some 15" X 6" Ford wheels with 4" backspacing.  One of the wheels doesn't have the tabs for hub cap mounting, I'll have to find another one.  I also have a pair of wheels from my old 68 Mercury Colony Park Wagon, with old Firestone 500's with two thin whitewall lines and the 500 in white too.  They are 15" X 6" and I think have 4' Backspacing too.   Do you know if 225 or 235/70R15 tires fit our 57's?.  This wheel research has been good, I had to clean out my outbuilding to find some of this stuff and have been cleaning up and throwing some stuff out.  I'll check the rules.  If Stanton is next week end, I can't make it.  I have prepaid and registered for a  convention I go to every year.  I had hoped to go to the drag strip this weekend, but we got rained out.

Paul J. - '57 E Code

This is a test to see if I can post.

Paul

Paul J. - '57 E Code