I"m also curious as to a comparison to slicks.

I gotta admit that I been outta serious racing for a lotta years BUT in the day I always used tall,gummy tires.Usually Firestone #9 compound and the largest that I could get under the car was a 28.5X 10.5 wrinkle wall.

Those are some mighty short tires you guys are using on the Birds.Nothing taller will fit?

Are these DOT style tires whats happening now?

Oldmics

Mics, we drive these birds on the street as everyday cruisers. With taller tires means alot steeper gears so there goes gas miliage down the tube. I'm running 3.9 gears out back so the 26 tall tires do great at the track sorta like a gear change and the shorter 24s give a little more gear without sacrificing gas miliage with 27 and 28 tall street tires.

-Gary Burnette-

Gary

I do understand the gearing aspect by using a smaller tire.

The down side of using a smaller diameter tire (gas mileage and driveability be thrown out the window) is the top MPH is not as strong in a quarter mile run.

Thats why I am curious to know how big a tire I can stuph under a Bird without any surgery.

I sincerly appreciate all the suggestions and replys from all of you pro Bird guys

Oldmics

I am watching this post for tire info myself. As far as traction control I used a set of home made taction masters back in the late '60's and had no wheel hop problems and car hooked up well with recap 6" cheater slicks and a 3.89 gear. '57 Bird, 3 speed, 312, crane cam and factory dual quads. Ran bolt on slapper bars in the '90s and no probles with them either. Plan to go with the real Tracton Masters this time out.

Oldmics:

Summit has in their catalog a fixture that bolts to the brake drum and mocks up wheel offset and tire size.  You rotate this around your wheel opening to determine what you can use.  Be sure to check both sides of the car, sometimes there is more clearance on one side than the other.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Old, The other reasons for the shorter tires that Gary mentioned are they're easier to fit under the car, more widely available, and have less mass. Helps acceleration and is easier on the drive line.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Hoosier

Thanks for the wheel tool tip from Summit.

I ordered one today.

Oldmics

My home made version worked fine as I stated earlier. They are available directly from Traction Master to fit the T-Birds as well as most other '50's tp 60's Fords.

Here is a thought about Caltrac's. As the differential torks up and transfers weight lifting the front of the car it also applies a down force to the leaf spring thus planting the tire harder. The Traction Masters only do the weight transfer. If wheel hop is your only concern the Traction Masters will do that and be cheaper. I also feel the Caltrac's ride better. As for slapper bars I have bent up two pairs of them and unless they are cranked tight to the frame they have to cover that gap before they work and then the car ride is bad too.

  Vic Correnti