Technical 18" wire wheels and tires, 700-18 tires, too big???

Hey guys, I just picked up 4, 16" and 2, 18" wire wheels, dirt cheap at the swap meet today. I'm thinking of using 16's in the front and 18's in the rear, of my 31 Model A coupe, any thoughts/concernes about using 700-18 Firestone tires, with, what appears to be, a 3.5" wide rim.
BTW: the tires mounted now, are old 5.50-18's and seem to narrow to me.
Any pictures???????????????????? Anybody
Thanks, Chris

 

I think you want to go with 18" on the front and a skinnier tire. Go with 16" on the rear with fatter profile tires like 7:50x16 Firestones. Gary M

 

One my model a I am running 7.50 -17. I love the look and have gotten lots of pos. feedback on them. You will need to take gearing into consideration though.

 

It will look great, here's a couple of pics of Brock's old Coupe, 16" in the front 18" rear.

 

That looks great, are the rear tires 700-18's???

 

Wow it does look good that way too!!!!!!!!!! I have always seen the combo the other way. Gary M

 

Your not serious, 18's in the front 16's in the back???

 

Front 5.50 - 18 Firestone

Rear 7.00 - 18 STA Super Transport (from Coker)

not for everyone and takes a little getting used to, but I like it

 

Run the 18's! I built this Essex C-dan the same winter Brock built that Model A coupe above. The 18's look SO GOOD rolling down the road. Its the "Cartoon look" That builders try to get but miss so often...

 

Look at Jimmy Shines pickup when it had the wire wheels on it, the fronts were 18" and the rears 16". The front of course has smaller tires and the look was great. A taller wire wheel with a skinny tire looks good in front to me.

 

I run 16" kelseys on the front and 18" kelseys on the rear of my full findered 32 5W and it looks great.--TV

 

Gotta say, I just looked at the Rodders Journal #15 with Shine's truck in it, and the 18s in the front and 16s in the back look acctually really good too, I'm confused.

 

here are the 17"s and 18"s i am using on my truck.the fronts are 450-17,and 700-18 on the rear.the front wheels are 17x3.5,and the rears are 18x3.5 that i widened to 5".hope this helps.

-danny

 

kenndy coupe

 

I think the key is the 18" wheels are only 3 1/2" wide meaning they go on the front unless you widen them. GM

 

I'm glad I'm not working with Gary's rule book. That would suck.

Kennedy is running 18x3.5 wheels with 7.00x18 tires on the REAR of his coupe. After a solid year & many miles he has experienced no problems.

You can do a search here for more on his coupe or check TRJ #37, the October issue of Rodder's Digest, the Goodguys Gazette coverage of the Nashville Nationals, etc, etc, etc......

JH

 

Harrison, Slow down a bit, I am just saying that 3 1/2" seems very narrow for a rear tire. It depends on the look that you want. I must admit the small picture of Kennedys coupe looks alright there. GM

 

go 18's all the way around........................im inspired now! gotta go dig some outta my pile!!!!i got that axle ill bring it to you cris..........

 

18's all around.....front's are 4.50 Excelsiors, rear's are 7.00 Firestones.
Wheels are @ 3.75 wide. The Coker catalog lists the 7.00 as being 31" tall, but is actually 33" when mounted on this narrow of a rim.

The ride is really good and they track well.

These are older pics.....but ya get an idea of the size difference.

 

I don't have four 18" wheels, but I'm thinking of using 16's in the front and 18's widened to 5" or 5.5", btw is anybody in or around los Angeles able to machine the rim in half, I can tig weld a strip in myself.

 

Sooooo..... those are 700-18's on the back then????? Proportions on that car are near perfection.

 

i got two real strait 18's cris.......

 

If I remember right, 7.00-18 Stones.

 

Go for it Chris it will be cool.

 

Either way it should look great,Chris. 18/16 or 18/18's. The 16's on the front should allow you to get the front lower though.

 

I realize this is an old post, I thought I would bump it up there again to ask just one more question
I run 18 inch wires on my 29 roadster, the fronts are Excelsior 450-18's and on the rear Firestone Champion 600/650-18's
The rear tires seem too darn short in profile. The Firestone 700-18's are right on in terms of height but the only Firestone 700-18 I can find have a different tread pattern than the tradition type Firestone Champion. Can you get pie crust Firestone 700-18 or am I stuck with the ones pictured below?

 

Coker discontinued the old pie crust sidewall for this new version...you're stuck along with the rest of us.

 

Chris, I Run 18x8.20 dirt track firestones on the rear of my 34 tudor.

 

The 3.5" wide wheels with 7.00X18s have shown no bad effects, as long as they are on lightweight cars, with obvious less tire pressure.
Heavy cars (3500 lbs.+) will require more tire pressure, tending to wear the center tread.

Reading the 'larger wheel dia in front', I'm reminded of our Triumphs and Harleys in the '50-'60s: 5.50X16 Firestone on rear, 21" on front: Avon Speedmaster 3.25 tire...
Looked good, for some non-porportional reason...