Technical Does my 52 Ranch Wagon need tire tubes?

Hello, I'm trying to get my wagon home, its currently two hours away from me. It has the stock 15x5.5 steel wheels. I have been collecting parts and my goal is to go down there and get it running, get the brakes working get some tires on it and drive it home. I'd like to keep the original steel wheels but I am wondering if I can mount tubeless tires on them because it would be cheaper and I wouldn't have to find aftermarket wheels for it. Thanks!

 

If they don't have safety beads on the rims, I would run tubes.. A lot of guys don't run the tubes on non safety bead rims but why take a chance of the tire deflating when you go around a corner...

 

Just a opinion that is worth what you paid for it, Why not get a tow dolly and go put tires on it and tow it home?
A 2 hour drive for a car that has been sitting long enough to need tires and brakes could be a nightmare.

 

I don't have a vehicle that could tow the weight of the wagon so I would need to rent a truck and a trailer. Is it a bad idea to drive a car that's been sitting for 30 years? Absolutely. We'll get the 239 running and depending on the condition, we can decide what we wanna do. A roadkill-inspired father son project.

 

Ford factory installed tubeless tires on those type wheels, no reason you can't. The 'safety beads' didn't show up on Fords until the sixties, they sold a ton of cars with tubeless tires without them....

 

I’m going to have to agree with Los-Control, get a trailer and haul it home, so you can enjoy the work. Fixing it where it sits, you will problaly run into troubles and have to cut corners.
Driving that car, with its appearance would result in at least an encounter with a law enforcement officer, here in Oklahoma. In California, I’m pretty sure it would be a capital offense!
I think the car is great and has a ton of potential, but sometimes cops don’t see it that way.

Save yourself some grief, have it hauled.


Bones

 

No offense but from the looks of the car you need more than what you are talking about. Does that two hour drive have any hiway miles on it?? If it does you are putting other people at risk.

You need to tow that car to your facility where you can work on it.

Sorry man but I just don't seeing this ending well with your plan.

 

Shit, I've done dumber things. Maybe go get it running and stopping and then make a decision.

Sent from my LG-TP450 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I would never want to put other motorists at risk. The car will be gone through and then we will determine if it's worth it to make the drive. The car is at a relatives house so there are plenty of tools around to make it happen.

 

Find a friend with a truck and rent a trailer or tow dolly. That car will need lots of work to get it road worthy. You said nothing about the gas tank, I guarantee the tank willed to be cleaned at the least, or replaced. Cool car, bring it home safely.

 

Clean the wheels real well where the bead seals, I mean wire brush on grinder clean.

Sent from my LG-TP450 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Lots of luck getting an engine going that has sat that long. Some guys have problems with one that has sat for 1 winter!

 

It's a classic "ran when parked" haha. The flathead spins freely.

 

I say go for it. The wheels should be fine. Not familiar with ford wheels, my Buick [1950 ] did ok.
I drove a different 1950 Buick about 700 miles home when I bought it. TRUST YOURSELF!

Ben

 

It does help that it is at a relatives, I suspect will be more then one trip there.
I know on the mopar flathead 6's, the valves like to stick after sitting for several years.
You may be able to replace all the hydraulics on the brakes, but you may find the steel lines are plugged up inside and wont allow fluid to pass.
Maybe the wiring is good, I suspect you will find some issues with it, bad ends that will break off when you touch them, you may have to search under the seats in the rodents nest for missing wires.
Then the dreaded cooling system, how much mineral deposits to you have sitting in the block and radiator blocking coolant flow? .... something I am dealing with now on my mopar flathead, it has been sitting only 10-15 years.

Coolant passages are blocked, brake lines do not pass fluid, radiator leaks, wiring is toast, the ol flatty sure runs and sounds good though!

Yeah, a uhaul truck and trailer may be a pretty good idea.

 

Just make sure your insurance policy includes towing!

 

Brakes, steering, lights, fluids. If it runs after all those are good, why not have an adventure? Get AAA beforehand, and have them help you get it home if it dies. If the mildew offends thee, SCRUB the car with a scrub brush. Wipers also.

 

Couldn't agree more! I have AAA so that's always there. I really didn't wanna wash the car but chunks of nature will probably fly off of it whether it's driven or trailered.

 

Lol, to each his own, as a bath would be the first thing I would do Make it safe, and best of luck to you, sir.

 

Tubes not needed ..............New paint is amung other good stuff,can be cool wagon

 

Sticky valves, stuck rings, entire fuel system will need going through, possible cracked block, clutch going out. Way too many things to go wrong for a car that has sat for 30+ years and have to tow it anyway. Start that way and plan to tow it home then get it worked out. You stand less of a chance of losing interest during the build if you have to thrash to tow it along the way home.

 

I can think of one positive for driving home looking just the way it does.... everyone will give you a wide berth…. LOL

 

One major problem is where the car sits. It was driven up a skinny driveway. It will at least need brakes to roll it down to the street (very steep). There's no way a trailer will make it up.

 

I’d rent a Uhaul truck and trailer, one of the vans would probably be big enough, and haul it home. To legally get on the highway you’re going to need insurance and registration, won’t need that on a trailer. You might go ahead and get at least a couple of brakes working, will make it easier to load if you can’t get the trailer right in front of it.

 

Are you sure it doesn't already have tubeless tires?

 

I'm not sure. What are you seeing in this picture? I was told that my grandpa once shoved 235/75/15 tires on the car. Is that even a size they make tire tubes for?

Can anyone tell from this picture?

 

Neat car. When circumstances require us to do risky, difficult things, that's bad enough. But to choose to do something that is fraught with both real and potential problems, as is this project.......well, best wishes. But I (and others here) urge you to rethink your plan. And for those who would dismiss that advice as being from 'pantywaists', I can tell you I and others have done some very difficult (unwise ?) things in the past and that is what the advice stems from.

"Good judgement comes from experience. Unfortunately, most experience comes from bad judgement"

Ray

 

Looks tubeless to me. Just for the sake of argument, tubeless tires were being used for years before safety rims were standard equipment although Mopar had them way back. The purpose of a safety rim is to keep the tire from coming off the rim when flat (for short periods of 5 mph or so. They were not built for the convenience of road racers and drifters.

 

Bolt on valve stem... tubeless

 

FWIW, older wheels with riveted construction can leak air through
the rivet area. Usually slow leaks, though. As far as driving it, you may just trash what was a good, rebuildable engine core buy having a sludge related problem, popped frost plug or whatever on any kind of lengthy drive.