Wheel size and tyre recommendation for 50s Cutom Victoria?

I have bought myself a 50s custom and it currently has 14” wire wheels with white-wall radials – a 1952 Crown Victoria (see photos)…


It needs a set of new front tyres to pass the roadworthy and get registered, and I am wondering should I change to 15” wheels while I’m at it. (are 14" too small?)

What was the typical rim size for an early 50s custom - 14 or 15"?

I see this on a website:<O

<TABLE style="MARGIN: auto auto auto 35.25pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm" class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt" vAlign=top>Traditional Whitewall Widths:<O</O
Pre-1954 - 3" whitewall or more<O</O
'54 thru '56 - 2 1/2" - 2 11/16"<O</O




</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt" vAlign=top>


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What tyres do you recommend: for my car in terms of:

1. White wall width?
2. Radial vs Cross-ply (4-ply)?
<O</O
Your advice is appreciated

<O</OCheers,<O</O
Dave

 

I think what you have looks good. were it me, I'd just do a straight replacement

 

Nice looking car!

 

The way the color on your car pops I'd go with a 15" chrome reverse. As far as a tire, well I'm not sure on that one.

 

Most '50s American cars had 15" wheels until 1957. That year many, not all, changed to 14". The rim diameter can be a little misleading regarding whether they are 'too small" or not. The 1" difference in wheel diametr can easily be compensated for by the tire size selected and in particular it's aspect ratio ( 75/70/65/60 series etc.) Overall tire diameter when mounted is really the dimension that matters, not specifically wheel diameter.

Currently in the US, new 14" tires from the major manufacturers are getting harder to find. What is the situation in OZ? The answer to that may have as much to do with your decision as any other consideration.

Ray

 

i put some 15x7 in rims from Speedway on the front of my 1951 with 225 tires with Cokerwide whites 75 series radials
cant get wide ones on back due to rear end switch and needle nosed skirts theres 195 tires on rear and they may have to stay

 

The wheels and tires on the '54 ranch Wagon are 15",,205/75 radials.WWW.HRP

 

I removed a set of original rims from a 53 Ford that was about to be crushed at the local wrecking yard a couple of months ago. They are 15 x 6.

 

Very nice looking car. A couple of things you should know, the "Crown Victoria" did not come out until 1955. This car is either a Sunliner (factory built convertible) with a different top, or a "Victoria" two door hardtop.

Second, as has been mentioned, 14" wheels became popular on new cars for the 1957 model year, and would be period correct for a car customized in the late 1950's or early 60's. Your car might qualify for that, but those wheels look like a smaller version of the 1935 Ford wire wheels, and those are really throwing off the look, you have 1930's looking wheels on an early 1950's car with late 1950's sized tires.

My own 1952 Ford runs 15x5.5" stock steel wheels (not quite 6" wide) with a moderate height WWW radial tire, and I feel like it's just right for a late 50's or very early 60's dated custom. Chromed OE style wheels with a similar tire would also look real nice, in the same size. 7" wide wheels will be very difficult to mount due to lack of clearance in the rear quarter panels, it's a common issue on these cars, I'd stick to a 6" wide rim maximum.

Bias-ply tires look nicer and are more period correct, radials tend to ride nicer and last longer, that's a personal preference thing. I went with radials because I made mine so it was cheaper, if I had to buy new, I'd probably get the bias tires for the look.

 

Thanks to all for your replies. I really appreciate it.

 

Here's an updated photo with 15x5 Smoothies (gloss black powder coated) and Coker Classic G78-15 3 1/4" white-wall bias-ply tyres:


Next to do is shave the mirrors, remove the door buttons and install electric door poppers, install fender skirts, put full moon wheel covers on the front, and paint it all the dark green of the rear of my car, hence removing all the flames and pin-striping.