Has anyone seen this car in person? I’m looking to do something similar with a ‘62. needing the wheel/tire combo information.
I know nothing about that car. But, the standard wheels used on late models of that era were 15 X 10", 5 on 5 B.C. The tires are 10 -11" tread width and around 27" in diameter. We only worried about the circumference but I don't remember the number. (85"?) The idea was to run a larger diameter RR than left rear to steer the car into the corner. 5/8" Stagger was common. This was also sometimes done on the front but was not referred to by that name. The Fairlane in your pictures has tread on the tires. We always ran slicks on asphalt. I'm sure the dirt guys had some sort of tread.
That seems to be what I remember also, but our "Grand National" Goodyears had a tread pattern that looked like it was cut in with an X-acto knife. Buick brakes and wide fives were also popular.
My memory is that the Wide 5's were popular on the modifieds in the early 60's and got into the Late Model scene later. The dirt guys all had 'tire sipers' basically a big soldering iron with a blade to cut the trick of the week tread pattern. Seen them but never used one.
I'd agree, the wheels look to be the standard issue wheels Speedway has sold circle burners for years. The car just looks like it was pretending to be a circle track car but I have never met a circle track racer yet that didn't paint his car before taking it to the track. That crap rod paint look wouldn't fly with the racers around here or the guys I know who race dirt cars in Texas. They would paint it with a brush before showing up looking like that.
That looks a lot like 28.0/11.00-15's on 10 inch wheels, just a guess though. Wide fives on aluminum hubs would be neat, those started appearing on Late Models around the time Ed Howe's chassis became popular, mid seventies perhaps? I think the 5-on-5 bolt circle became fairly popular with the use of cast-off Grand National pieces. Remember, when H-M catalogued all that neat stuff from FORD in 1965, NASCAR approved all of those steering and suspension pieces for all makes. That Fairlane looks like it could be fun, but personally, I would have to paint it. Not many racers would have put that on the track without a coat of paint. One more thing, all of the Late Model Fairlanes of '62-'65 vintage I ever saw were on shortened (usually) full size chassis, essentially rebodied Galaxies (or earlier).
Yes this car is definitely a tribute by some rod shop and the fake patina is over the top. I’d be doing something a lot more subtle. I guess I should have clarified - the tires is what I’m curious about. I’ve seen these on a couple more of these tribute stock cars. Looks like a radial
s55 - interesting! Yes a lot of the old shots seem to have these unibody cars laid over a traditional frame. Man, that’s a ton of work.
There are several vintage stock cars groups in the northeast and the southeast. All the cars that I have seen are quite nice (maybe too nice). The guys up north race mainly on dirt, while the southern guys are mostly asphalt. Shouldn't be hard to find on the net, I'm sure you could find what you're looking for on the various sites.
I can't give you the info you seek, but I can tell you many of the current IMCA modified classes (especially the dirt track cars) in this area are running Dot 60 series tires that look a lot like the tires of the old days. The width and height are just about right, and the thread pattern is acceptable. If there is a still functioning track in your area, it might be worth checking to see what their tires rules might be. If they have specific tire requirements, they will be able to tell you where to get the tires. Our local track didn't go to the "late models" until the mid 60s. I think I would be pretty safe in saying none of those early unibody cars were raced as unibody cars, all had frames under that sheet metal. The early "late models" were very heavy cars (many pushing 6,000 lbs +), at least around here. The early thought was the unibody cars had too much flex in them (I suppose at those weights, they probably did). The light weight unibody cars didn't show up until the late 60s, or early 70s. Gene
The roundy roundy guys I knew always said that "dirt was for planting potatoes, asphalt was for racing".
The car was built by a guy, here in North Alabama. Wheels are plain old stock car wheel from Jeg, summitt, speedway or anybody else that sells them. Just pick the size you need. And the same with the tires. I know thats nothing specific, but tire wheel combo are readily available. Hope that helps a little. If you want i can send you a P.M with guys name who built car.
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