Hey all, just bored and looking for a different look for my Ranchero....I just built a motor for it, and it should be a nice, stout little thing, and make o.k. power, with a fair idle, and lots of low-end. Mild, but, it is a small-cube motor, and it should lope a bit with the cam I have chosen. I have decided to dress it like an early 289, and, since it is more likely as a late 60's mill, and the car is not scheduled for paint/body anytime soon, do to other projects taking priority, I think it will present better as a hot rod for now in it's current condition, than a mild custom, as it was originally going in the direction of...I'm a mechanic, not a body guy, so, I really have no business in a custom anyway! I've decided I'd better start playing to my strengths...) At any rate, If I do this, I'm removing the 3" blocks from the rear, and I will be wrapping some blackwalls on my chrome steel wheels. My question is: What tires look right for the time period, and will fit in the rear wheel house, without cutting it???? It strikes me that the Wide-oval, or the Pro-Trac tire might be a bit late ( 70's???) but, I like the profile of the Pro-trac....What about M/T Indy's??? What else was going on then, and are they reproduced? Thanks for any insight... Any thoughts would be appreciated!
I ran 9" Cassler " cheaters " on the street, at Great Lakes Dragway I'd run Milford ( I think that's the correct name ) slicks. 1957 Chevy 210 2 door Hdtp. 348 w/ 3 Rochesters and a Muncie 4 speed. Perfection gear 4:11 rear end, ran pretty consistent mid 12s at 103 - 108 MPH. Hooked up pretty good for back then ( 1964-1965. I doubt those tires are around anywhere anymore.
in 1969 I ran GT Qualifiers (Dunlop) white letters on the street and just lowered the tire presure (18-20 lbs) and they hooked very hard for a mild street car (69' Firebird TA)
I like the Supercushion fronts...good looking tire, and the recap Casler-type....I've been a little leery about the radial casing/recap thing though. Hmmm...we'll see...lots of $$$ for those supercushion fronts. Ouch... So folks were still using hard compounds/pie crusts in the lowly street car/hot rod dept. in the mid to late 60's, eh??? Thanks for the replies!
I built and drove a 55 Chevy street gasser In 64 and ran Casler 9" cheaters. I think Hurst makes the closest thing to that nowadays. But I'll tell you those tires could put quite a bit of horsepower to the ground, they had a great compound!
i had US Royal Masters on my 55 BA post/389 in 1963 and put on a pair of Atlas Bucrons for drag nights out by the dam. Also had a pair of M&H slicks for my 26 bucket/301/pg
A couple of the fast street guys around here ran Thompson cheater slicks with the crossed flag tread pattern. Larry T
"....I've been a little leery about the radial casing/recap thing though. " Don't be - I drove the hell out of a set of Cody's recaps. I was concerned at first, but after beating them up for a while, no worries. I wore 'em out and had a lot of fun doing it. I went to a different look (see avatar). Next 60's streetrace inspired car I do will have a set. Post pics!
I bought another set of wheels and had Thompson cross bar slicks mounted on those. I'd throw them in the truck and take them to the strip. When I weighed (it was a cubic inches/power/weight formula in those days) I' open it up throw them out and weigh in. In the pits I changed out the tires. I had a foot type air pump with a decent tire pressure gauge too. That was in 1958,59 and 60. Normbc9
Something like these. Just put a pair of Hurst cheaters on the back of my 55. Just ignore the front tires, though.
I was running M&H street n strip tires on my 55, but this was very early 70's........ or you can go with the tried and true J 60 or L 60 street tires.
Thanks guys! The pics help, too....this is the look/feel I'm going for, but, it seems like it's hard to find many options for a front and not too easy to settle on a treaded tire for the rear that I like, either. Kind of caught btwn. era's, and streetability, and load capability, too.
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