What do you T Bird drag racers suggest for wheels and tires? I’m running a 400-425 horsepower 312 in my 57 T Bird. Top loader 4 speed, 4.56 traction lock, old school original Traction Masters that work fine for me. I know they’re better options but I’m good with them. Looking for wheel diameter, width, and offset for basic steel wheels.  Need specific tire size, width, brand and tread compound that’s suitable. Way too many options for me to choose from. Car weighs 3,600 pounds. 

Since no one has responded. Many years ago I had wheelsmith make me a set of 7” rims on 55 Ford center. 15”, 4” backspace. I mounted a set of radial cheater slicks, about 30” tall and 10” tread. I had a set of “correct size” radial replacements on stock wheels on the front. The carcasses on the rear tires were really stiff. Everything cleared, but the handling was really poor. Almost like mixing bias and radial tires. I didn’t drive them 100 miles before I took them off. I think the short wheelbase of the bird made it even worse. On a smooth flat road they weren’t too bad, but the back roads to my house it was squirrely as hell.

I think they were from the White Wall Candy store, down about page 3 of this link. Maybe I had an odd set, maybe they’ve changed.

They did clear on the back, really tight, no skirts. I had a set of Traction Masters made to their original drawings back there too. They worked fine.

http://www.whitewallcandystore.com/images/wwcsflyer309.pdf

http://thewheelsmith.net/ I think Wheelsmith still does that kind of work, but haven’t asked in years. They were well done and reasonable back then.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Most of the full bodied cars at the Y-Block Nationals seem to have Mickey Thompson DOT drag radials with a skinny tire up front and whatever will fit in back.

Are you setting it up strictly for drag racing or a combo of street/strip?



Lawrenceville, GA

Primarily track usu. Might go a couple of miles to my local cruise night.  

The Mickey Thompsons should be ok for that.  If street use becomes more likely, consider two sets of wheels and tires, one with a good street tire and the other with a good drag tire.



Lawrenceville, GA

Miker, what did you have to do to the suspension/wheel wells to get 30" tires to fit? 28 x 10/10.5 x 15 is a common size that might be easier to fit.

It’s been a long time. I know the wheels were 7”, and the backspace was 4”. The wheels on the car now are that size. I’m pretty sure the tread was 10”, but it could have been 9.5”? They were taller that the stock 27 something inches, maybe not 30”? But I’ve never altered the wheel wells on the bird. Other cars, yes.

I didn’t know it then, but the body was 3/4” off center on the frame. When I put the 235/60 T/A’s on a hard left turn put the fender lip into the sidewall. Re centering the body solved that. Minor item, undo all the bolts, jack the body up, use lots of dunnage and a bottle jack, and push it over. Try not to break the rust in the rocker panels.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Did you have to disconnect/remove the steering column before lifting & centering the body?

No. The front of the car was centered, just the back needed to move a bit. I’ve got a different steering system and there’s a u joint in there. So I just kind of cave mannned it over 3/8” or so. Enough to stop the little bit of shift in a hard corner.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

I asked because it's highly likely that the rubber body-to-frame rubber insulators on my 55 Tbird should be replaced. Pretty much everything made of rubber has disintegrated over 68 years.