1950 Champion Tires

[Studebaker Ron]

I was just being silly Rich Do you think she could handle a 3.73 with a rebuilt 170 and a 1960 head? I know they had a 4.11 when new but I did not know of any 3.73 in 1950. I did not build her for speed but do want to travel the interstates when she is finished. I can see a nice trip down to Charleston in my future.

Thanks
Ron

[Doubleclutchin]

For what it's worth, I've been running Diamondback radials on my '54 Brand X (hint: it has 4 portholes on each front fender) for about three years, and I've been quite happy not only with the car's improved handling but also with the enduring brightness of the whitewalls. There seems to be some validity to the maker's claim that the butyl barrier which they lay between the black tire and the vulcanized-on whitewall prevents yellowing -- at least to the point that these tires have stayed much brighter than a set of Coker Classic whitewalls currently under my '41 Brand Y (GM V8 flathead).

[raprice]

Go with the Cooper tires. I have a set of Cooper radial whitewalls on my Lark VI for the past 4 years and they wear very well, ride beautifully and the car handles very well.
Rog

[Studebaker Ron]

Go with the Cooper tires. I have a set of Cooper radial whitewalls on my Lark VI for the past 4 years and they wear very well, ride beautifully and the car handles very well.
Rog

I have been leaning Cooper as they offer a 205 75 R15 but StudeRich said I could push it to 215 75 R15 and now that has me thinking. What size do you have on the Lark?

Ron

[StudeRich]

Have you mentioned using 5.5 or 6 In. Ford or Chrysler Wheels to fit those "wider than the original 600 or 6.50X15 Pizza Cutter Tires"?

OPPS! unless you have replaced the Drums and Brakes with '51 or Later Champion or Commander parts you can't fit the 5 on 4.5 bolt circle Wheels on a '50 Champion!

NO, I resend my statement, that is just TOO much Tire for those tiny 4 Lug Wheels. And then there is: WHY use Big tires?

[Studebaker Ron]

Have you mentioned using 5.5 or 6 In. Ford or Chrysler Wheels to fit those "wider than the original 600 or 6.50X15 Pizza Cutter Tires"?

OPPS! unless you have replaced the Drums and Brakes with '51 or Later Champion or Commander parts you can't fit the 5 on 4.5 bolt circle Wheels on a '50 Champion!

NO, I resend my statement, that is just TOO much Tire for those tiny 4 Lug Wheels. And then there is: WHY use Big tires?

Rich
I am just trying to get as much top end out of the old girl as I can so the engine is not racing as I drive down to the beach She has the original 4 bolt pizza cutters so maybe 205 75 R15 is about it. I have some old 205 70 R15's on her now but they look a bit small and I think they are some 20+years old so they have to go. I will post some photos below with the current tires with the nasty port-a-walls.

Ron

[RadioRoy]

Are you thinking that the taller the final drive ratio, the faster you can go?

That's not the case with the Champion engine, in my experience. There is a sweet spot to the final drive ratio, and that sweet spot is what the Champion engine wants. If the final ratio is too numerically low, the engine will not develop the power needed to move that much steel that fast. If the final drive ratio is too numerically high, the engine will rev its little heart (and rod bearings) out on the freeway.

On either side of the sweet spot, you go slower. It's a curve, not a straight line.