Would Revell's '30 Model A tires be correct or close for a salt flat racer?

[JTalmage]

Since there are many others here who have far more vast knowledge on the subjects than I do, could anyone tell me if the tires that come with the new Revell 29/30 kits would be something that you would see on the salt flats back in the day? 

I remember hearing that the rear tires were dirt track tires? 

I love old vintage hot rods and such, but I don't always know what is period correct or genre correct for each type of motorsport.

I really like the way they look on my project though, the height and diameter difference looks really good compared to other parts box wheels and tires I have as well.

 

Thanks!

[Ace-Garageguy]

One word answer: yes.  

I've found numerous old photos over the years of in-period dry-lakes cars running rear tires very similar to the the ones featured in those particular Revell kits.

The front tires are also very close to what a lot of guys ran. Incorrectly called "implement tires" by some people (implement tires were very heavy straight-treaded low-speed tires not at all suitable for racing) many straight-treaded front tires often seen on old dry-lakes cars were in reality also purpose-built dirt-track racing tires.

The particular wheel-tire combination evolved over time and with the potential top speed of the cars in question, and later on you'll see stock-car tires, Indy "champ car" tires, etc.

Just FYI, when 100 MPH was considered a pretty screaming fast car on the lakes, you'll primarily see production-car tires, and often larger-diameter rear tires and wheels from bigger cars to effect a poor-man's "gear ratio" adjustment too. It's this tire mis-match that eventually inspired the "big-and-little" tire stagger that's one of the signatures of the whole hot-rod look.

Edited November 1, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[JTalmage]

I was hoping you were going to be the person to chime in too.. Thanks Bill. That is exactly what I was looking for. 

Now to find a spare set of wheels/tires/brake drums/dust shields off of a 29/30 kit. ;-) 

Edited November 1, 2016 by JTalmage

[Ace-Garageguy]

Now to find a spare set of wheels/tires/brake drums/dust shields off of a 29/30 kit. ;-) 

Another FYI: the OD of those tires is almost 31 mm for the rears, and almost 27 mm for the fronts. If you have something similar, you can at least mock up the stance and get an idea of the proportions in the meantime.

[JTalmage]

I have a 29 and 30 kit, and mocked them up, and they look quite spectacular, but that rear tire tread, that was what was making me think twice about the whole situation. Didn't have any other wheels/tires that were even close. Those wheels I have on it now are from a Revell '40 ford standard coupe. While they look great, they are way too short for this thing.

I was sort of debating using the kidney bean/speedway wheels from the 30, but I think it will look *that* much better with the steelies and moon discs over them.