Tschim

I have a 67 with the original tire carrier, correct front bolts 10 1/4" and correct rear locking bolt 8+" for redline tires. Question is should there be a gap where the spare tire carrier lid meets the tub on the rear half of the tub. I'm using a Goodyear Bias ply 7.75x15 Redline Power Cushion spare tire which is correct for 67. With the tire in the carrier there is no way to close it fully. The tire is tight against the top of the lid and the inside of the tub and couldn't close even if the locking bolt could thread up more, which it can't. I've added a couple pics.
Thanks

Powershift

That's the way it is with the (correct width) redline tires. You live with the gap.

The alternatives are to use an OEM 7:75-15 blackwall or whitewall spare or use the Firestone Deluxe Champion redline which has the incorrect, narrower cross-section. Either way, you cannot have a matched set of five tires AND eliminate the tire carrier gap.

If you are going to have the car judged, you are better to keep the matched set of Goodyear Power Cushion redline tires. An alternative is to find an original, non-DOT, OEM blackwall spare and use it. You get all the judging points and no spare tire carrier gap. But the 40 year old spare is not practical or safe for use on the car.

I have read that the reproduction spare tire carriers are slightly larger than the originals and will accomodate bigger and wider tires with less gap. But I cannot tell you what the exact dimension difference is. Maybe someone else will know.

Larry

Tschim

Thanks for the input. I guess Chevy didn't want two sizes of carriers or they didn't want the blackwalls and whitewalls having too much space to move around in a larger redline sized carrier.
Terry

JohnZ

It worked fine with the original non-DOT 7.75-15 tires, but the reproductions are all larger in section width and diameter due to the DOT requirement to inflate them as soon as they come out of the hot vulcanizing mold during manufacture. That wasn't a requirement back in the 60's, and the original tires were slightly smaller.

I have a reproduction tub on my '67 with 205/75-15 Diamond Back Firestone Supreme SI redlines on 15x6 aluminum bolt-ons, and my spare fits just about the same as the photos you posted; it will NOT fit in an original tub, no way, nohow.

Tschim

Thank you John, Do you know how this will be judged during flight judging?

Powershift

Terry:

If you are referring to the gap between the tub and lid, it will not be an issue during Flight judging. First, the judges know that this gap will exist for cars with the correct (width) redline tires. Second, the lid will be open and the spare tire will be laying on the ground during EXTERIOR judging so that the judges can inspect the fiberglass tire carrier and the spare tire. The gap won't even show up.

I'm sure that John will comment once he gets free from judging today at the NCRS Novi Regional.

Larry

JohnZ

That's correct - don't worry about it.