What defines “skinny” front tires?

[dusty_shelf]

Planning my build of a mid-60s gasser.  Already have the power plant am now selecting the rubber.  I have a nice pair of period-correct piecrust slicks for the rear.  Where I have hit a snag is in finding appropriate “skinnies” to go up front.  

I have a few sets that are clearly narrow front tires.  Problem is they are all branded and date to a later period.  Otherwise, I have hundreds of other slightly wider tires that may work if I knew what measurements I should be considering.  Can anyone tell me what width range I should be looking for?  I need the measurements of the 1/25 tires.  Here is the look I am trying to replicate…

[CaddyDaddy]

Many of the guys ran 5.6x15 VW Bug tires.

 

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

15" tires intended for small or compact cars were the norm for gasser fronts.

Think about 4.5-5.60X15 in real bias-ply tire size. Around 5+ mm in scale width.

Got a VW Bug or Porsche 356 kit lying around? For the period you show above, Pirelli (and other) radials for small European cars were common too.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[dusty_shelf]

Ace-Garageguy—

Thanks for the reply!  I now have an idea of what to hunt for.  I have eight Goodyear Frontrunner tires that, for size, would be ideal.  However, not confident they date correctly.  Any idea when they were introduced?  Couldn’t find anything via Google.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I can't recall when Frontrunners came on the market...but it's pretty easy to carefully sand the lettering off the sidewalls.

Start with 180 grit wet to knock it down, then work progressively through 400, 600, 1200, 1500 wet.

Work carefully and it'll look perfect...though you might have to spray the completed tires with something like SEM black to get an even color.

[Straightliner59]

Frontrunners are early '80s. The reissued Piranha has decent ones, but, they're plastic. Revell's Miss Deal has a really nice pair! ? No pun intended, but I wasn't going to run from it, either. AMT's Ohio George Willys too, would be worth consideration.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Straightliner59

[Force]

Several racers used Pirelli front tires back in the day but there were lots of options with similar sizes.

[Straightliner59]

6 hours ago, Force said:

Several racers used Pirelli front tires back in the day but there were lots of options with similar sizes.

MPC funny cars had Denmans. You're right--there are a bunch of different ones.

[Daddyfink]

The MPC Winged Express has perfect early Skinnies. Revell really dropped the ball when it made the Willy's Gassers with those Street looking tires up front. 

[Mark]

Revell has Pirellis; they used them in their early Gasser kits (SWC Willys, Thames, Anglia).  The '31 Ford Sedan had them also, as did the Miss Deal Studebaker.  The Atlantis parts pack Fiat coupe and their version of the Stude have no-name copies as they did not get tire tooling in their deal with Revell.  So the Pirellis should still appear in Revell kits from time to time, it's a matter of figuring out which ones.

The newer Revell Willys Gasser has slightly wider front tires, not really 100% suitable for a Sixties style build.

Revell also had a narrow Firestone front tire but it only appeared in a handful of kits, the Orange Crate Deuce sedan and a couple of issues of the ex-Tweedy Pie T roadster.

AMT had a similar Firestone front tire but, again, it wasn't around long.  Only used in a couple of parts packs, the first issues (only) of the '55 Nomad and '56 Ford, and possibly some early '40 Willys (the one in the double kit with the custom '32 Ford).  I say possibly because the first issue double kits I have had did not have that tire.  For other kits, it seems AMT tooled plastic tires when they needed those small fronts.  They did tool a hollow Firestone tire in the mid-Seventies that could pass for a Gasser front tire though.  And the new tooling altered wheelbase '65 Chevelle has narrow vinyl no-name front tires.

[dusty_shelf]

Thanks to everyone for the replies and suggestions.  I believe I have found a pair (no name) that will work for this build.  They are two-piece white plastic, which will have to be painted.  I had to sand down the uneven tread, which I think makes them look track-used.  Overall width is right at a 1/4 of an inch.  The rim in the pic is just to see how they fit.

I intend to take a few pics of the other tires I thought might be candidates, along with measurements.  Would be interested in your opinions.

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

On 12/31/2023 at 1:04 PM, dusty_shelf said:

Would be interested in your opinions.

Those tires are perfect for your application. Pick up some Tamiya TS-85 Rubber Black paint for them.... -RRR

[OldNYJim]

14 hours ago, Rocking Rodney Rat said:

Those tires are perfect for your application. Pick up some Tamiya TS-85 Rubber Black paint for them.... -RRR

Vallejo rubber black is a good one too - slightly lighter

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

7 hours ago, CabDriver said:

Vallejo rubber black

I wasn't aware of that paint, I'll have to check it out.... -RRR