VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 1931 Tires

hi fellas...need some info regarding tires. I'm ready to purchase new skins...the tires on the car all mismatched makes and models..however the sizes are the same 4.75x5.00x19...is this the correct size for the car?...1931 Chev Cabriolet...i am going to order from Coker...I'm assuming i will need tubes for them..do i need the tire flaps as well or is it some type of liner...I'm going with a blackwall prolly a firestone or a BFG..basically when i call them what do i tell them i need...thanx a bunch...Cheers

Jimmy T
'31 Chev Cabriolet

I got new Tires, Tubes, & Flaps to make sure all is well.

Flaps are like a liner, they protect the Tube from Wheel (rim).

Check your rims for the tube stem location. Some are in the center and some toward the outside (offset). I am not sure what a 31 had as standard. The original tire size was 4.75x19 but the 4.75-5.00x 19 is the standard replacement. Also the tubes will fit a variety of tire sizes so don't be alarmed when you get them and they are listed for several tire sizes. Check out their website and educate yourself on all the different options such as rubber stems or metal and the different retainers for the stems.

Goodyear Diamond Tread makes a 4.75X19 Tire. I got mine at the Early Ford Store for our '31

thanx a bunch...when you mean check the website you mean to check out the Coker website?...what is meant by valve stem retainer?..

I just checked the early ford store..did not find tires..specifically the Goodyear you mentioned..no big deal...thanx a bunch

The Goodyears are at Kelsey tire. We have a contact for all club members for those tires. 816-654-3400. I think his name is Rusty. He's smallhurst here....Joe

When you call Coker (or any other vintage tire company) they will be able to answer the above question, and other questions as well, when you inquire about their tires.

Hi Jimmy,

Glad to see someone putting black walls on a cabriolet. That is what I plan to do with my cabriolet. Most restorers succumb to the temptation to add side mounts and wide whites.

I googled the aforementioned tires and found them at Universal tire.

Roger

https://www.universaltire.com/475-19-goodyear-blackwall.html

I ordered from Coker and both times the sales person was not as informed as he should have been. I ordered my tires and tubes and only supplied the tire size for my 32 Chevy. They sent the wrong tubes (offset stems) which I was unaware of. Neither was the shop that mounted them as they explained they had a hard time getting the stems to line up in the rim. A few years later when the tubes started failing I ordered new tubes from Coker and was told they did not have them in stock as all they had in my size was center stem tubes. I then inquired about the difference and after getting educated informed him that my wheels are center stem design so ship me the tubes. Being an educated buyer can save a lot of headaches so that is why I advised above to visit their website and become familiar with all the different options and names of items. Not all people use the same terminology.

When you install the tubes make sure that you use talcum powder on the tubes to keep them from chafing against the tire and wheel. you can also use gorilla tape for the spoke covers in the center of the wheel, they originally used a cloth tape like the cloth electrical tape you can get, only it was as wide as the center of the wheel.

I purchased my 4 WW tires, 4.75-5.00-19 from Summit Racing Equipment. They are Cooker tires and the cost is about half.

These days, any tire repair/replace shops that service the big 20" and larger car tires, install and balance 19" tires.