Hello!
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 27
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From: Richmond, VA
Hello!
I picked up a new (to me) 1979 F-100 Custom Explorer this past weekend. He's all stock, except for the tonneau cover, which might've been a dealer install..? It uses wooden bows instead of aluminum, like others I've owned on previous trucks. I bought it off a car collector in VA who had it for a number of years. But, he bought it from the original owner from the P'burg, PA area. So, I don't know much about it. I've ordered the build sheet from Ford, which hasn't arrived yet. But, everything seems unmolested/stock and in almost new condition. It has 17k miles on it, about to flip 18K.
It has a 302, C4 trans., no A/C, and a mono AM radio. And, the Explorer trim package, of course.
Anyway, I'm noodling with what to do with the tires. I'll probably leave the 215/75/15's on there for now and make a decision when they need replacing. I want to keep it as stock as possible. But, the current set-up looks a little weak. Without lifting the thing, how large a tire can I put on the stock rims?
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2014
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From: Richmond, VA
Thanks, Steven. I plan to use this as my daily driver and the occiasional 2.5 hour trip down to the shore. So, offroads might not be the best in terms of ride/gas mileage, I'm guessing. But, perhaps some AT's..? Plenty of time to figure out. I'll just cruise along on my grandpa tires for now 
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2005
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Thanks, Steven. I plan to use this as my daily driver and the occiasional 2.5 hour trip down to the shore. So, offroads might not be the best in terms of ride/gas mileage, I'm guessing. But, perhaps some AT's..? Plenty of time to figure out. I'll just cruise along on my grandpa tires for now
Beautiful truck!
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2014
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From: Richmond, VA
Hey draglink -- We have a little place across the bay from you in Cape Charles. It's a nice little day trip from Gloucester in that Mako of yours. The town harbor has upgraded their facilities over the past few years, with a bath house/showers, a nice little pub/restaurant at the end of the harbor, etc. I have a small Whaler that we goof around in but too small to do any serious fishing in. We typically run around the barrier islands on the sea side on the weekends.
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2014
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From: Richmond, VA
Thanks, gatorfor88. So, the stock tires are 215/75/r15 tires on my rig now. If I wanted a wider tire, but to keep the aspect ratio, etc. essentially the same, can I step up to a 225/75/r15 tire?
Apologies. I'm tire-ignorant When I do change tires, I essentially don't want to change anything except the width (wider). Thanks!
Apologies. I'm tire-ignorant
When I do change tires, I essentially don't want to change anything except the width (wider). Thanks!
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 661
Likes: 21
From: Waukesha WI
Interesting suggestions. We have a 75 F-150 std cab long box. It WAS equipped with the usual wide street rod tires on spoked rims. The state of Wisconsin would not allow me
to transfer my Collector plates until I removed all of the street rod stuff and sent in
pictures. I placed ads in Craigs List. A near by used car lot / bone yard answered my ad.
For $260. he sold me a set of Firestone radials on Econoline rims. They were better then
new. My son at Firestone reversed the tires on the rims white stripe out and balanced them. I picked up a set of wheel covers and a stock steering wheel at Jefferson for $60.
Now our Stella looks like the red pick-up on the cover of the 75 F-series brochure.
The tire size is 235R75-15. With a dual truck exhaust, a blue Ford air cleaner and
working ac, Stella looks more like a civilized F-150. No street rod here. Best of
luck restoring your Explorer.
to transfer my Collector plates until I removed all of the street rod stuff and sent in
pictures. I placed ads in Craigs List. A near by used car lot / bone yard answered my ad.
For $260. he sold me a set of Firestone radials on Econoline rims. They were better then
new. My son at Firestone reversed the tires on the rims white stripe out and balanced them. I picked up a set of wheel covers and a stock steering wheel at Jefferson for $60.
Now our Stella looks like the red pick-up on the cover of the 75 F-series brochure.
The tire size is 235R75-15. With a dual truck exhaust, a blue Ford air cleaner and
working ac, Stella looks more like a civilized F-150. No street rod here. Best of
luck restoring your Explorer.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,217
Likes: 506
From: Pa.
The taller the tire the more your speedometer will be off and the further you will get away from the engineered match of motors horse power, transmission, differential gear ration , and factory tire size .. Any of these things can be changed but it's important to take into consideration how it effects the the entire system and adjust those parts accordingly ..