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The thought continues to haunt me "what if I get a flat on a rear tire?"

If my car had the original size tires 8.20-15 (I believe), would this size clear the fender without jacking the car up so far?

When I installed the current L78 15 tires I had a floor jack under the frame in front of the wheel with the skirt removed. I had run out of jack when I got the car far enough in the air to remove the tire past the fender opening.

I suppose the bumper jack would raise the car far enough to do the job but I don't want to mess up a newly chromed bumper.

I was thinking of finding a scissors type jack in a junk yard that would raise the frame far enough to get a rear wheel off and carry it in the trunk.

Jim

Fender clearance 'tis the price one pays for the incorrect profile tires. I suggest you carry a battery-powered air pump with you on tour as you'll likely have to deflate tires to remove and mount, then reinflate. At least that's the experience of some others who have gone the same way.

My experience with the letter-series tires is that they didn't have great handling properties. But their plus is that they are inexpensive.

A issue that comes up now is that with the rechromed bumpers most people don't want to use bumper jack which can bend which is a big $$$$ . Floor or sissors jacks won't let the suspension hang down like they do with bumper jack.
You may need to carry some wood blocks to get the floor jack or sissors jack to get the desired heighth. I made a few in the garage tests to find what was needed to get the desired effect if I have to change rear tire on the road. A little time spent in the comfort of garage will make the road change easy. Plus with my luck if I plan for it I will not need the plan. If no plan it will occur at night or when its raining with no one around for help. As the Boy Scouts say be prepared

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My '48 has L78s on it now, which are way to big. The original tire size for the 22nd series is a 7.60-15, and that translates to a 225 75R15 radial.

My car still had the original size 7.60 15 spare, and it is 3/4" shorter (radius). That's 1-1/2" less than the L78. No wonder there was interference when changing a flat.

My goal is to have the proper size and look tires on my car, but I needed to act fast and the set of used tires which I got for cheap are the same size as what were on the car when I bought it last fall.

Then at the price of Ethyl Gas substitute I'm not sure how much roadwork the old girl will get in the near future.

I'm thinking I can find a scissors type jack and modify it in a permanent way so it will raise the car far enough and safe enough to let the suspension drop far enough to get the spare on if need be chocking a front wheel first.

When I mounted the current tires just a month or so ago I used my small crappy floor jack which doesn't go up as high as it should, and used blocks which I don't think is safe. I jacked the frame just in front of the rear wheel I was removing and did get it high enough to remove the inflated tire without dragging on the fender.

I wanted something to carry to jack it up with in place of the bumper jack which is always scary to use.

I'm not sure they make a 6 volt air compressor. I used to own a 1915 Jeffery Touring car which had a built-in air compressor with a long hose under the front seat.

Jim

Without checking the parts books, I believe 1932 was the last year Packard offered a transmission-driven air pump for tire inflation. Compressor for 1930 shown.

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