Random Question - Trans Am Tires

[sadil]

Why did vintage trans am cars have such small diameter wheels, and massive fat tires? The Boss 302 Trans Am car had like a 12 inch wide tire, and really small wheels. Is there an explanation to this?

Sarosh

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

In the most generalized sense: tire technology in the 1960s and 1970s was not what it is today.

 

[Sesshomurai]

And also the race cars shared parts with street cars and vice versa. Bigger wheels and tires would have required a bunch of other parts and suspension to change to support it. The street versions just didnt have the demand for those parts and they didnt exist.

 

[VoodooBoss]

F1 cars run almost the same tire PJ ran on his 1970 Boss.

 

[CaliMR]

IMO the reason to run large wheels is to allow large brakes. They didn't use BBK back then, and the tire technology was not so good, so the rims would have been heavy and prone to cracking (sidewalls were squishy) for no real benefit. At the time the balloons were considered cool also, which is the real reason modern street cars run them.