I was looking at some ads for the 1926 Model T's. There talked about the options and mentioned that 'balloon tires' were $25 extra. If you didn't purchase balloon tires what did you get as standard equipment?

That was a lot of money in 1926. My grandfather's '26 Fordor, (which I had on the MI Jamboree), had no mention of balloon tires on the bill of sale. It did include bumpers, speedo, steering lock, gas & oil, and a spare rim as extra charges but, not balloon tires.

I assume you would have gotten 30 x 3-1/2 clinchers, otherwise.

In 1926, the most sold did have electric starter, so the car was normally fitted with split rim demountable balloon tires on 21" wood spoke wheels.

If you did not want to pay the dealer for that equipment, the options could be demountable clincher tires on 23" wood spoke wheels.

Or if you wanted the lowest price Ford, request the non-starter car, that came with fixed rim, clincher tires on 23" wood wheels.

Here is a 'plain Jane' '27 runabout, equipped that way with clincher tires and non-demountable wheels.



Below invoice shows the basic sold car, with split(S) rim demountable(D) balloon tires. And note the spare balloon tire and tube cost extra too.

My '26 touring came with starter and demountable clinchers (30 X 3 1/2). No top saddles.

Forgive my ignorance, but clinchers do not have an inner tube?

Mike

Yes, clinchers still have an inner tube.

Now there's a good project, if it hasn't already been done: a history of the development of the pueumatic tire.

Here's a list from wiki:

Chronology This section's factual accuracy is disputed. Please help to ensure that disputed facts are reliably sourced. See the relevant discussion on the talk page. (August 2008)

1846 – Robert William Thomson invents and patents the pneumatic tire
1880s – John Boyd Dunlop begins taping pneumatic tires to bicycle wheels[5]
1888 – First commercial pneumatic bicycle tire produced by Dunlop
1889 – Dunlop patents the pneumatic tire in the UK
1889 – Adolphe Clément sees a Dunlop pneumatic tire in London and acquires the French manufacturing rights for 50,000 francs
1890 – Dunlop, and William Harvey Du Cros begin production of pneumatic tires in Ireland; thickened beads, wire retainers, and shaped rims make taping tires to rims unnecessary.[5]
1890 – Bartlett Clincher rim introduced
1891 – Dunlop's patent invalidated in favor of Thomson’s
1891 – The Michelin brothers patent a removable pneumatic tire, used by Charles Terront to win the world's first long distance cycle race, Paris–Brest–Paris.
1892 – Beaded edge tires introduced in the U.S.
1893 – Cotton reinforcing cords have appeared[5]
1894 – E.J. Pennington invents the first balloon tire
1895 – Michelin introduces pneumatic automobile tires; André Michelin uses corded tires in Paris-Bordeaux-Paris rally:[5] by 1897, they are standard racing tires[5]
1898 – Schrader valve stem patented
1900 – Cord tires introduced by Palmer (England) and BFGoodrich (U.S.)
1903 – Goodyear Tire Company patents the first tubeless tire, which was introduced in 1954 by Goodyear on Packards)[6]
1904 – Goodyear and Firestone start producing cord-reinforced tires
1904 – Mountable rims introduced, allowing drivers to fix their own flats
1906 – First pneumatic aircraft tire
1908 – Frank Seiberling invents grooved tires with improved road traction
1900s – Tire companies experiment with adding leather, wood, and steel to improve durability[5]
1910 – Silvertown Rubber Company (London) adds carbon black to white rubber, increasing durability: now universal[5]
1919 – Goodyear and Dunlop announce pneumatic truck tires[7]
1923 – First balloon tire, named for larger cross section and lower pressure, introduced by Firestone: debut on the first Chrysler, the 70, in 1924[5]
1929 – Solid automobile tires cease to be used[5]

The list goes on, but nothing important has happened since 1929.

rdr

So balloon and inner tube are not same? Balloon tires are 'larger cross section and lower pressure" that's all?

Yep, Only need about 32 psi rather than the 55-60 psi of the clincher. Makes a difference in the ride.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/50893/77875.html?1231450683

First tubeless tire in 1903? Woulda never guessed.

RDR

Steel belted tires in the 1960's?

Neil

Neil,
"ClassicCar.com" says that Michelin introduced steel belted radial tires in 1948.
Roar

In 1968, while working part-time as a mechanic at the Sears Automotive Center, Oakbrook, Illinois, I bought and installed a set of four Michelin steel belted radial tires on my car. I can't remember what the savings was, but I'm pretty sure it was about half-price for Sears employees. The deal was, Sears was trying to get the new steel belted radials out in the public and being talked about. The point is, that was definately in 1968. For what it's worth,..........harold

I don't recall the year, but when I got my first radials (1968?) people would often tell me my tires were going flat.

My first radials were on a 67 Chevelle. When I got home with them I called the tire dealer and complained they hadn't pumped them up enough. They looked half flat. He assured me they were supposed to look half flat. I still remember checking them myself and they were at 33 psi.

One thing, or did I miss it. Straight-side as opposed to clincher tires were used on numerous marques of cars from about 1908 until balloon tires became common about 1925. "Straight-side" is still used to differentiate the smaller high-pressure tires from the "balloon" tires even though they are also straight sided. Evolving language can create confusion.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2