When I think of the size of the tires (30 x 3-1/2 and 30 x 3) on the Model T’s, I am reminded of the introduction of the balloon tires, in about 1924 or 1925. These were 29 x 4.40 and they really looked big. They were, of course, much smaller than the ones that we now use and they were not near as serviceable. The high pressure tires that we used before the balloons were inflated to 55 or 60 pounds, while the balloons only required 30 to 35 pounds. All tires required inner tubes.

The early cars all had “Clincher” rims. That indicates a wheel that is constructed with grooves around it’s circumference, into which matching beads, on the tire, fit. Yet today, you sometimes hear a person refer to a “tire iron”. That is the flat piece of heavy metal that was used to remove and re-install the clincher tires. The rims were not removable, they were made a permanent part of the wheel. It was a real trick to get a tire off and back on one of those clincher rims, without pinching a hole in the tube, with the tire iron. Every Model T came with two tire irons, a combination spark plug and head bolt wrench, a pair of pliers and a gasoline measuring stick. I can’t be real sure, but I think that an adjustable, monkey wrench came along, also. The demountable rim came along later and even later came the Drop Center Wheel, that we have today.

I guess that is probably about enough about the Model T. I could go on for hours, talking about them and never stretch the truth, one bit, but lets get on to something else.