Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

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61droptop
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Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by 61droptop »

So I am putting the finishing touches on my 61 convertible. I am trying to keep it as original as possible. I purchased a set of 5 Coker 950-14 (29.50 diameter x 9.05 wide) tires as that was the closest to the original size I could find (slightly smaller than original). To my surprise, when I put the spare tire in, the convertible top hits. Hard to imagine that a 61 would have a smaller spare but this is the only thing I can think of. Is this the case? If so, what is the size of the spare?

Also, speaking of the trunk, I have all the Jack parts but I have no idea where and how they mount. Does anyone have a picture or schematic of the jack in the car?

Thanks for any help,

Bryan
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LithiumCobalt
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by LithiumCobalt »

Brian, can't really help you on the tire size. Seems very odd that Ford would have made the spare a different size. I know the trunk space was smaller on early years, but that's only anecdotal. Here are some photos the jack assembly correctly installed in my '67 sedan:

Flapper closed:
5F2F9A76-E27B-4138-BBE8-063237FFE78E.jpeg
Flapper open:
FC7A669D-32CD-46F1-BB8C-39837B7ACACE.jpeg
I don't know what setup there was on 61's or if the convertible stuff occupies this space or not.
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by 61droptop »

Thanks for the pics. I can now see how the jack components mount together. Super helpful! I see that I am missing the top hook and the spring to hold the jack components together. I put a call into Lincoln Land and they are working on it. After talking with Lincoln Land, it appears that the jack components are the same as your 67 but my 61 has the the jack mount on the drivers side where yours mounts on the passenger side. Thanks for the help.
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LithiumCobalt
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by LithiumCobalt »

Good deal - glad I could help out. Did you figure out the story on the spare tire?
Nick
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tomo
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by tomo »

Here are a lot of photos of a 62 convertible. You might find some clues as to what your problem with the spare could be. I don't know if the car is correct.

https://classiccars.com/listings/view/1 ... ohio-44056
Tom O'Donnell
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by 61droptop »

Those are great pics. Thanks! I wish my trunk looked like that. Still no idea about why the spare hits. The manuals says I need to rotate the tires including the spare. That tells me it was a full size spare. I guess I'll just let some air out of the spare and see if that works!
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tomo
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by tomo »

Where is the top hitting the tire, on the top or in the tread area?
Tom O'Donnell
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Bill Prince
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by Bill Prince »

Sorry that this is only from memory, but...

I had the same issue with new tires on my 1961 convertible. top hit the spare tire when stored.
As I recall, there actually was a service bulletin back in the day on this design issue.
The fix was explained, including cutting away some of the floor mat, and maybe some other things (to get the tire to mount lower in it's well).
However, I was not able to get mine to work, so I simply bought a one size smaller tire to be the spare. No one would ever know.
Now I have an extra normal size new tire in my storage shed!
Thanks,
Bill

1961 Lincoln Continental Convertible (White/Blue), 1961 Lincoln Continental Sedan (White/Blue - 37K miles), 1972 Mark IV (Pastel Lime/Green). See photos of my cars at Cardomain.com - search for gormanwpjr
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by 61droptop »

So I tried to make that spare tire fit again today. If I place the tire into the bottom lip of the spare tire wheel, the top of the spare tire sticks up above the trunk. If I push the spare tire down so the deck lid can clear, the convertible top hits the bottom of the spare tire when I retract the roof. It's not even close to clearing. Either the original tire size on that car is radically different than the Coker bias 950-14's I have, the car did not come with a spare, or their was a smaller spare tire.

I like the Service Bulletin idea because it explains why it doesn't fit. I wonder what the Service Bulletin fix was. It's hard to believe that car rolled off the assembly line into dealerships without a proper fitting spare. The car is an early model 61 and I know they made lot's of changes during the model year. Maybe that was one of them.

Thanks for all the questions and answers everyone!
Attachments
sparetire.jpg
sparetire1.jpg
sparetire2.jpg
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Bill Prince
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by Bill Prince »

I should be able to get over to my building where my 61 convertible is stored this week. I will check the size of the tire on the car and the size of the spare that I used.
I was also not able to get the same size tire that was on the car fit in the trunk. I gave up and simple bought a size smaller tire. No one can tell the difference - even if looking at the spare, although I made a cover for it.

At least I have a usable spare should I need it, and the top goes down into the trunk and fits.
Thanks,
Bill

1961 Lincoln Continental Convertible (White/Blue), 1961 Lincoln Continental Sedan (White/Blue - 37K miles), 1972 Mark IV (Pastel Lime/Green). See photos of my cars at Cardomain.com - search for gormanwpjr
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Bill Prince
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by Bill Prince »

I looked in the file on my 61 conv.

It looks like I order a single tire for my car (meaning for the spare) in 2009.
The size was 8.00 x 14 Goodyear 2 1/2" white wall.

The tires on the car are (I think), 9.50 x 14 (as per the spare that did not fit, that is in my storage shed)

So, that is one way to make things work!
Thanks,
Bill

1961 Lincoln Continental Convertible (White/Blue), 1961 Lincoln Continental Sedan (White/Blue - 37K miles), 1972 Mark IV (Pastel Lime/Green). See photos of my cars at Cardomain.com - search for gormanwpjr
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by 61droptop »

Thanks Bill!

That seems like the best answer to my problem. I was wondering what size tire to buy to make it work. You just took the guesswork out of it! Thanks!
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by Ken Stevens »

I converted my 61 convertible to 15” wheels and mounted 235/75 tires. The diameter is slightly less than the fat OEM 950x14. That size spare fits, but barely. The trunk liner cover for the spare is now too small so it looks funny in there. I Initially questioned the need for a spare but paranoia made me put one in.
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Bill Prince
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by Bill Prince »

I found this picture of my spare tire with my custom made tire cover with the Continental Star painted on it with a permanent marker.
1961 Lincoln Continental convertible 8.00 x 14 spare tire and tire cover
1961 Lincoln Continental convertible 8.00 x 14 spare tire and tire cover
Thanks,
Bill

1961 Lincoln Continental Convertible (White/Blue), 1961 Lincoln Continental Sedan (White/Blue - 37K miles), 1972 Mark IV (Pastel Lime/Green). See photos of my cars at Cardomain.com - search for gormanwpjr
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Re: Spare Tire and Jack Assembly

Post by 61droptop »

Bill....
Great looking cover. But I really like the shot of your Jack assembly. I have pics from other cars. The owner of Lincoln Land even sent me a pic of his 61 Jack assembly and it looks different than yours. Is that the stock set up for mounting a 61 jack and accessories?
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