TRX HaustedI own a '79 Mustang Cobra that I've tried to keep stock as much as possible, including the old, increasingly hard-to-find and expensive Michelin TRX radials. Right now, the car rides on 220/55R390 TRX tires. However, since only Michelin makes the V-rated tire for the TRX wheels, the cost and availability have forced me to start looking into different rims and tires for my car. What are my best bets for replacement wheels and tires in cost and compatibility?Donny VoglerVia the Internet
The TRX wheel-and-tire combo works fine for stock street cars but, as you said, finding those tires is only going to get harder. Furthermore, you're limited to only the Michelin tire; nothing else will fit.
No need to fret, though, as I have a solution that will make your car not only drive better than ever, but it will look better, too. The best way to go would be a set of the 16x7-inch pony (or "star") wheels that came standard on all '91-'93 Mustang 5.0s, both GTs and LXs. These wheels have the same four-lug bolt pattern as your car and you can run any 16-inch tire in a variety of sizes. You should be able to find a used set of these wheels in a local auto-trader-type magazine or new from several sources in Mustang Monthly or our sister mag, 5.0 Mustang and Super Fords. Used, you should be able to pick up a set for about $400, maybe less. New, they run around $500-$600. When you buy a set, make sure they come with the center caps with the running-horse logo.
Any decent performance-oriented tire from one of many tire makers will suit. Star wheels came on '91-'93 5.0s with a Goodyear or Michelin 225/55R16 tire at each corner. However, you can easily run a slightly larger- or lower-profile tire on these wheels, such as a 225/50R16 or a 245/50R16. To give your car a nice but subtle rake and a clean overall stance, you could run 225/50s up front and 245/50s out back. However, you couldn't rotate the tires. If you want to be able to rotate and want the same size tires all around, 225/50s or 245/50s would work, though some might think the 245s look a little too big up front. I had a '90 LX convertible and installed a set of star wheels with perfectly sized Toyo Proxes T1S tires in a 235/50ZR16 size. The car was lowered about an inch and it looked great.
Finally, there are tons of 17-inch wheel-and-tire combos you could look into, but that would mean more money and you'd lose that factory look the clean star wheels give you.
Some Outside HelpI think I have some helpful information on the first two questions in the September '04 Late-Model Corral. The first question was titled "Collectible Cobras?" I have a Rio Red '97 Cobra that also has some fading of the signed engine label. I don't believe an aftermarket company such as Latemodel Restoration Supply could reproduce these, since they are authentic signatures of the actual Cobra engine builders. I contacted SVT a few months ago to see if I could get a replacement for my engine since it was built at the end of 1996 and has the ink-signed label. I wanted the aluminum stamped version used on most '97 and all '98 Cobras. They informed me they are not currently offering this to Cobra owners. Maybe if enough of us complain about the ink fading, they might decide to reproduce them for our '96-built engines with the same builders' signatures on our current labels. They could get the engine builders' names from the VIN if they are no longer readable on the label.