As I finish up my RHT, I just have a couple of small items to address, and one was the spare tire. Of all the things ford did to make a RHt they really droped the ball on the spare. This morning I put the spare in and what a pain in the ass. There is NO way my wife or yours could handle changing a tire back in the day. I don't have a luggage tub yet and may never get one. A good friend of mine, who also has a RHT said if you did have a flat you had to take all the luggage out remove the tub then take out the spare. If you got though all of that you just hoped you didn't screw up the rear 1/4 or throw your back out getting the tire on the ground. A good usable continental kit would have saved a lot of pain and trouble. I know one thing for sure, if I ever have a flat with this car AAA will be my first call.
Back in the day, I only ever tried to get the spare out once. Did I say tried?
Get a donut spare from a newer Ford, keep it in the tub.
It might have been easier to hang it underneath like a pickup truck.
Btw when was the last time you saw a woman change a flat.....LOL!
Ron.
The spare tire situation in the Retractable is truly one of "Fords better ideas"! Given the engineering required to make the top system work as it does (pre computer days) one would think a better idea for the spare could be found?
Alvin,
I had a similar experience with my Skyliner a couple years ago. My wife and I were cruising through a local state park (with the top retracted, of course) and pulled over at a scenic stop so I could get a couple of pics of the car. Then I noticed the right rear tire going down. So, I started the process of changing the tire (first, had to get the roof back in place out of the trunk, then crawl over the rear fender/quarter panel into the trunk and remove the tub, then remove the spare from under the floor and move everything in place). By this time I was dripping with sweat (hot summer day), but got the jack in place and got the thing jacked up, only to discover that the jack handle that came with the car did not fit the lug nuts, so I walked to a nearby house we had passed where a guy was mowing his large lawn (carrying my jack handle so I could try to borrow a correct sized wrench). The guy was very nice, even brought me back to the car in his "Gator" utility vehicle (I had told him about the car and he wanted to see it). All in all, it was quite an hour of frustration and work, but made a new friend and got the car back on the road. I now carry extra blocking and a 4-way tire wrench in my "tub". But I would certainly have to agree that changing a tire on a Skyliner is quite an exercise. Interestingly enough, when I bought the car it had a Continental Kit, but I really don't like the look of the car with the kit, so i removed it.
I'm sure Ford went through quite a few design ideas before settling on the "spare under the tub" idea. I still love the car and this little quirk just adds to the stories you can tell about your old car. I do recall seeing a Skyliner commercial from 1957 where the guy was talking about the spare tire being "easily accessed under the floor of the trunk if needed". I don't think he ever really changed a tire.
Dave
Ron, it has been a while sense I saw a woman change a tire. Where I grew up in western SD it was not uncommon to see a woman change a tire, some could change one as fast as a man. Hell some of them old girls would have a baby around 7:00 in the morning and be out working in thier garden by noon.
Alvin,
When asked what his wife made the most for dinners a friend said,
Reservations.
Ron.