History of wheel wells

[Sarah Gravydog316]

Hi, my late dad left me his '49 Ford, & it has the spare in the trunk standing up on the inside,

so I was wondering when the spare got moved to it's modern hidden wheel well at the bottom of the trunk?

I was just looking online & can't find any history.

Does anyone know any history?

Just wondering. 😊

(example pix:)

 

1,600 × 900

Edited May 24 by Sarah Gravydog316
pic delete (see edit history)

[keiser31]

Probably with compact cars in the early '60's like Plymouth Valiant.

[JFranklin]

My 1936 Chevy has the tire hidden in the trunk.

[Pfeil]

39 minutes ago, Sarah Gravydog316 said:

Hi, my late dad left me his '49 Ford, & it has the spare in the trunk standing up on the inside,

so I was wondering when the spare got moved to it's modern hidden wheel well at the bottom of the trunk?

I was just looking online & can't find any history.

Does anyone know any history?

Just wondering. 😊

(example pix:)

 

1,600 × 900

Are you talking about just Ford, and what Ford model, Tbird, standard Ford, Skyliner? or if the standard Ford had a continental kit on the rear? Standard Ford that has a lay down spare in 1960, 59's are upright.

[m-mman]

You are inquiring about having the spare lay in a depression in the trunk floor and be covered with the mat.  There were a couple of prewar cars that did this BUT having the spare vertical was the improvement and the desired location.  
 

In the good old days, cars had a lot of flat tires.  On a cross country trip you would expect at least one and possibly more. Changing tires on the side of the road was as common in motoring as adding fuel. 
 

So, imagine yourself on a long trip with a trunk full of luggage and parcels.  You have a flat. If the spare is under the trunk floor then you have to empty the entire contents onto the shoulder to remove the spare and replace the flat.  
 

However if the spare is vertically to one side then you only need to move or remove a few items to get the spare. Much, much easier!

 

Today flats are unheard of and many cars don’t even carry a spare or tools to change a tire. If there is a spare chances of using it are low so you want it out of the way. 
 

This was a good question for understanding how cars were designed to be used in their own time. If you ever see features on old cars that look foolish from a modern perspective, you will likely find that they were very practical and necessary when the car was new.  

[marcapra]

I have seen pictures of 1930s MoPars with the spare sitting flat on the trunk with a shelf above it, and I have seen Mopar business coupes from 1941 and maybe earlier with the spare tire standing up right behind the driver's seat.  

[Rusty_OToole]

First American car I know of with the spare laid flat in the trunk was the 1953 Studebaker. The body was so low there was no room for it to sit upright.

I am sure there were other cars before with the tire laid flat. For example the English Austin 40 Devon had a compartment under the trunk for the spare. Like the hidden wheel well you mention, except it had a separate opening.

Edited May 24 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

My 1966 Dodge Coronet has a spare laid flat under the floor, with a hardboard cover, and the rubber floor mat over that. Not exactly like the new cars but very similar. I don't know when they started doing that but doubt mine was the first.

[keiser31]

Here is the 1960 Valiant trunk with floor recess. It came with a spare tire cover.

Edited May 24 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[kramaton]

Had a 1937 Chrysler sedan with the spare laying flat in the trunk. It was below a wooden shelf. 

[JACK M]

Corvair put the spare in the engine compartment.

[keiser31]

1 hour ago, kramaton said:

Had a 1937 Chrysler sedan with the spare laying flat in the trunk. It was below a wooden shelf. 

One of my 1936 Dodge Brothers sedans had that setup, too.

[JRA]

On 5/24/2024 at 2:07 AM, m-mman said:

You are inquiring about having the spare lay in a depression in the trunk floor and be covered with the mat.  There were a couple of prewar cars that did this BUT having the spare vertical was the improvement and the desired location.  
 

In the good old days, cars had a lot of flat tires.  On a cross country trip you would expect at least one and possibly more. Changing tires on the side of the road was as common in motoring as adding fuel. 
 

So, imagine yourself on a long trip with a trunk full of luggage and parcels.  You have a flat. If the spare is under the trunk floor then you have to empty the entire contents onto the shoulder to remove the spare and replace the flat.  
 

However if the spare is vertically to one side then you only need to move or remove a few items to get the spare. Much, much easier!

 

Today flats are unheard of and many cars don’t even carry a spare or tools to change a tire. If there is a spare chances of using it are low so you want it out of the way. 
 

This was a good question for understanding how cars were designed to be used in their own time. If you ever see features on old cars that look foolish from a modern perspective, you will likely find that they were very practical and necessary when the car was new.  

Quality and technology of today’s tires are quite impressive. Back in 1910s and 1920s, dual spare tires were a true necessity.

 

 

Edited May 25 by JRA (see edit history)

[Tom Boehm]

My 1940 Lasalle Woodie station wagon has a compartment for the spare tire under the cargo floor. The 1940 Buick woodie station wagon had the same arrangement but with an exterior door under the tailgate. That is a good solution. No cargo at all has to be removed to change a tire. 

[tom_in_nh]

Subaru's in the 80's had a spare tire in the engine compartment, laid flat above the engine!