To Mini Tub or Not to Mini Tub

[ill steez]

I was on the fence about it for a long long time, and finally when it came time for me to redo my rear suspension, I went for it. While I still have not actually gotten my car on the road yet, and I will not be able to afford bigger tires for a little while, I still honestly think that mini tubbing and 4 linking my car are my two favorite things done to it so far. nothing gives the car as much attitude as a low stance with huge tires.

[Nine Ball]

Minitubs are purely cosmetic for 99% of the cars they are installed on, on this site. Wide rear tires look cool, that is the reason most guys install the minitubs. You can get the same deep dish look if you just narrow the rear axle and reduce the backspacing on your custom wheels when you order them. Outward visuals would appear identical, only the rear shot would be a little different due to tire width.

Here is a pic of my previous '69, it had a stock width axle and 17x10 wheels with a 5.5 backspace (Intro wheels). 275 wide tires. Most people asked me if it was minitubbed, it wasn't.



It also didn't need them to get the job done, just a tire swap:



You just need to ask yourself if the added expensive of the minitubs is worth it to you. Performance-wise, you can make a car handle damn good on the right 275 wide tires. Wider front tires would be more useful than having 345 wide rears. Not many people do mods to increase that front tire width beyond a 245 wide.

[steemin]

It also didn't need them to get the job done, just a tire swap:




Tony,
Excellent points!
That baby was the Swiss Army knife of the 1st gens.
One of my favorites..
Scott

[Tucks69]

Thanks for all of the advice. I have owned the car 23 years so resale value dosen't matter. The car will have to be pried out of my posession. I have built the car 3 times since my aquiring it in 85. Each time money and lack of a place to work on it kept me from what I call being happy with the end result. I have the killer garage and the funds, to acomplish my goal this time. I will do all the work myself. So I made up my mind to go all out. I have a 68 Camaro that I can at least drive, although it is rough it still turns heads. I will keep everybody posted on the progress. I knew the pro-touring group would cheer me on.

Mike

[monza]

Cool Shot!! I would have guessed at first glance it was tubbed.

[skinnyboy67]

I mini tubbed for the first time....LOVE THE LOOK.....DSE kit was well worth the money for the factory look.
Just go slow...double check before cutting...very simple
I even watched the $25 dvd several times....Not as informative as you would hope, but good for the templates needed for the frame cut-outs

[streetk14]

Tony,
Just makes me wonder what that '69 would have been capable of with a few more inches of rubber in back. Couldn't have hurt, that's for sure.

I also agree that you need to get a decent size tire in front to match. I'm looking to do a 275 in the front to compliment the 335s that are going in the back. Although I do have an Art Morrison C5 sub that frees up room in the front.

I still think the mini-tub is one of the coolest thing about my car, and with 600+ hp and a 6 speed it helps on the street.

Andy

[whytry]

If I only had a dollar for every time I heard "man, I should have tubbed it"...wait, I think I do. LOL

That's me right there!!! I wish I would have mini-tubbed mine before paint.

[Nine Ball]

Tony,
Just makes me wonder what that '69 would have been capable of with a few more inches of rubber in back. Couldn't have hurt, that's for sure.

For drag racing, you only want as much tire size as you can use. If you can hook on smaller tires, your car will run quicker than it would on bigger tires. Bigger tires weigh more, and slow you down on the top end. Looking at that pic above, I wasn't having any traction issues with the 28x10.5 drag slick. What the car could have used was some 4.10 gears instead of 3.73s, that would have been better suited for the 1/4. I was finishing the run in the middle of 4th gear, my trap speeds suffered. But, I built that car to do the Power Tour in, so the 3.73s were nicer on the highway.

[4MuscleMachines]

I would have mini tubbed my car if I could have fit a 275 or 285 tire up front. Since I have a stock subframe, I personally didn't go for it since I want the fronts to look larger than 245 to match the wide rear look a mini tub allows you to fit. 295 rears are good enough for me.

[Rybar]

Personally I would do it 100% if I were doing my project over again. (back then the DSE tub kit was not available) I think if you have your car torn down and are doing metal work, and are planning to replace or purchase a new rear-end, gas tank and suspension. Then I would do it in a heartbeat. It just looks so damn killer with some steamrollers out back. BTW I think SW's black '69 has 8" fronts with 245 tires. And his car looks freakin SICK!!

[Tucks69]

Personally I would do it 100% if I were doing my project over again. (back then the DSE tub kit was not available) I think if you have your car torn down and are doing metal work, and are planning to replace or purchase a new rear-end, gas tank and suspension. Then I would do it in a heartbeat. It just looks so damn killer with some steamrollers out back. BTW I think SW's black '69 has 8" fronts with 245 tires. And his car looks freakin SICK!!

Your car looks so SIC without the tubs. I have my 69 torn almost completly apart. I just installed 4 new floorpans, DSE Firewall block off plate. I plan on installing DSE subframe connectors. The rest of the body is in good shape. I totaled it twice since I have owned it. The only original piece's is the top and tail panel and inner doors.

Mike

[Rybar]

Thanks man, I still think if you have it torn down that far and are planing to buy a new tank and rear-end then tubbing is a no brainer. Trust me, you'll keep wanting or thinking of doing it if you don't. For me it's just too much to tear my whole car apart to gain that extra bit.

[awr68]

you could save some cash by going the route many did before the deep tubs were available, by splitting the factory tubs and welding in a strip of sheetmetal.

This is what I had to do since I did mine long before the Deep Tubs were available. It doubles the man hours...but saves some cash. If I was to do it again today and had the cash I would just buy the DSE DT's.

After seeing the first mock-up pic of The Mule I knew I was going to buy a welder and go for it!!

[TA219]

I am in the "no tub club" at the moment, not because i dont like them, just because of the cost involved. I knew that if i was going to get my car on the road in under a decade i would have to make certain compromises for now, the tubs were one.... but i honestly dont feel too bad about it since i know that with a little bit of work a 275 (or even 285 according to some) can fit in stock tubs and with a good tire you should have good traction.

As for the future, once the car is completed there will be several things that i re-visit and mini-tubs may be one.

[Serpa69]

Thanks for all of the advice. I have owned the car 23 years so resale value dosen't matter. The car will have to be pried out of my posession. I have built the car 3 times since my aquiring it in 85. Each time money and lack of a place to work on it kept me from what I call being happy with the end result. I have the killer garage and the funds, to acomplish my goal this time. I will do all the work myself. So I made up my mind to go all out. I have a 68 Camaro that I can at least drive, although it is rough it still turns heads. I will keep everybody posted on the progress. I knew the pro-touring group would cheer me on.

Mike

Keep it up I got mine in 1989 and have built it a couple of times myself. I have always just did to the car that I thought looked good. Half the people here will say they like something the other will say nicely that it sucks.