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Written by Jack DeRyke
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The OEM BFG space-saver spare was the subject of a Ford recall in the mid-70s, due to the thing being unsafe to use. This is the BFG that in the folded mode has a perfectly flat tread area with a sharp edge where the sidewall attaches, and it was on a std 7x 14" Ford steel wheel. There may be rubber flashing hanging on unused ones. These wre essentially 4-ply inner tubes, good for 50 miles at a max speed of 50mph.
The original space saver tire was replaced by another from BFG with a rounder profile and more substantial appearance, the same tire size, same wheel etc. If you have added bigger brakes, the OEM 14" wheel will no longer fit, it being marginal to start with. But wrecking yards are full of 16" or larger space-savers from Ford, GM etc that will possibly fit over big brakes. I redrilled a forged-aluminum Thunderbird spare wheel to fit the Pantera that uses a high-pressure non-folding tire and clears the biggest brakes. The tire looks like a motorcycle tire and runs at around 50 psi. It will not fit well in the front trunk but does in the rear. I also converted a 16x8" Porsche forged-aluminum wheel to the Pantera bolt-circle and had a space-saver mounted on it for a high-dollar Pantera owner. Dunno where he mounted it....Your Posi clutches may indeed be at risk if you go very far on one.
You might have trouble getting a corner gas station tire shop to mount a collapsible space-saver tire on a rim, but a savvy shop can do it without trouble or damage. However, I've yet to find a shop that can DISMOUNT one already on some kind of wheel, so be warned. FWIW, I currently carry a 14x 7" drag-race rim with a late BFG space saver mounted on it. The 9-lb spun-aluminum Weld rim is supposed to be only for drag racing but the space saver tire is only good for 50 mph max, so I see no way the wheel will be over-stressed and the assembly is 1/2 the wt of the stocker & fits in either trunk.
Finally, a collapsible spare does no good if you don't have an inflator can, and there are two types. One is a steel can full of pressurized PROPANE! Veterans will recognize this as a BOMB! How, in the nanny-state of CA this is sellable I don't know, but they are available in cut-rate auto parts stores all over. If it says "WARNING-EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE", set it down gently and leave the premises. These bombs have 'cooked off' in the hot front AND rear trunks of Panteras, causing substantial damage. The other type is full of non-combustable gases and I recommend this one. Be sure it also has the fill hose with an adapter to fit your valve stem.
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