Radial vs. Bias ply

[john2dameron]

I bought a new Chrysler 300 convertible in 1968 with what Chrysler called styled wheels, chrome wheels, no wheel covers. It came with bias ply tires and I don't think I ever got 6,000 miles out of a set. Also could not keep the torsion bars adjusted. Every few thousand miles the front would be sitting an inch or more low and the tires were worn out. Finally I put Michelin radials on the car. Tire mileage almost tripled. Never put another bias ply on it and never had a wheel failure. By the way, I think the upper class cars of the 30's and 40's look naked without wide white walls.

Edited March 15, 2011 by john2dameron
correction (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

Jim and Friends, My car is parked in front of Bennett Buick, Wayland, NY. Three generations of Buick sales from that location; Buicks in 1921 and Buicks in 2011, pretty good record.

As to the choice of whitewalls, I don't have them on my truck.

Bernie

[Barry Wolk]

I like 'em, the cars and the white walls on them.

Now, I'm debating whether to replace the wide whites on the '41 Ford pick-up with blackwall tires, or not. The truck is dolled up to look like a Deluxe, but was originally lowly farm truck. I'm told that wide whites were available, but they sure didn't come on it originally. I may buy a set of wheels and black wall radial tires for driving, and keep the current set for show.

My '33 Continental Flyer was available with wide whites, too. I doubt though, that many came that way as this was a car bought by frugal people. I replaced the bias-ply with like product. I plan on driving the car across Michigan on US-12 and Red Arrow Highway. I will report how well new bias-ply does with a restored suspension.

[Guest Jim_Edwards]

Jim and Friends, My car is parked in front of Bennett Buick, Wayland, NY. Three generations of Buick sales from that location; Buicks in 1921 and Buicks in 2011, pretty good record.

As to the choice of whitewalls, I don't have them on my truck.

Bernie

Amazing! Our local Buick Dealership has been in the same family since sometime before 1915 (one of these days I'm going to have ask about when they were appointed dealers) and still going strong as a Buick/GMC dealer. Economic downturn be damned. I always get a kick out of looking at the 1941 Roadmaster they have. All original and still looking and running good.

Like many dealerships they were forced by GM to build a new facility six or seven years ago and their location for many, many years is just sitting. I've thought several times about leasing all or part of it to open a restoration business. But have talked myself out of the idea several times because I'm not sure I want to abandon retirement and have to worry about a bunch of employees again.

Jim

[60FlatTop]

I like that truck! Wouldn't change a thing.

Here is the whitewall AND 7.10 X 15 biased tire that is supposed to be on the Riviera. this is the one without the tire rub marks on the frame and inner fender.

Jeez, a buggy bumper.

Bernie

[Guest Skyking]

I've had radial tires on stock wheels and driven over 30,000 miles in 21 years in my 62 Buick. I couldn't imagine driving that car with bias plys.

[Guest Kingoftheroad]

I have no preference blackwall, whitewall, or raised white letters. I buy whatever looks best on the car I'm buying the tires for.

The whitewalls on the '41 Ford truck & on the Porsche 356 really look great ! Whether they came from the factory like that or not.

[buick5563]

Most important to this discussion is the fact that a radial will never FIX a problem in the front end. I have driven all over the country with bias ply tires on a well rebuilt and properly functioning 55 year old Buick. I can go down the road at 70 mph with one hand on the wheel.

Oh, and I learned to drive in 1983, so I was used to radials already.

Wouldn't wide whitewall bias ply tires last forever if they were only used at judged events?

[Shop Rat]

Now, I'm debating whether to replace the wide whites on the '41 Ford pick-up with blackwall tires, or not. The truck is dolled up to look like a Deluxe, but was originally lowly farm truck. I'm told that wide whites were available, but they sure didn't come on it originally. I may buy a set of wheels and black wall radial tires for driving, and keep the current set for show.

My '33 Continental Flyer was available with wide whites, too. I doubt though, that many came that way as this was a car bought by frugal people. I replaced the bias-ply with like product. I plan on driving the car across Michigan on US-12 and Red Arrow Highway. I will report how well new bias-ply does with a restored suspension.

I inherited my father's love of red vehicles with lots of chrome and some "snap" to the look. That red truck would fit the bill for Dad and me. And the wide white walls are the "snap". :cool:

[R Walling]

Early on in this thread there was mention of flexing of the wheel by using radials on bias ply rims.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

This led me to think about a wheel on my 55 Chrysler that broke as I was going into a corner.<o:p></o:p>

The wheel split the outer bead area 1/2 way around the wheel<o:p></o:p>

It was clearly a fatigue brake and I always wondered how a wheel could split half way around with a tubeless tire on it with out losing air, way before it broke completely.<o:p></o:p>

Come to think of it, I did lose a hubcap on that wheel once!

I must be a slow thinker, it took me 50 years to figure this out!

:D:D