What to do with beautiful original tires - 27 years old

[Marty Roth]

4 hours ago, Dynaflash8 said:

I called my tire guy Marty and he said MAXXIM is made by General which is a longtime good American brand.

 

Sounds great Marty.  Thanks.  I've never heard of MAXXIM brand, but I'm sure my tire dealer has.  Earl

 

Earl, you can also order MAXXIM on-line through AMAZON.com and other sources

 

Driving the 17,xxx mile Corvair Monza convertible home to New Orleans from the last Ocala Meet, I had one of the older radial tires develop a tread separation and start to vibrate. Fortunately I was able to get to the shoulder before doing any damage to the car which had just received her award the prior day. I got on-line and ordered a new set of 5 MAXXIM narrow whitewall radials via AMAZON and they were delivered to my home with free shipping in 2 days. They are a pleasure to drive on, and were very modestly priced.

[Robert Street]

5 hours ago, Dynaflash8 said:

Robert, We checked all the rubber hoses and belts and they look perfect, not too hard or soft.  The weather here won't be hot until about March, and I plan to buy tires by then.  I have thought about using these tires to go to the AACA National in Ocala (125 miles away) in February.  Then my wife needs a second surgery so the next time I'll need the car is (hopefully) for the AACA SE Divisional Tour in NC at the end of April.  But, I've thought about taking it down to a January show in Miami.  We'll see.  I have thought about maybe changing the antifreeze when I do my oil change (soon).  If I thought my tires were old, Matt Harwood has just gotten a 56 Olds with 3600 miles and the original tires on it.

I plan on showing something again at Ocala next year (36B) Look for you on showfield after the judging

Robert

[John_Mereness]

On 12/5/2018 at 1:11 PM, lump said:

Right now I am slowly changing out the Gehrig tires on my 1923 Hupmobile. My parents bought those tires when they first got the Hupp, in 1962, and the car has been driven on those Gehrig tires ever since. When I mentioned that tire brand to my buddy Corky Coker, he looked at me in surprise and shock and asked me, "Do you know when Gehrig Tire went out of business?" When indicated that I did not, he continued, "1961! And you're hauling your grand babies around in an open touring car on 57 year old tires?" 

 

I knew he was right, and I had experienced one failure a while back, when a bulge and big crack developed on the sidewall of one tire. I switched it with the spare, and kept on driving on the other four. But now, thinking about the safety factor in our open touring car, I bought 4 new BF Goodrich tires. I'll save one of the Gehrigs for a spare, just for nostalgia. LOL

 

[padgett]

Just some thoughts

- ST (special trailer) tires are rated for 65 mph max (a few allow 70 with a 5 psi overfill)

- In a car someone paying attention can usually feel a tire problem before it gets bad. You cannot for a trailer.

- I had a set of WiFi TPMS for my camper (the normal BT ones did not have the range I needed) that reported both psi and temperature. Few have.

- I prefer either Michelin, BFG (same company), or Continentals.

 

Did not understand stagger on a production road car in 1970 (Chrysler) and still don't. Do have staggered tires on the Judge because the rears I like won't fit on the front.

[Dynaflash8]

Robert Street I don't know if I'll run these tires to Ocala or not.  A lot depends on my wife's health too, in that I'd like to take the '41 Buick up there too.  It is possible I could drive the '41 and she drive the Park.  If I do that I'll definitely put tires on the Park Avenue first, no question about it.

 

Marty Roth, the only place I could find MAXXIM tires was from Coker.  I've pretty much settled on either the Cooper Trendsetter SE or the Ironman 96-S made for Hercules by Cooper.  I can get both of them locally.  The Ironman promises more silent running.  Both of those tires appear to have about a  7/8 inch whitewall.  I measured these U.S. Royal Tiger Paws and they appear to be 3/4", but the ruler wasn't too good....they may be 7/8" but that won't make much difference to the naked eye.  I've got a set of foreign tires on my 2013 Dodge Charger that I bought from my Dodge dealer here and they sound like a truck running on a rough highway.  They are really annoying.

[Paul Dobbin]

Earl,   WalMART sells a radial white wall made by Hancook,  You need to order them, but they ride nice and cost about $61.00 each.

 

[Buffalowed Bill]

This isn't going to be vary popular with the safety first guys, but here is something that wrote to comment on ageing tires for the Studebaker Driver's Club forum. While not very fashionable to state what I have to say, I know that in this group I am in no way an outlier.

 

I've commented on this before. I don't claim to be an expert on tires or anything else for that mater, but have read a bit on the subject. The NTSB has never given any specific guidelines on tire life, or specifics on age related degradation of tires. they indicate that there are too many variables involved in in storage and tire usage. Things like temperature humidity, inflation and UV damage. Also if a steel belted tire has been incorrectly repaired rust can damage the belts from the inside of the tire, and can go undetected. Then the NTSB throws it back at the tire manufactures, by saying that some tire manufacturers suggest tire replacement after seven years, but they take no stand in this regard. 

IMO the replacement schedule that we in the PNW can get away with, safely, because of our mild climate and relative little UV damage, a person in Texas would be foolish to try to maintain. I think that it's vary important to know your tires history and to check them often. All important is how your vehicle is used. common sense should be your guide, but I guess if you feel unsafe driving on what you have, better change them out, for your own piece of mind. I have a few cars, so if anyone in the PNW, arbitrarily decides to discard any seven year old tires, let me know I can find a good use for them

[lump]

On 12/7/2018 at 7:10 PM, John_Mereness said:

 

John Mereness, 

 

I remember the Mereness family from my years in SOC of the AACA. Are you the father, or son that I remember? And, is this you in the photo? 

[capngrog]

On ‎12‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 10:27 AM, misterc9 said:

Look around on ebay. You can probably find some R12 refrigerant. Some of those old Uniroyal tires with whitewall lettering were self sealing "puncture proof" tires. My friend had a 92 Roadmaster. The tires were called Royalseal meaning they were self sealing. The inside of the tire was coated with a tar like substance in the tread area. This would seal a small punctures. Forget those tires for highway use.

 

Dynaflash 8;

 

The self-sealing capability is due to the "tar like substance" which is a semi-liquid.  In some self sealing tires this semi-liquid would pool to the bottom of the tire if the tire was left sitting in one position for a long time.  This could be the cause of the "bumping" that you are experiencing while driving with these tires.  Over the 27 years of the life of your tires, the semi-liquid could have hardened such that it would not disperse itself around the interior of the tire when driven.  If this turns out to be the source of the "bumping", I have no idea what the remedy would be or even if it's a safety concern.  If not a safety concern, you may be able to have the tires balanced so as to reduce the severity of the "bumping".

 

Cheers,

Grog

[John_Mereness]

8 hours ago, lump said:

John Mereness, 

 

I remember the Mereness family from my years in SOC of the AACA. Are you the father, or son that I remember? And, is this you in the photo? 

Son, dad is still around playing cars though (and at times more actively than I am).

 

The fellow in the Photo is from Grismere Tire - they use to make "house calls" for my tire issues (he was their roadside semi-truck repair fellow).   These were on a 1932 Packard Twin Six  - they were a 10 ply truck tire that were too wide to begin with and difficult to collapse to be able to get the tube out and/or lock ring off.   By the way, the car sat for 10 plus years with no air at all in the tires and you would never have guessed it - looked/sat just fine. 

[lump]

Nice to connect with you again, John. I hope you and your family are happy and well. 

 

As for my "tire guy..." In my case, unfortunately, it's just me. I have to do them all myself, which is why I try to just do one a week, or so. I worked for Goodyear tire more than 40 years ago, so I have some idea how to do the work. I'm just old and stiff. LOL. 

 

Cheers, and Merry Christmas to you and all your family! 

Edited December 9, 2018 by lump (see edit history)

[tomcarnut]

On ‎12‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 10:23 AM, John_Mereness said:

Son, dad is still around playing cars though (and at times more actively than I am).

 

The fellow in the Photo is from Grismere Tire - they use to make "house calls" for my tire issues (he was their roadside semi-truck repair fellow).   These were on a 1932 Packard Twin Six  - they were a 10 ply truck tire that were too wide to begin with and difficult to collapse to be able to get the tube out and/or lock ring off.   By the way, the car sat for 10 plus years with no air at all in the tires and you would never have guessed it - looked/sat just fine. 

FYI to all of you Mike, John and Lump. Southern Ohio Chapter AACA is still alive and well and would love to have you on some tours next including one to Rabbit Hash 1/1/2019.

 

Tom Muth, 

President, SOC AACA

[lump]

40 minutes ago, tomcarnut said:

FYI to all of you Mike, John and Lump. Southern Ohio Chapter AACA is still alive and well and would love to have you on some tours next including one to Rabbit Hash 1/1/2019.

 

Tom Muth, 

President, SOC AACA

Tom, We are hoping to make some SOC tours this year. My wife and I miss it, frankly. Busy lives have kept us away too long. 

 

Cheers, and Happy Holidays. 

 

Jim

[Dynaflash8]

Okay, we found the tire manufacture date on the original tires on my "NEW" 1991 Buick Park Avenue today.  They were made on Oct 24, 1990.  They still look absolutely new, but provide a bumpy ride.  Checking the air today, three had too much air and one was 12 pounds low.

 

She also received her first-ever oil change today............we're pressure of that as the oil filter was still genuine AC-Delco.  I didn't like his oil brand but after a thousand miles I'll change the oil again.  There are a lot of grease fittings on this car....sort of amazed me.  First oil change was a 3,079 miles.

 

We also got the air conditioning working today.  Installation of new fittings (colloqually referred to as shrader valves), plus fixing and replenishing the oil in the compressor did not made it work.  They found it had a frozen A/C clutch relay.  The mechanic said there is a spring inside that had been in one position for so long it probably had lost it springiness.  Now the A/C is up and running.

 

I got a second ignition key made by a local locksmith, but he couldn't made a second fob.  He recommended a couple of places in town who might be able to do that.

 

Next week I'm having the headliner replaced.  Original or not, there was no other choice....one of the limits of GM manufacturing in the early to mid-1990s and late-1980s and maybe that doesn't cover the years, but the 2001 Park Avenue I gave to my daughter that I'd bought new has never fallen, but my Dad's 1991 Park Avenue did just like this one that almost never left the garage.

 

I think I'm going to have it judged at the AACA National in Ocala, FL.  It's too good to downgrade it to an HPOF entry in my opinion.  Now that statement should arouse some comment.  Have at it.

 

 

[John_Mereness]

11 hours ago, tomcarnut said:

FYI to all of you Mike, John and Lump. Southern Ohio Chapter AACA is still alive and well and would love to have you on some tours next including one to Rabbit Hash 1/1/2019.

 

Tom Muth, 

President, SOC AACA

Hi Tom, the original note did not ring a bell that this was you - enjoyed seeing you at the WWI Fly in. 

[John_Mereness]

4 minutes ago, John_Mereness said:

Hi Tom, the original note did not ring a bell that this was you - enjoyed seeing you at the WWI Fly in. 

 

11 hours ago, tomcarnut said:

FYI to all of you Mike, John and Lump. Southern Ohio Chapter AACA is still alive and well and would love to have you on some tours next including one to Rabbit Hash 1/1/2019.

 

Tom Muth, 

President, SOC AACA

By the way, I bought a 1955 Buick Roadmaster Riviera Hardtop Coupe with factory A/C to use as an easy to drive tour car, but Dad drove it 1st time perhaps 3 or so years ago and proclaimed it too big and that was the end of that (I drove it everywhere all summer and had a blast with it, but equally found it just too large for my taste, so sold it), so probably have to go with a plan B (thinking perhaps a 1957 Thunderbird). 

[tomcarnut]

On ‎12‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 12:06 AM, John_Mereness said:

 

By the way, I bought a 1955 Buick Roadmaster Riviera Hardtop Coupe with factory A/C to use as an easy to drive tour car, but Dad drove it 1st time perhaps 3 or so years ago and proclaimed it too big and that was the end of that (I drove it everywhere all summer and had a blast with it, but equally found it just too large for my taste, so sold it), so probably have to go with a plan B (thinking perhaps a 1957 Thunderbird). 

John,

Wish I had known. A local member, in fact the one doing the New Years Day tour to Rabbit Hash just sold a nice 57 T-Bird. I have one too I inherited from my Dad who bought new and now has 25000 miles on it and probably the last car I would sell. PM so I can get your contact info and answer any T bird questions as I have been around them all my life including my first ride in 1958.

 

Tom

[John_Mereness]

13 hours ago, tomcarnut said:

John,

Wish I had known. A local member, in fact the one doing the New Years Day tour to Rabbit Hash just sold a nice 57 T-Bird. I have one too I inherited from my Dad who bought new and now has 25000 miles on it and probably the last car I would sell. PM so I can get your contact info and answer any T bird questions as I have been around them all my life including my first ride in 1958.

 

Tom

I sent contact info note to you ! (and perhaps would do a 55 or 56, but really like looks of 57 better)

Edited December 13, 2018 by John_Mereness (see edit history)