Dating early reproduction Non-Skid tires?

[Chris Bamford]

My 1906 Orient Buckboard is running what are likely early reproduction, Firestone-branded, 28"x3" Non-Skid tires. The sidewall information is "MADE IN U.S.A." and "1  BD-13154-1". I expect these tires and the clincher rims date back to the car's circa 1955 restoration.

 

Can anyone confirm this time period and/or interpret the sidewall data?

 

It would be interesting to learn more about the early-repro Non-Skids: when manufactured, where, pricing and so on. 

 

The standard spec tires on the 1907 Buckboard were 26x2-1/2 single tube. Double tube tires were a $30 option, Swinehart solid tires $35.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 12, 2023 by Chris Bamford (see edit history)

[JV Puleo]

That's about right. My understanding is that James Melton talked his friend Harvey Firestone into putting them back into production around 1950. At the time, tires were unavailable for many early cars and it was fairly common to cut the wheels down or fit replacements for whatever tire was available.

[1937hd45]

 

Can you get any movement out of those spoke nipples? The rim is wood isn't it? Bob 

Edited March 12, 2023 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[edinmass]

3 hours ago, JV Puleo said:

That's about right. My understanding is that James Melton talked his friend Harvey Firestone into putting them back into production around 1950. At the time, tires were unavailable for many early cars and it was fairly common to cut the wheels down or fit replacements for whatever tire was available.

 

The first run of them was 1948. Another in 1952 or so..........

[JV Puleo]

George Woodbury, in his delightful book on rehabilitating his 1917 Stanley Steamer, makes reference to the one thing he thought would be a great challenge was getting tires and was amazed to discover that all he had to do was go his local Firestone dealer and order them.

[Restorer32]

Or as my first wife called them "Skid Nons".

[Chris Bamford]

15 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Can you get any movement out of those spoke nipples? The rim is wood isn't it? Bob 

 

Bob, yes on both counts. Remarkably, I got movement from every one of those 40 spoke nipples. I expected a struggle at minimum, and most likely failure. Not so.

 

The rims are wood. When I bought the car in 1994 the felloes were getting weak and sloppy. We rehabilitated them with some new peripheral material, epoxy and what-not (it's been many years and my good friend did most of the work).

 

Since then the rims have been faultless. Every spoke was a bit loose however, and the rim would move laterally almost 1/2" relative to the hub.

 

Thanks to the other posters for the further info on Non-Skids.

Edited March 13, 2023 by Chris Bamford (see edit history)

[Bryan G]

A fellow would be awful tempted to say they were made January 31, 1954, first shift.