Looking for an original balloon tire (and a Fisk Red Top)

[Petersen-Jonee]

I work for the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles and we are searching for an original balloon tire (any make) to use in an exhibit on the history of passenger car tires. There seem to be surprisingly few out there that aren’t repros. And, I know this is a long shot, but does anyone have a Fisk Red Top tire?

[wayne sheldon]

No Fisk tires here.

How early a balloon tire do you want? And what sort of condition?

I have a few that are probably pre WWII replacements for late 1920s cars. A couple came off my 1927 Paige 6-45 sedan which had a 20 inch rim size. A couple others came off the 1925 series 80 Pierce Arrow I used to have, which had a 22 inch rim size. 

Earliest balloon tires when they came out about 1923 were originally sized by the outer diameter of the tires by tire profile requiring a bit of mathematics to figure the rim size, as were the high pressure tires before them. By the end of the 1920s, manufacturers switched to the more sensible "rim size by tire profile" method of measuring tires.

I doubt any of the balloon tires I have would have that earliest method of measuring on them. But I would have to check them to know for sure, and a couple of them aren't easy to get to where I have them stashed. The couple I have from the Pierce Arrow, I wrapped in paper and some sort of plastic ribbon when I removed them from the car over thirty years ago. At that time, they were still soft enough that I drove the car on a few club tours while waiting for my new tires. Ever since, they have been kept in a cool dark space.

The ones that came off the Paige were still holding air and supporting the car when my dad bought it over fifty years ago. He buried the car in his garage and it never did get restored, although I did begin work on it about thirty years ago. The last of its old tires was removed from the car only a few years ago. The rubber was rather hard, and I didn't want to destroy them by rolling the car around on them any more. At least two (I think three?) of them still hold air. At least one of them still with a red rubber innertube.

I would guess they aren't quite as early as you would like to get. However, if you are interested? I do not have any spare rims to go with them.

 

[Petersen-Jonee]

7 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

No Fisk tires here.

How early a balloon tire do you want? And what sort of condition?

I have a few that are probably pre WWII replacements for late 1920s cars. A couple came off my 1927 Paige 6-45 sedan which had a 20 inch rim size. A couple others came off the 1925 series 80 Pierce Arrow I used to have, which had a 22 inch rim size. 

Earliest balloon tires when they came out about 1923 were originally sized by the outer diameter of the tires by tire profile requiring a bit of mathematics to figure the rim size, as were the high pressure tires before them. By the end of the 1920s, manufacturers switched to the more sensible "rim size by tire profile" method of measuring tires.

I doubt any of the balloon tires I have would have that earliest method of measuring on them. But I would have to check them to know for sure, and a couple of them aren't easy to get to where I have them stashed. The couple I have from the Pierce Arrow, I wrapped in paper and some sort of plastic ribbon when I removed them from the car over thirty years ago. At that time, they were still soft enough that I drove the car on a few club tours while waiting for my new tires. Ever since, they have been kept in a cool dark space.

The ones that came off the Paige were still holding air and supporting the car when my dad bought it over fifty years ago. He buried the car in his garage and it never did get restored, although I did begin work on it about thirty years ago. The last of its old tires was removed from the car only a few years ago. The rubber was rather hard, and I didn't want to destroy them by rolling the car around on them any more. At least two (I think three?) of them still hold air. At least one of them still with a red rubber innertube.

I would guess they aren't quite as early as you would like to get. However, if you are interested? I do not have any spare rims to go with them.

 

Thanks Wayne. That's great. I'm definitely interested. It sounds like those would suit us just fine. We wouldn't need a rim. We'll just display the tire. Ideally we were hoping to find one from like '23, but as long as we can illustrate the concept we'll be happy. We could do it as a loan, or we'd buy it if you wanted to just sell one. I'm not allowed to send direct messages yet, but my email is jeisen@petersen.org What brands are the balloons? I'm trying to remember the companies that used the red tubes.

Edited August 30, 2023 by Petersen-Jonee (see edit history)

[Steven Meixner]

Is this what you want? Steve 701 212 5009