So I have these white Firestones I showed the other day. I aim to use them on my new wheels. But there are a couple of things I have to do. One is to remove the crappy paint job from the metal parts of the wheels and repaint. The other is to devise a stretcher to make the too-small tires fit on the rims. Those two jobs will take several days at least, and I need to use the car next weekend.

So Plan B was to remove the worn-out front tire from the car and replace it with a tire from a spare rear wheel. I've installed new clinchers before, and spent about ten to fifteen minutes per tire doing it. Not so today. These old tires are stubborn, even when warmed up with a heat gun. I spent several hours getting the replacement tire off a rear wheel, getting the bad tire off the front wheel, and putting the replacement on the front wheel. At the end of the day I ended up with a flat. Apparently during the mounting fight I pinched the tube. So tomorrow I'll have to get that tube out and get it fixed. Meanwhile, here are some pictures.


The bad tire and its replacement.


This is on the worn-out tire.


This is on the replacement. Both tires are Made-in-USA Wards Riversides.


The tubes are also made in USA.

(Message edited by steve_jelf_parkerfield_ks on March 06, 2017)

I recall buying those Wards tubes for $3 at the catalog store. What happened?

What happened ? 50 years of runaway inflation and sending all our industry overseas. FWIW, back then (c. 1963) I had the devil's own time struggling to get Monkey Ward tires on my rims.

Here are some Wards I have. The two with the SU suffix were purchased in 1964. If these numbers are of any interest here they are. These along with 4 Firestones I bought in 1964 have plenty of age cracks but hold 50# of air and seem good for around town driving.

The inflation calculator says the 1965 price of $3 would be $22.90 in 2015. That's pretty close to Lang's $24.95. The catch is that today's tubes aren't 1965 quality.

My recollection is that the Firestones cost me $64 each in 1964. The Wards were nearly half that but I thought my "non skids" would say Non Skid on them. They didn't.
Maybe Rich Bingham remembers what the Ward's tires cost at that time. The SU's were his.
Steve, did the tire you pinched have a flap?
Rich

My dim remembry say the MW Riversides cost me about $40 per back then. I was envious of Rich's Firestones, but the difference meant around $100 more, I couldn't afford. Rich had a real job at the Firestone Store at the time, and, well, I've always been a sheepherder so to speak ! ;- )

"I spent several hours getting the replacement tire off a rear wheel, getting the bad tire off the front wheel, and putting the replacement on the front wheel."

Steve, it takes me that long to do 1 tire!

Age tends to harden up good older tires. That's a factor when trying to install them.

For some reason The old Gulf tire my Grandfather had in the 50's is softer than an old Firestone from the same era. They are both 21" extras he had for the 24 Coupe I inherited from him in the late 50's. I still have them for a reminder of him but the Gulf is not as hard as the Firestone. Go Figure.

Steve - you posted :

'Apparently during the mounting fight I pinched the tube.

Just wondering...did you install a flap ?

What will you do differently next time?