MTFCA Forum

I thought I would get a quote from Blockley for a couple of inner tubes.

2 tubes are 70 Pounds

Shipping is 56 Pounds.

Total cost for 2 tubes is 126 Pounds or $159

I wonder what it costs to buy them over there with the VAT added?

Royal Mail use to be relatively cheap.

Dave, Michelin have an alternative thick rubber tube like the Blockleys. They have a screw on brass stem that takes original Schraeder dust covers. Surely there is someone in the States who can supply them. I have just fitted a set of 5 Blockley clinchers with these Michelin tubes. It's a metric size, but I cannot remember exactly what it was. They come in rather large cardboard boxes. Two of them would be a big parcel. The boxes are so flimsy they would have to be packed into something more substantial for shipping. At Volumetric postage rates that makes for costly shipping. It may be best to order a couple of tyres with them and combine the shipping.

Allan from down under.

The tubes from Langs seem plenty good to me, keeps the money closer to home, shipping quicker, etc. Sadly atm I can't remember their brand name, think it begins with the letter "H". Haven't had any problems.

...I can't remember their brand name, think it begins with the letter "H". Haven't had any problems.

Hartford. I've been using those, and I don't attribute any tire problems to them. I buy them with rubber stems to save money, and replace those with original Schraeder metal stems. Some folks object to a product made in China, but tubes for clincher tires are no longer made in the USA. If my only choice is a foreign-made tube, I figure I should choose it based on quality as well as price. There are now three brands of tubes available for clincher tires. By all accounts Blockleys are best. Unsurprisingly they are also the most expensive due to shipping and no rubber stems. A solid second choice is Hartford (China), less expensive but adequate. After my bad experience with the third choice, Custom Classic (India), I avoid those in case any of the bad ones are still in the supply line. I assume the maker has addressed the splitting problem, but I'm still not willing to gamble on them.

I just ordered 4 tubes from European Classic Tyre in Denmark. Shipping for 4 tubes was 21 bucks. They were recommended by a friend as being similar to the Blockley tubes. They are advertised as made in Europe but are DOT certified. We’ll see what they look like when I get them.


Andy

My quote was L522 for two tires and two tubes. That works out to $659.99 in US dollars at todays exchange. That's almost the cost for 4 cheap Cokers. I might still pull the trigger on a set of Blockleys. I kinda liked the tread pattern. It really stood out. I had a talk with one of the guys at Blockley, Very nice guy. One thing he did mention is that there tires are also made in Vietnam. I was a little surprised about that. It made me wonder about if they were made any different in material from the others made there. He did say that there tires and tubes were thicker than other products. I just sent an e mail to European Classic Tyre asking them about there products. I'm going to need new tires very soon. My tubes have more patches than tubes! Still not bad for 20 years old.

The Blockley tires are from Vietnam. The tubes are very thick. The way they mount leads me to believe they may share a carcass with the Universal drivers. Could be wrong, they mount easily. I’m shopping England and Europe looking for quality, price to me is secondary. A friend recommended the European classic tubes from his experience with a model A.

Andy

I've talked to the owner of Blockley twice, and he refuses to make the tubes the way they used to. If he would supply them with only the hole for the valve stem, we could put our original valve stems in like they used to do.

Larry, you need to buy Michelin tubes. Their oversized brass valve stems [which can be hidden by standard Schraeder dust covers] screw onto the tube at the base. All you need to do is tap a thread into your own replacement stems and screw them on.

Allan from down under.

I got my European Classic tubes today. 7 days, they actually shipped UPS from Tennessee. They appear to be marginally thicker than the tubes I’ve been getting but certainly not in the range of the Blockley tubes. They do appear well made but time will tell. These are 21-4.50 tubes.


Andy

I find it odd that Blockley doesn't have at least one distributor here in the U.S. such as Universal Vintage Tire, Coker Tire Company, Lucas Classic Tires, Kelsey Tire, Inc., etc.

For example, within approximately the past ten years, Dunlop quit manufacturing antique car tires but many of their tires/tread patterns, such as the Chevron Cord, are now manufactured under the Ensign brand and you can purchase them from Lucas or Coker instead of ordering them from England.

Erik Johnson wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 12, 2024 9:43 am

I find it odd that Blockley doesn't have at least one distributor here in the U.S.

When Seamus Hnat tried to become a distributor in the US, Blockley wouldn't even answer his emails. The problem is on Blockley's end.

I wouldn't have these tubes for a gift! I have spoken with the owner, and he refuses to make them correctly for a MODEL T! True, the rubber is thicker, but has Pierce Arrow valve stems VULCANIZED to them. I tried to explain how the tubes were done in the old days. Deaf ears! I wish they would go back to making tubes in the USA like they did 20 years ago. Now days, I'm buying tubes from Lucas which fit three different size tires, and cut the valve stems off like I've always done so I can use a proper valve stem inserted into the tube correctly.

AndyClary wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 04, 2024 11:22 am

I just ordered 4 tubes from European Classic Tyre in Denmark.

There I just learned something!! I have never heard of them and I thought I knew the most of what's going on in the state of Denmark!!! I've never seen an AD from them in the club magazines or other danish classic cars magazines.

But I'll definately check them out!

I think Blockley entered the market because of the rubbish product supplied by the usual suspects. To maintain quality standards, they have chosen to adopt their own specifications, and to retain quality control they market them ditectly themselves.
We are fortunate here in Australia that they already had a trusted dealer marketing their range of vintage and classic racing tyres, so they have added the BE tyres to their inventory.

Allan from down under.

If someone brought 4 inner tubes to the US on AND they cost L70 each, what do they cost if you carry them over as luggage? VAT?










vat

DHort wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 13, 2024 2:59 am

If someone brought 4 inner tubes to the US on AND they cost L70 each, what do they cost if you carry them over as luggage? VAT?

Its been to long since I did such. So I looked up some info that may apply. After reading it, I feel its not worth the hassle or effort anymore, best to ship it. https://www.cnbc.com/select/vat-value-added-tax-refund/
Visitors to countries with VAT still have to pay it, but they can qualify for a refund on certain items. (The European Commission defines a visitor as “any person who permanently or habitually lives in a country outside the EU.”)
It’s a fairly complicated process and it’s easy to miss a step, be told incorrect information or just have your request rejected for no discernable reason. So be sure you want to put in the effort.

The VAT on one Blockley tube as shown on their web site is £7.00 about $8.72USD. So VAT for 2 tubes or $17.44 dollars vs $59 shipping. You may even need to pay for the extra weight when flying

May be more economical to buy 4 or more tubes and resell what you don't need to recover shipping while keeping under the Import fee threshold
(30x3.5 Inner Tube Blockley Inner Tube £35.00 (£42.00 inc. VAT)

I would think that Blockley is misssing out on a huge opportunity by not having at least one U.S. distributor instead of selling and shipping four or five tires and/or tubes at a time directly to U.S. customers.

The chocolate company for whom I do promotional work makes the product, distributes it to stores owned and run by them
It is a way to keep controll of a quality product.

Why would a company co.promise their offeri g's by introducing another middleman to their offerings?
Some people still value service over mass marketing and are not interested in growth for growths sake. It is a pleasure to do business ess with such an outfit.
Allan from down under.

Erik Johnson wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 13, 2024 6:33 pm

I would think that Blockley is misssing out on a huge opportunity by not having at least one U.S. distributor instead of selling and shipping four or five tires and/or tubes at a time directly to U.S. customers.

One reason for their process is to reduce inventory holding costs. Model T tire demand isn't exactly the same as a modern car's that share the same tire size.
Just-in-time, or JIT, is an inventory management method in which goods are received from suppliers/buyers only as they are needed. The main objective of this method is to reduce inventory holding costs and increase inventory turnover. Of course the down side are disruptions in the supply chain.

I believe the Blockley 30 x 3.5" beaded edge tyres are a response to the inferior products foisted upon us in the past. They are made to different quality standards to give us a reliable product which will give more consistent service and longevity.

I can fully understand them keeping their product under their control. Ruling out intermediate agents/distributors/stockists keeps costs down. It allows Blockley to control the sales and distribution and gives them some of the price benefit usually gobbled up by lengthy supply chains, not to mention the benefit to us as end users. Who among you believes their tyres would be made available to us having come to us through a distributor and a stockist and additional shipping costs?

I will agree on one point. I can see them restricting the size of their inventory by not producing their excellent tubes with multiple types of valve stems.

Allan from down under.

Now days, I'm buying tubes from Lucas...

Custom Classic? Have they solved the splitting problem?