NOS tires?

Discuss all things Model T related.
Forum rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules
User avatar

Topic author
Steve Jelf
Posts: 7238
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:37 pm
First Name: Steve
Last Name: Jelf
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 touring and a few projects
Location: Parkerfield, Kansas
Board Member Since: 2007
Contact:

NOS tires?

Post by Steve Jelf » Thu Oct 10, 2024 11:23 am

Just saw a FB ad for half a dozen 1986 NOS tires for $1500. I wouldn't take them if they were free. I was delighted by my NOS white Firestones. Coming out of the original wrappers they were beautiful. Country roads ate them up PDQ. When I see guys brag about running on tires that are decades old, I bet they don't drive hundreds of miles at a time.

IMG_0014.JPG
IMG_0016.JPG
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring


Jones in Aiken SC
Posts: 208
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2024 10:13 am
First Name: Gregory
Last Name: Jones
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 Roadster, 1926 Coupe
Location: Aiken

Re: NOS tires?

Post by Jones in Aiken SC » Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:13 pm

I guess we are getting old when tires from 1986 are referred to as "New Old Stock!"

User avatar

TWrenn
Posts: 3743
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:53 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Wrenn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13 Touring, '26 "Overlap" Fordor
Location: Ohio
Board Member Since: 2019

Re: NOS tires?

Post by TWrenn » Thu Oct 10, 2024 3:30 pm

Jones in Aiken SC wrote:
Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:13 pm
I guess we are getting old when tires from 1986 are referred to as "New Old Stock!"
And most of us are just plain "old stock"! :lol:

User avatar

VowellArt
Posts: 579
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:44 am
First Name: Martynn
Last Name: Vowell
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1922 Touring, th "Lady"
Location: Sylmar, Commiefornia
Board Member Since: 2012
Contact:

Re: NOS tires?

Post by VowellArt » Thu Oct 10, 2024 4:15 pm

White tires always seem to wear out quicker than black tires do (or so I've heard, they certainly get dirtier quicker than a black tire), maybe country roads are hard on tires of any kind also. I've had my tires (Canadian Goodyear) on my car since 1979, I've driven (in that course of time about 40 or so years) maybe 2000 miles (I know that's not a lot, but I also don't go interstate either, but then SoCal is bigger than most of the other states as well and our roads were the best in the country...at one time, now however who knows?). Now the roads here in CA, aren't "country roads" but some of them are concrete and some of them are asphalt and some are just are just potholes pretending to be city streets, but generally they're not too bad (we don't have to contend with all that ice and snow and road salt, like other states do, unless you go up into the mountains, but I've never gone there...maybe I would if I had a Ruckstell, but otherwise, NOPE!).

I've been from one end of So Cal to the other usually by back roads, I've been North (to Los Olvios up past and to Solvang) and as far South as the Del Coronado Hotel and yes my tires are starting to wear. The tread is getting pretty thin, so now I'm looking into buying those WARDS RIVERSIDE tires, but I'm not sure how well they'll hold up, given that they're made in Vietnam (I've not heard much good about the longevity the tires produced in that country). I've heard Blockley's (made in England) are supposed to be pretty good, but I don't know of anyone who has driven the tread off a set of those to be sure they're claim is not just more advertising hype....does anybody know how well they hold up (WARDS vs Blockley's)? I mean.
Fun never quits!

User avatar

Topic author
Steve Jelf
Posts: 7238
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:37 pm
First Name: Steve
Last Name: Jelf
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 touring and a few projects
Location: Parkerfield, Kansas
Board Member Since: 2007
Contact:

Re: NOS tires?

Post by Steve Jelf » Thu Oct 10, 2024 4:40 pm

...does anybody know how well they [Blockleys] hold up...


They haven't been around long enough for anybody to say from experience how long they will last. I believe all clincher tires, including Blockleys, are made in Vietnam. Anybody who wonders if country of origin matters can see my remarks above. When I looked into prices, I found that Blockleys are less than $10 more than Wards Riversides. Of course the shipping from London is higher than from Long Beach. So the question is whether Blockleys are enough better than Wards to be worth the costlier shipping. From what I've heard from people who bought them, I would say probably so. I think I know somebody who has been running Blockleys for a couple of years. I'll ask about his experience with them.
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring


Allan
Posts: 6609
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: NOS tires?

Post by Allan » Thu Oct 10, 2024 6:08 pm

Blockley clincher tyres are made in Viet Nam. However, they are made to Blockley's specification, and Blockley tyres have an enviable reputation for excellence in vintage racing tyres. Like everything, the quality depends on the specifications the marketeers give to the manufacturers.

Allan from down under.


John kuehn
Posts: 4433
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:00 pm
First Name: John
Last Name: Kuehn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 19 Roadster, 21 Touring, 24 Coupe
Location: Texas

Re: NOS tires?

Post by John kuehn » Thu Oct 10, 2024 6:58 pm

Are T tires made in Vietnam because of labor costs?


Allan
Posts: 6609
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: NOS tires?

Post by Allan » Thu Oct 10, 2024 9:13 pm

The word I heard was Viet Nam was the only place available/willing to make beaded edge tyres. The carcases on the existing rubbish tyres were OK. It was the inconsistent wear/ cracking of the rubber components that let them down, literally.

Allan from down under.


Fozz71
Posts: 263
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2019 11:38 am
First Name: James
Last Name: Chochole
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1919 Touring
Location: Oswego, Illinois
Board Member Since: 2003

Re: NOS tires?

Post by Fozz71 » Sun Oct 13, 2024 7:00 pm

Vietnam is one of the the rubber capitals of the world, couple that with cheap labor and Voila!


cslandry
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 3:10 pm
First Name: Chris
Last Name: Landry
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 Speedster, 1926 Touring, 1923 Depot Hack project
Location: Hudson, NH
Board Member Since: 2013

Re: NOS tires?

Post by cslandry » Sun Oct 13, 2024 9:49 pm

A friend of mine heard directly from Blockley that their tyres are made in Indonesia. I put a couple on my car ~300 miles ago. We'll see how they hold up.


ModelTWoods
Posts: 1419
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:53 am
First Name: Terry
Last Name: Woods
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Model T coupe, 1926 4 door sedan
Location: Cibolo (San Antonio), TX

Re: NOS tires?

Post by ModelTWoods » Sun Oct 13, 2024 10:10 pm

Steve Jelf wrote:
Thu Oct 10, 2024 11:23 am
Just saw a FB ad for half a dozen 1986 NOS tires for $1500. I wouldn't take them if they were free. I was delighted by my NOS white Firestones. Coming out of the original wrappers they were beautiful. Country roads ate them up PDQ. When I see guys brag about running on tires that are decades old, I bet they don't drive hundreds of miles at a time.


IMG_0014.JPG


IMG_0016.JPG
Steve are referring to any tires made over 25 years ago, or tires made in the 1940's. Remember, I bought a brand new Goodyear 21" tire from you at Chickasha, one year and you told me it should be used for display, only even though it had no age cracks or defects, The rubber was not soft and pliable but I think I could have got it on a split rim with no problem. I have about EIGHT 21" Firestone tires made in the 1950's and/or 60's that are still soft and pliable and have always been stored in a dark indoor area. With the cost of tires, today, I wouldn't have any problem using them, but i would make sure that I carried a spare.
Last edited by ModelTWoods on Mon Oct 14, 2024 1:03 pm, edited 2 times in total.


Allan
Posts: 6609
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: NOS tires?

Post by Allan » Sun Oct 13, 2024 11:42 pm

This was on the last ser of Blockley 30 x3.5"
Clinchers I mounted.
20241014_140831.jpg
Allan from down under

User avatar

Topic author
Steve Jelf
Posts: 7238
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:37 pm
First Name: Steve
Last Name: Jelf
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 touring and a few projects
Location: Parkerfield, Kansas
Board Member Since: 2007
Contact:

Re: NOS tires?

Post by Steve Jelf » Mon Oct 14, 2024 12:28 pm

I wouldn't have any problem using them, but i would make sure that I carried a spare.

...and stay on paved roads, and drive very slowly.
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring


ModelTWoods
Posts: 1419
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:53 am
First Name: Terry
Last Name: Woods
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Model T coupe, 1926 4 door sedan
Location: Cibolo (San Antonio), TX

Re: NOS tires?

Post by ModelTWoods » Mon Oct 14, 2024 1:05 pm

Steve Jelf wrote:
Mon Oct 14, 2024 12:28 pm
I wouldn't have any problem using them, but i would make sure that I carried a spare.

...and stay on paved roads, and drive very slowly.
"Carry a spare", check
"Stay on paved roads", check
"Drive very slowly", Not until I have the first Blowout


John Codman
Posts: 1482
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:27 am
First Name: John
Last Name: Codman
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Youring
Location: Naples, FL 34120

Re: NOS tires?

Post by John Codman » Mon Oct 14, 2024 2:43 pm

A couple of thoughts - I agree with Steve's first post; Michelin says ten years is replacement time, but most of our Ts live inside and probably don't see the temperature change and UV that our daily drivers do. T owners are probably better at checking tire pressure and looking at things in general, so stretching that 10 years a bit is probably OK. Some time ago I mentioned on this forum that I didn't like the look of the very low mileage whitewall tires on my T. They are Firestones made by Firestone - not repros. A member of this forum contacted me and said that he would trade me an equivalent set of blackwalls for the whites. I thanked him but said that the tires have enough age on them that I was uncomfortable having someone other then me drive on them. They are still on the T; no cracks or anything else that would cause me to worry about them. They will probably last longer then I will, but I hope that the next person who will be custodian of my T will put a new set of rubber on.
Random thought: If enough of us were to petition Firestone with a promise of the purchase of a set, do you think Firestone would do a special run?
Mine are really good.

User avatar

Topic author
Steve Jelf
Posts: 7238
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:37 pm
First Name: Steve
Last Name: Jelf
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 touring and a few projects
Location: Parkerfield, Kansas
Board Member Since: 2007
Contact:

Re: NOS tires?

Post by Steve Jelf » Mon Oct 14, 2024 3:11 pm

If enough of us were to petition Firestone with a promise of the purchase of a set, do you think Firestone would do a special run?

Would they have to get permission from Coker? :D
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring


ModelTWoods
Posts: 1419
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:53 am
First Name: Terry
Last Name: Woods
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Model T coupe, 1926 4 door sedan
Location: Cibolo (San Antonio), TX

Re: NOS tires?

Post by ModelTWoods » Mon Oct 14, 2024 3:40 pm

I think the wholesale outlet for most antique and classic tires made under the brand names of Firestone, Goodyear, and B.F. Goodrich is Kelsey Tire Co. in Camden, MO. At least, I know that is where Snyder's gets their Goodyear's from. I don't know who makes the tires under the different brand names for Kelsey. It would be interesting to know each brand's origin.
The 21" Firestone blackwalls that I have, were all made by Firestone in the U.S.A.

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic