Another thing radials provide is a much softer ride. Not a big deal if yer just putting around once a year to the local cruise or car show, but radials make a big difference if you actually drive your car.
Put a radial on the front right of the car, and a bias ply on the front left (ummm....don't drive it, this is a static demonstration
), then bounce on each fender. It's night and day. The radial acts like a cushion, the bias ply is hard as a rock. There's no sidewall flex at all with a bias ply.
Obviously, if the look is more important than the performance or the drivability, the bias ply is the way to go. I've put a few thousand miles on my F70 Firestone Wide Ovals, but with the way the roads the way they are around here, you have to grab the steering wheel firmly at all times, and be prepared for a bone jarring ride. Bias plies are a great way to check for interior squeaks and rattles.
