Bias Ply tires vs radials on the street?

[whitetop]

One of the well known street rod builders was describing a conversation he had with a client wanting to build a '37 Chevy. The client said he wanted it to ride and have the look of a Mercedes (Mercedes leather on the seats etc). The builder said all he could think of while the client was talking was telling the client "Then buy a new Mercedes. This is a Hot Rod for Christ sakes!!!!"

It's not just the look of musclecars. It's the sounds, the ride quality, or lack thereof that make them special.

Kudos on bias ply's. Radials are bad enough but the asian tires, especially the Nittos, speedos or Dorritos whatever you call them look worse yet.
Dave

[JoeG]

QUOTE:
It's not just the look of musclecars. It's the sounds, the ride quality etc.
Dave

This is true--if you enjoy the feeling of --this is how it was back then ---plys are the way to go. ----If you want the old look with a better ride, then go radials.--I'm partial to plys.----- I just trying to picture radials on a Model T.

[tom406]

I have to admit my desire to "keep it real" with bias ply tires fades away on the post wide whitewall, pre wide oval era of cars. My '63 Galaxie 500XL 406/4sp car, when it sees the road again, will be wearing 17" Torque Thrust II's and a big and bigger set of tires. I was actually looking at Nittos (They make a 275/50/17 that's about a match to a 275/60/15 in overall dimensions), but I'll probably end up with Goodyears, 225/55 and 255/50/17's.

Those blackwall and 1" whitewall 7.75-14's and the like just look spindly and lame on '62-'66 era stuff for the most part (Corvettes with their tiny wheelwells excepted). Low profile tires tend to drive more like bias plys (stiff sidewalls and all) so the experience isn't that different. Other than the fact that I should be able to take offramps 20mph faster [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/[/img].

Bottom line is you buy what you like. If you look at cars at the shows with radials and you just can't get into it, you probably won't learn to. If you can't tell from 20 feet what kind of tires a car has, you don't need to worry about it- just order up some BFG T/A's post haste and start driving.

[JoeG]

tom406,
The Goodyears with the Torque Thrust II's sounds like a nice combo [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]---I wouldn't go over 17"
Variety keeps everything from becoming boring---JoeG

[Belair62]

[ QUOTE ]
you wouldn't wear bell bottoms with reeboks, then why put radials on your musclecar?

[/ QUOTE ] Bias Ply tires are great for going around the block and lighting them up but it feels like you are skateboarding on the highway...

[Seattle Sam]

It seems like it used to be really important to carry a spare tire, because bias ply tires failed a lot more than radials do..When is the last time one of us had a radial tire blow out on the highway?
-Sam

[Chevy454]

I think the Pure Stock and Stock Appearing cars say a LOT about the bias-plys of today. Think those tires don't see some abuse? Huge burnouts, followed by speeds over 125mph on some cars? In fact, we've had the same Polys on our Camaro for 6 years now, and have had ZERO problems with them. And, in that time frame, we've not only driven the car on the street to cruises/shows, but made well over 100 passes at the drag strip, each beginning with a HUGE burnout. And I'm not even gonna mention some of the crap I've seen dad pull in front of the shop or in parking lots with them[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]!

As for a radial blowing out, this spring I had one come apart on me on the 4-lane with 18 wheelers beside and behind me, and a friend had one let go while towing his L-78 Chevelle. Kind of an eery feeling...

I'm sure the bias tires fail as well, but radials aren't without fault. Need I even say the word "Firestone"?? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif[/img]

So, guess which I recommend!