i am looking in to buying a set of whitewalls but i want to know the pros and cons of each and personal stories or exsperiences my current tires are 255/60r/15s and these will go on a 1948 buick roadmaster any info at all is greatly appeciated im looking for decent grip and a decently smooth ride with a tire that will last. Any info on where to get these would also great. not trying to pay $1000 for a set either
Real quick; do a search. You will find more info and arguments than you could ever imagine. Being new here you'll find that a quick search may answer a lot of the general questions. Good luck. ******Knuckles
I would run Radials.... You can try Coker Tires ..... http://www.cokertire.com/ And if you are a Alliance Member you get a good discount from Coker and other Alliance Vendors ..... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?page_id=175
radials....only way to go if your gonna drive it much. last car(actually a truck) I had with bias tires was a handful to drive, they caught every line in the pavement and would lead the thing where it wanted...JM2cents
I did a search ........ this is what I got.......... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=12173353
Radials if you want to actually drive the car; bias if you want to leave it just sitting and looking pretty. Diamondbacks work well for me ... although Cokers are recommended, also. You should be able to get away for $750 - $800.
I got this by searching just the thread ***les. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=12178413 You'll get 100's if you search the entire database. You using the right search box?
Don't feel bad. Sometimes it's just easier to ask and somebody will point you in the right direction............but while I'm here I'll add my worthless 2 cents......If you plan to drive that 48 Buick, get Diamondback radials and enjoy the ride!
Do not feel like you can not ask a question. I grew up when bias ply tires were the only tire on the market. Cars generally were not driven very fast, although there always have been some who drove faster than conditions warranted. When bias ply tires were what was available, the roads were mainly poorly maintained two lane and gravel/rock. Radials were developed because they ran easier with less friction and would roll over a ridge better, which was an improvement for when the car wanndered off the road and the driver attempted to come back into the lane. Bias ply tires have a tendancy to follow troughs or ruts in the road where radials make it easier to maintain proper lane use. The real consideration if you want to put quite a few pleasurable safe miles on your car and do not wat to have to stress yourself driving is radials. If you are interested in posing or profiling for the rest of the posers, then get the bias ply tires. I have run both on my 62 and I have driven many thousand miles on bias ply tires since 1956 unyil radials were replacing the bias. Give me radials anytime. In the end, it is your car and you should do what brings you the most enjoyment. As far as brands are concerned, many brands are made in the same factories. There are fewer independent manufacturers and a majority are outsourcing their brands to other countries just the same as tv's and blue jeans. Asking for other's opionions is good to aid you in your decision, but remember, those who offer opinions are not paying your way.
Thanks for the info i think that i am going to run radials because i truly want to drive the car and enjoy it once i get it going but as gor the small block chevy thing that aint gonna happen no way there is a perfectly good straight eight in there and small blocks are overrated and everywhere i bought this car to be different than all the street rods around my town they just dont tickle my fancy if i ever put a diffrent motor in it it will be a 425 buick wildcat nailheads are awsome
Something that not many people talk about is the suspension design and how that works with the tire design. cars built before radials became mainstream (mid '60s and earlier) have softer suspension, because bias ply tires tend to bounce over bumps. Bias plies have cords that run at an angle laterally in a criss-cross pattern, this makes the tire stable vertically, but the do not flex. The suspension provided the compliance to the road, not the tires. In modern cars, (late '60s, '70s up), the radial tires provide compliance as the cords are lateral acros the the tire at a 90-degree angle to the vertical side, allowing them to flex over the road, this allows the suspension design to be more stiff, providing better handling. Where this is important is adding radials to a bias-ply suspension means a REALLY soft ride, which is not bad, but you will notice more body roll. It will still handle better. Adding bias plies to a car with modern suspension design, such as a hot rod or custom with late-model or aftermarket suspension will result in a bouncy, harsh ride that is hard to control.
Posers? Kiss my *** man, bias plys just look right, I have never had a problem with mine, and I run 75-80 mph all the time with no trouble Sent from my iPhone using TJJ
Originally Posted by JimC If you are interested in posing or profiling for the rest of the posers, then get the RADIAL tires. Happy to be a poser.... In the comfort of my chopped coupe with the a/c on cruising in MAUI!!! I don't think he was saying posers ran biased plys. People like me who drive the living **** out of our cars, are pansy's and use radials cause our wrists are limp and we like cushy rides.