My first week driving the "Deuce of Spades"

Let me start by saying how amazed I am at what a difference those tires make! Its really a change in the looks far to the better! Wow! Im honestly suprised at the difference. Good looking Car, thanks for sharing!

Now, Ill add.........I have Bias Plys on the rear and Radials on the front of my 35 and was weary my 1st few drives, but never experienced any of the tracking problems at all on any of the road surfaces................ Until a good 5-6000 miles later, Friday, I drove it into town and through the construction Zone going about 25 mph, the rear tires mustve jumped a good 1inch off their course. Scared the shit out of me. Weird, Ive been driving this long, and never even a single issue, then wham........ It pulled the whole truck over when they did it. It wouldve been a disaster at speed. Please just be aware and dont get too complacent with the driving. I wont be changing mine till I wear the rear tires down, but Ill deffinitly be more careful. I cannot tell you if it wouldve done that will all 4 bias plys, so no help there......... Just something to keep in the back of your mind as you motor about!

 

HBGirl,

LOVE your highboy...you certainly have great taste in hot rods!!! Congrats on building one kool ride!!!

I am not sure anyone has answered your question about tracking, but I will give it a go. As you know, there are many reasons beyond tire pressure that affects the tracking of a car...camber, caster, alignment, springs, shocks, etc. If you are confident that your ride has been aligned properly, I would just experiement on pressures. In my experience, the less tire contact patch provides me less tracking (or tacking as I call it). Thus, a higher pressure would achieve this. But unfortunately, as other HAMBERS have pointed out, higher pressures generally give you a harsher (stiff) ride.

I have driven bias-plys on my cars that last twenty years and I think that most people over-exaggerate how tough it is to drive them. Personally, I would try about 2 pounds more up front and go from there. You will make it work!!!

Otherwise, driving bias-plyes is like dancing with a fat girl...just hold her with ease and react accordingly!!!

 

My bad...in your case, a fat guy!!!
Give it hell!
Ebert

 

I cruise everywhere, but on fridays I go to Bob's Big Boy. We did do a drive of the old drive-ins once, that was a special event to save Harvey's Broiler from demolition. I was wearing leopard pants that day, maybe that's what you are referring to?

 

Well, when i first put my tires on they did not wander at all. After a few days they started doing it more. i suspect that at first I had air trapped between the tire and the inner tubes, and that it then escaped. This may indicate that when really hard the tires wander less... but I'm not sure. right now they tend to wander quite a bit but it still doesn't bother me.

 

It's not blue It's one stage glossy black with quite a bit of flattener in it. It looks great but it is very hard to deal with. it scratches very easy and cannot be color sanded and buffed. Any buffing will result in it turning full gloss.

It is however easy to keep clean, I use Meguier (can't remember how it's spelled) quick detailer and just mist the paint and wipe. Done. there is a nice shine to it but it is not glossy. It kinda looks like a semi old lacquer paint job. It was sprayed over DP90 primer and did not give us trouble (fisheye, crackling or chemical reaction).

 

Hell no, Van Nuys would explode . It's only me.

 

Now, I'm no expert by any means, but I really don't you are supposed to mix bias and radials. So was I told by the guy who sells slicks, he carries both slicks in radial or bias and told me if I have bias up front I need bias in the back, otherwise I can run into trouble with handling, because the tires will not react the same way under the same conditions. Granted we were talking about rear tires, as opposed to front, but if anyone has info on this and could share it, I would appreciate it, I like to learn. maybe your having radials up front may have caused the strange skid...

I do agree that one must pay attention even more so when on bias. I'm no speed demon so, hopefully I'll be OK.

 

Oh I agree with all 3 above statements . My buddy told me to keep the front "lighter" that it helps. You seem to concur. So I will give it a try. As I said the first few days I had no tracking, because the tires were a lot more inflated. Once the air escaped from between the tire and inner tubes i started feeling it more and more... So by now I kinda have figured out the answer to my own question, but it's good to get a second opinion that confirms my suspicions.

 

Yeah,great pants,the drive in,the roadster,my eyeballs are doing the fandango.Your a very rare species we need to wrap you up in cotton wool.As Denise says,mind those cross plies in wet weather,they can catch you off guard!Beautifly put together piece...............

 

yeah, I had a hand and a foot in it. By far the most nightmarish project I ever have undertaken. But I guess it is now behind me (THANK GOD). Luckily the garage did not explode and we survived the paint fumes... However, I don't think the rodents who once lived in it did .

Anywhoo, the car is black, jet black. But depending on what is reflecting in it's 50% gloss surface, you might see another color which is why you might have thought it was blue.

 

[Beautifly put together piece...............[/QUOTE]

Agree. And the roadster not bad too.