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Projects Problems With Buying NOS Parts

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Hdonlybob, Oct 8, 2012.

  1. Hdonlybob
    Joined: Feb 1, 2005
    Posts: 4,115

    Hdonlybob
    Member

    Today I went to buy a pair of old bias Good Year 6.95-14 NEW never mounted tires....
    These sounded like the perfect thing for the front tires on my '26 T Coupster Build..
    After talking to this guy two times on the phone, and repeatedly asking if they ever were mounted, had any sign of cracks, and were a matched pair.....and him assuring me that they were NOS and NO cracks, we agreed on a negotiated price and I went to pick them up... (One hour drive)
    Got there, and looked at them and immediately could see that they:
    * Were not new
    * One was a whitewall and the other a blackwall
    * They obviously had been mounted, as they had rust on the beads, as well as one good bead cut from sloppy removal
    * When I pressed the sidewalls out they were FULL of cracks.....:eek:
    I looked at him, somewhat shocked, and said....these cracks are what I was worried about.....showing them to him..
    He calmly said back to me..."Then don't buy them"......
    WTF is wrong with these people...and this guy had a large garage full of tires and rims for sale, so he was no dummy....
    Unbelievable.....but I guess just one of the things we need to go thru in building our old hot rods....:(
    Cheers,
    Bob
    Oh, and yes, I politely told him where he could put is NOS tires......right in his NOS Ass.......
     
  2. Not the wisest thing to buy NOS tires,,No telling just how old they are. HRP
     
  3. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    I wouldn't have been so polite, after a one hour drive! I think I would've 'tried 'em on him'!
     
  4. They still make new tires.
     

  5. Gman0046
    Joined: Jul 24, 2005
    Posts: 6,256

    Gman0046
    Member

  6. So-Cal Speed Sacramento
    Joined: Sep 6, 2008
    Posts: 459

    So-Cal Speed Sacramento
    Alliance Vendor
    from Sacramento

    We've been buying and selling NOS parts for years. In that time, I have learned a couple things about NOS parts.
    1. 90% of the time, anything rubber that is NOS is junk by now. Unless the owner has consistently been taking care of them and they have been stored appropriately, the rubber dries and cracks.
    2. Just because it's NOS, it doesn't mean it is in good condition and still works. Even in the original packaging, parts can corrode, rust, and get hurt.

    NOS parts are fantastic to use whenever possible, but sometimes just buying something new is the best way to go.
     
  7. flyboy89
    Joined: Oct 6, 2010
    Posts: 442

    flyboy89
    Member
    from So. Cal.

    I thought I was being a wise guy by not replacing my "new" ten year old tires before a 2000 mile trip. Why they "only" had a few hundred local miles on them. Got about 500 miles from home when the left front tread separated from the tire. It didn't come off the tire but really shook the truck ( I was doing about 70). Needless to say, had to replace the front two tires on the road. The rear tires were only about a year old so no problems with them. A word to the wise, do not buy or use any tire, new or not, if its more than 5 years old.
     
  8. IWB
    Joined: Mar 17, 2007
    Posts: 95

    IWB
    Member

    Flyboy89 is absolutely right.
     
  9. NealinCA
    Joined: Dec 12, 2001
    Posts: 3,143

    NealinCA
    Member

    Maybe he meant POS...

    And I agree with the others on "NOS" rubber parts...
     
  10. ibcalaveras
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 599

    ibcalaveras
    Member

    People will tell you anything that will get you to hand over your money. Buyer beware.
     
  11. NealinCA
    Joined: Dec 12, 2001
    Posts: 3,143

    NealinCA
    Member

    Bias plys have a much longer life than radials. When sidewalls crack, moisture can (and will) get in the casing. With STEEL belted radials, the steel begins to rust...then the flex in the sidewall causes the rusty belts to break. The broken belts cause a separation...then the separation causes tire failure. Those steel belts whipping around at speed can really do some damage, as seen on the rear fender of my dad's 40...

    [​IMG]

    It was folded all the way under on the red dotted line. We pulled it out so he could drive the car to my shop...
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2012
  12. Hdonlybob
    Joined: Feb 1, 2005
    Posts: 4,115

    Hdonlybob
    Member

    Oh, I understand the NOS problems with rubber, and that part wasn't what made me mad..
    It was his pampas attitude and downright dishonesty that got to me....
     
  13. jimbousman
    Joined: Jul 24, 2008
    Posts: 549

    jimbousman
    Member

    B.T.D.T. A number of years ago I found a NOS under seat rubber mat for my '41 sedan delivery. To date no one makes that exact mat. I was was as happy as a pig in poop to get an original. Unfortunately it was a little too original. The truck was 50 years old when I found the mat. My guess is so was the mat. It deteriorated in a matter of days. Seems it was short on the new and long on the old.
     
  14. seb fontana
    Joined: Sep 1, 2005
    Posts: 8,442

    seb fontana
    Member
    from ct

    When it comes to tires its weird that some can be as old as dirt and look great, some that are only few years old have lots of cracks..I think some "batches" of rubber are just better...
     
  15. bobj49f2
    Joined: Jun 1, 2008
    Posts: 1,926

    bobj49f2
    Member

    The seller might have a brother in Franklin, WI. A couple of years back I had almost an identical situation. There was an '48-50 F-2 on eBay. The truck was definitely a parts truck but the seller said hit had new tires and tubes. I emailed the guy numerous times asking him to verify the tires were new. His answer, "Yes, new". I then asked, "Do they have any miles on them?" "No, miles at all." I asked a couple of more questions about the condition of the tires so I could make sure they were tires I could use. He even sent pictures. I bid accordingly and won the auction. I drove 45 minutes to pick up the truck. I back my trailer up to truck and go out of my truck and from 20 feet away I could see the tire were junk. They probably were 0 miles tires but had sat outside for many years. The sidewalls were cracked, the inner treads had cracks and they were covered in red primer. I don't know when he took the pictures of the tires but they didn't show any of this stuff. The old geezer comes out of the house and I ask if those were the tires we talked about and he says, "Yeah". I tell him they're junk, that they were all dried rotted and cracked. He then asked, "Where, I don't see anything wrong with them. Maybe I need glasses but they look good to me." Even my teenage son spoke up and told the old coot they were crap. He also gave me the, "So don't buy them." line. I got in my truck and drove away. Luckily I didn't pay for them before seeing them. What a waste of time.
     
  16. 1964reo
    Joined: Aug 2, 2012
    Posts: 134

    1964reo
    Member
    from mn

    i know the filling i sold a pair of fender to a guy i told him i would meat him on saturday moreing at nine i drove 110 mile to meat him he never showed up i called him he didnot answerd his phone he finly text me at 12 and told me he could not find a trailer he ask me on friday what time i was takeing off
     
  17. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    Amazing. Some folks are bent on sending civilazation back to the stone age.

    It's funny, some people will raise hell about not using seat belts, but will get on the highway with old rubber.:confused: Considering that they are what keeps you on the road, I wouldn't chance old tires. Now, THAT'S taunting fate.
     
  18. Keeps me in business.........investigating accidents caused by separated old tires.....
     
  19. bobwop
    Joined: Jan 13, 2008
    Posts: 6,115

    bobwop
    Member
    from Arley, AL

    that sucks Bob.

    I actually feel bad for you...REALLY!

    Those tires had obviously been mounted and he knew it. He intentionally deceived you on the phone. That is just plain wrong
     
  20. t.canter
    Joined: Sep 13, 2006
    Posts: 11

    t.canter
    Member

     
  21. They all tell me NEVER use a tire over 4 years old PERIOD!!!!
     
  22. Although I would never use "old" tires, people today don't have a freakin' clue what N.O.S. or N.O.R.S. actually stand for.

    I guess that's just another thing that going to die with us old timers.
     
  23. kyvetteman
    Joined: May 13, 2012
    Posts: 759

    kyvetteman
    Member

    I can attest to the bias ply tires having a longer lifespan... I bought an OT one owner muscle car (70 Chevelle SS 396) last year that still wore the 2nd set of tires ever put on the car circa 1975. Drove it all summer with no issues. Not smart I know, but I've always been one to live on the edge...
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2012
  24. burgessdg
    Joined: Aug 17, 2012
    Posts: 37

    burgessdg
    Member
    from Morris, Il

    Let the buyer beware is definitely the call when you are buying anything. I'm looking for a rotating assembly to put together a 383. I find one on ebay that has "383" in the title line of the item. In the description, it says 4.000" bore. I have been bitten by the title and detailed description not matching before, so I e-mail him for clarification. I state as a matter of clarification that 4.000" bore and 3.75" stroke is a 377, is that what he's listing? He responds that I am overanalyzing the cubic inches. He says a 350 with a 3.75" stroke is "generally" called a 383. So, of course I respond that if he's selling a 377 rotating assembly then the title line should say 377. He responds maybe you should purchase from someone else? WOW! I will definitely take his recommendation. I didn't think I was being a smart guy or jerk, just asked for clarification and recommended he change the title line. You have to be willing to pass up the deal for what could end up being a pain in the a--.
     
  25. Gator
    Joined: Dec 29, 2005
    Posts: 4,016

    Gator
    Member

     
  26. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    works both ways. I had a 40's Dodge pick-up I bought for $100.00 to park in the back yard and let the weeds grow around it.

    when I sold it I listed it as covered with surface rust, needs complete restoration. when people called I told them it needs to be completely disassmbled and everything media blasted. it was almost complete minus some grille trim. I told them all the bad and missing stuff, it was rusted inside and out, but you couldn't jab a screwdriver through the metal.

    bunch of people came to look and every one of them said "I didn't think it was going to be this bad".. I kinda wonder what they expected. I described it as a rusty piece of shit and no one believed me.

    sold it for $200.00 in 1990. someone would pay $1500.00 for it now and bag it and leave the rust.
     
  27. 1964reo
    Joined: Aug 2, 2012
    Posts: 134

    1964reo
    Member
    from mn

  28. Yep. I listed a "27 T roadster bare body, with doors, no chassis, just body". You would be amazed at how may guys called and asked me how well it ran.:rolleyes:
     
  29. I bought my 54 Ford in 1986. It had just over 10K miles on it and was sitting on factory original bias ply tires.

    I was 17 years old. My dad was with me when we made the deal. We bought the car and he had me drive it straight to the tire shop where we put a set of radials on it. That trip on 32 year old tires was about 25 miles and it was a nail-biter the whole way.

    If I'd had half a brain, I would've saved those factory tires....but oh well....a 17 year old only thinks about one thing.
     
  30. pasadenahotrod
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 11,775

    pasadenahotrod
    Member
    from Texas

    That folded edge is the typical damage you quite often see at the rear of any modern pickup bed and larger full size cars which still have steel quarters. Damn, there is some kinda force in one of those spinning treads isn't there?

     

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