Technical bias vs radial ?

Like I said in my previous post , have both Bias and Radials . The Bias ply Firestone Deluxe Champions
more period look... The Radials and Chrome reverse rims for early 60's vibe... I enjoy both looks... Sure the radials run out better... But having driven my 49 Ford Coupe & now the 51 Woodie... The Bias ply's looks way better... don't handle that great... something I've always just been ok with.

 

to risk being bitched at ...and the OP wants to move on and get his tires, just buy the bias ply. these are old style cars right, use old style tires. Do they handle the best? no but your car does not get the best mileage either.

 

I like your attitude. We can improve our cars but you reach a point where you got two things diminishing returns for your dollar and loosing out on something that makes our old cars what they are.

A dumb assed old guy started this thread a couple of years back maybe it is a good time to bring it back up.

http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/large-learning-curve.967092/

 

Ok, I understand the issue. Nothing has the look of a bias ply, nothing! They look great. As far as function, at least for me, they don't perform well. I had them on my 32 sedan and again, they looked great. But once you hit a patch of grooved concrete highway, it felt like driving on a sheet of ice. I just put Excelsior's on my 32 roadster and on that same piece of grooved concrete they performed extremely well. They look good compared to another type of radial, not as good as bias ply's but for me driving here in Colorado, the Excelsior's were the clear choice. Just my 2 cents

 

Sorry to say that the early 60's vibe doesn't include radial tires.

 

Did you switch the steering to the other side when you changed the tires?

 

pinner white walls yes, and no radial tires were not around in the early 60's well awareof it.. my typo... please forgive me LOL
..

 

it's on my list to do, when I move to England... I'll have you over to help... Just start finding me some parts... Thanks !

 

They were around, they just weren't popular, here in the U.S.A, until the early 70s.

 

Just a point I've noticed.....

Not all repro bias plys are created equal.

On the same car had a new set of Firestone Wide whites 7.10X15's and the car was a squirmy SOB driving.

Lived with it for a while.

After awhile I swapped on a set of bias 7.10X15 repros from Universal tire and the car handled sooo much better, no more squirmy feeling and problems with out of round /balance issues.

 

This has good info on tires and what was popular back in the hey-days.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=220

 

Thank you everyone for all your info and opinions still not sure what im going to do .Decisions ..lol

 

Bias ply would be the best for your '28.
However because of the width of your rear, i would find either some firestone cheater slick or buy some of the hurst radial recaps. they would look and fit better than the skinny tread 7.50-15 tires.
Then in the front, you can run some matching pic cut 560-15 firestones or 165/80-15 WW or BW radials up front.
Not that you can't or shouldn't run skinnies out back, but IMHO it would look much better.

one more thing PLEASE............................ get rid of the diamond plate and gothic steering wheel.

 

Diamond plate is gone ..Still on the fence about the steering wheel

 

Thats what I'm starting to think at this point the ''visual '' is as important as function . That is one awesome ride

 

Best place to buy the tires summit because of the free shipping ?

 

It's not a bad choice, I've only heard about summit and tires in conversations talking about there customer service being good

 

There are a few other things that contraindicate radials [on suspension systems, like Rods, never meant for anything other than bias]. The worst offender is NOISE. Not too bad if it is not a vehicle like a Yukon. Sit in the back, near the rear axle, of one of them things [designed for and fitted with radials] for a cuple-hunerd miles and you'll agree they certainly ain't 'better' than a bias in every way. Another is the 'rain groove' problem. The 'tread squirm' inherent in a radial make certain tread patterns 'hunt' in and out of the grooves. This was never a problem until radials were common. The one thing I have really don't like about a steel belted is the horrible fact that a blown front tire at high speed can result in the entire steel belt wrapping its self around the suspension components. Very soon after that event the vehicle stops answering the helm. Could mention some other serious short comings e.g., 'zipper failure' and intrinsic intolerant to over-inflation. In as much as radials come out second best in the 'looks' department they are, IMHO, an 'also ran' in the performance department. The ONLY thing that they do very well is last a long time.

 

HOLY SHIT, 'beaner ! I am not sure I want to see what you build after that last comment.

 

It's about the look. If you decide on bias plys be sure to inflate them to 28-32 psi to eliminate any squirreling!

 

LOL I got some fat tires that the boss gave me about 5 or 6 years ago. I guess the A bone will be a PAWG until I can swing something sexy.

 

One year, 3 months..

 

Bought the bias firestones ,

 

will get some pics when i get them on .Thank you everyone .

 

Radials are better performing but look wrong on an antique car. Bias for me!

 

I've driven the snot outta both. Radials are better. Period. Bias plies look better. Period. We just put a set of American Classic bias look radials one a customers '58 pickup and he LOVES them. I'm putting a set on a customer's 49 Merc in a couple months. I'll probably put them on my '50 coupe. Open wheel car? I think you can split the difference between looks and performance.

 

Carry more psi in them and they don't do that, seven years with them.

 

560x15 and 70ox16 Had bias ply for seven years and drive it a lot from city to the interstates making sure they're inflated to at least 30 psi. Handles well up to 80mph at least!