Hot Rods When did pie crust slicks start going out of favor?

Most folks didn't run full on slicks on the street around here, we had a pretty enthusiastic police force when it came to hot rods on main street. As I recall (take it for what it's worth) there were some Casler, M&H, and Thompson Tire company (crossed flag) cheater slicks. Some folks also ran Hoosier circle track tires. These weren't street legal, but they had tread and the cops didn't check much past that.

All of these came after the Atlas Bucrons kind of disappeared from the streets.

M&H and Goodyear are what I remember at the drag strip, but there could have been others.

 

Pie Crust is definitely a new term. Back in the day they were commonly called #$@R#%%! The 'cheater slick' name is vintage and refers to rebels who ran real crappy Inglewood, et al, racing slicks on the street with a groove cut into the tread to make them 'legal'. All California (what other state matters?) law stated was the tire had to have tread so the groove constituted tread. REALLY dumb move to run them on the street though. Not only were they a guaranteed totaled and probably fatal wreck on a damp road, the 45# of rubber glued onto the old passenger car carcass would fly off and take out the back half of the car. I built my Willys (a total death trap, amazing I survived!) in '66 and drove it around town a year or so before I tore it down and built it properly in the 90s. One of the really stupid things I did back then was run farm implement tires because they looked like slicks which I couldn't afford. I can tell you some really hair raising stories of going endo on wet Fresno streets driving to Fresno State and back to my apartment!

 

Yep. There was a lot going on there back then. Remember that little lot they had away from the regular cars that had the souped up MOPARS? They had a green Dart more door about a '68 or 9 with a hemi 4spd stuffed in it. A gennie sleeper all the way to the dog dish hubcaps. headers had 4 collectors.

I really wanted that car, they let me take it for a spin, and actually got it financed for me. My work was too sporadic, and I had keep a roof over my head. Well that and after driving it I knew that it was not going to fly for me and not ending up with 3 hots and a cot. LOL So ultimately I passed.

In the later '60s 7 or 8" wheels were common, before that when pie crust slicks were still actually being used ( and a time that fits better into the scope of the board) a 6" rim would have been pretty common for an 8.00. Remember that full sized cars like say Buicks Roadmaster for example came with 9.00x15s they had 6" rims. When I was looking for tires for my old hoopties in the wrecking yards I looked for late '50s Roadmasters in the wrecking yard.

 

Wait a second. Are Hurst slicks back in production? Last I heard they closed down a few years back.

 

JC Whittney was still selling recap cheater slicks into the '70s. Said right in the add may not be legal in all states. Seems like you could get them smooth or with two grooves.

I look at cars now with cheaters on them or even the latest and greatest DOT radial slicks and I know that more likely then not those cars don't get driven, or they don't get driven much. Hell even M/T Sportsmans are crazy in the rain and they got a genuine street tread.

 

When I built my Race Car in the late 68, we all used Goodyear Ripple Wall Slicks
and order them together to get a Better deal.!
Price ways that was.
usually we All (4 Speed Shops) ordered all are Parts as 1 time.

Just my 3.5 cents

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

I just got some to replace my MH cheater slicks and the Towel City recaps seemed super heavy.

 

Yes, we had one of the early sets of M & H wrinkle walls in 66. Jacked up Willys A/G car, and it stood on the bumper first hit. Lowered it about a foot in front !

 

When they stopped making them with lard

 

Do you mean heavy as in "heavy man" or heavy as in "you don't sweat much for a fat chick"

Seriously though, I have those mounted on some of the lightest aluminum wheels I have owned and they aren't light when you are hoisting them around. I have set of Hurst drag slicks (they used to make them in Oregon City until a few years ago) and the Hurst are heavier but they are mounted on steel rally's.

 

Both, man. Both.

Yeah my Towel City slicks are on steel wheels as well. I'm think they gotta add like, .0000001 ET from centrifugal force.

 

Good thing is if run out of fuel all that extra force might roll you into the nearest gas station.

 

LOL at least the weight is on the end that needs it. Saves you from carrying an extra battery.

 

Those Cokers are UGLY.

 

I think the questions's been answered, but where's the original poster?
Do NOT get it when someone posts a question , then just vanishes!
Yes Porknbeaner, I remember Colletti's WELL. A total MoPar guy then.
The Riddler, Twig Zeigler, Whipple & Mcculloch, some VERY HEAVY HITTERS then, but OT!
Memories!

 

Do you have any photos of the chassis? Looks nice with the QC and quarter ellipticals.

 

I ran them in the late 60's and they slide all over the place in the rain. I did a 180 and ended up in a ditch.

 

probably wasn't the answer he wanted...

 

No.

 

I'd probably go with M & H cheater slicks. That being said, I just noticed the customers Camaro that I'm working on has Mickey Thompson cheater slicks that look pretty good on it.

Driving in the rain isn't a big problem in North Texas, at least it wasn't until the last couple of years.

 

wrinklewalls on the street in dry weather??!! Oh man, I would NEEEVER do THAT!!!

 

You have a good eye!

I had a 34 roadster frame that was so far gone I had no choice but to start anew. I turned to Darrell Schroeder outside of Portland to construct the frame with quarter elliptical springs and chrome shocks rather than coil overs or a buggy spring, just a look I preferred. Having worked at SAR, Darrell knows his shit. Boxed rails, ladder bars, Winters QC champ posi, SoCal front end, posi spring. Here's a shot from a couple years ago, nothing new right now.



It's come a long way since these. Sorry for the temporary hijack but I don't think the OP will notice.

 

Since you asked, I was wondering the same, last I heard, they were out of business. That page in the link has a date of 2007 on the bottom, which is when I bought my last pair of tires from Cody.

 

Billy, what front tires are those? Are they the Coker radials? They look good.

 

You are correct as always George. And to the surprise of many they are very round and took very little weight. I should have been offered a commission for selling them cause I know several buddies have already followed suit.

 

This old thread popped up in my alerts tonight when @Stogy liked a post I made. Reading it made me realize a couple of things; I like pie and I miss George.

 

I can't

I can't help you with George but here's some Pie...



​

 

Oh and speaking of pie, back in post 25 a couple of years ago, I gave thought of replacing those 28"ers with 29s. I did. They are a bit wider so they hold an extra row of siping as an added benefit (all weather ). Sold the others on CL in a day.

 

Are those tires the ones you put that lettering on and how has it held up...It sure looked the part...

 

yep. I haven't "tagged" the new ones yet but I have enough letters to do so. I am waiting to put more miles on the fronts this summer. With the heat and cornering and use, I want to see if they will show signs of losing adhesion. With 500 miles so far they are perfect. If they pass the test of time I will letter the backs over the winter next year.