Just bought the wife a 49 Ford Coupe. Guy we bought it from says the tires are new old stock from the sixties. He put tubes in them and said it would be safe to drive on them. I'm a little concerned about rollin around too much on fifty year old tires. He said when he got them they were still in the original plastic or paper wrapping. They look and feel pliable, but still make me nervous. Anyone have any experience with this?
Put on new tires. DOT made them put on date codes for a reason. It's your wife and your life. Here come the single master cylinder, ancient bias ply, no front brake comments.
I'd be cautious.... How are you planing to use the car? around town driving is far different than pounding the highway at 70+ and carries a different level of risk. That doesn't mean I'd run old tires on the highway, but I might if I was using the car as grocery getter as long as there are no cracks..... Even though they're still pliable are there any cracks between the tread or on the sidewalls???? If so, I'd be careful. A restoration guy out there somewhere would love to have 'em on his parade car..... I have a set of 6:00X16 Sears WWW's that are in great shape, tread-wise, but cracked in between the tread.... They're free to anyone who wants to come pick 'em up.
The DOT date thing applies to new production, and I'd bet thet the material science nowadays is so good that they can get a tire to fail in 6 years. Older tires were made of more durable stuff. BUT, I'd probably do like is sugjested here, too. If you have a zip code cruiser, leave them on. If you are gonna drive the interstates, replace them and sell to a parking lot cruiser.
NEW TIRES,you better hope your wife doesn"t find out you are even considering putting her out there on 50 year old tires.
NOS tires are fine on a show car, particularly with new tubes. I've aired up old tubes with dryrotted old tires to tow stuff and run hundreds of miles and the only one that blew on me was one I thought was kind of suspect but used anyways, let it sit for three years inflated, then moved the car again and bam! it popped. I wouldn't bomb down the highway at 70+ regularly with them, but once a month or so over the summer I wouldn't worry about.
Tires built at that time weren't all that good to start with........can't imagine they got better with age.............. Just remember, a few decades ago EVERY garage and service station had a tire machine, patching tools, 'plugs' and "boots" and they were used often......daily in fact. Genrerally, "they don't make em' like they used to" is GOOD thing! Ray
I toss tires when they're 10 years old, no matter what how much tread life remains. It's just not worth the inconvenience of a flat (best case) or causing an accident, smashing up your car or somebody elses car and maybe killing someone (worst case).
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