RADIAL TIRES ON BIAS PLY WHEELS                                              submitted by Frank Moro  written by Tom Brownell in Old Cars Weekly (1/22/04) [Here’s a Q&A article that appeared in the January 22 issue of Old Cars Weekly.  The subject of radial tires used on bias ply wheels is most interesting.  I know many old car owners have switched to radials with satisfactory results.  I have considered radials for improved road control and stability.  However, now I’m not so sure.  -  Frank Moro] Q.  Lee Oliver’s problem with his 1966 Plymouth Fury throwing hubcaps is much more serious than rim flex and lost hubcaps.  Try losing your life with this problem!  Rims for bias ply tires, radial ply tires, even disc brake rims are made out of different alloys.  Rims for bias ply tires cannot use radials, and bias and simple radial ply rims cannot be used for disc brakes.  The forces exerted by bias vs. radial ply tires (as well as disc brakes) are different and need rims made for them.  In Mr. Oliver’s case, he is using radial tires on bias ply rims.  The rims over flex as they are unable to handle the forces of the radial tires.  This over flexing also means metal fatigue, breakage (most commonly rim bead edge separation), and deadly accidents.  Many will disagree, touting their successful usage of radial tires on bias ply rims, but as a fatal accident investigator, the first place I looked in any older car accident was at the rims.  Mr. Oliver is advised to immediately change the rims on his Fury.  He should do this even if he returns to bias ply tires.  By his own description, the rims are already seriously fatigued and severely weakened by this over flexing, and rim separation is next.  One can tell bias, radial, and disc brake rims by their markings, which is an easier way for Mr. Oliver to make sure his new rims come from a car for which radial tires were standard equipment.  Sam Egan, La Mesa, CA A.  Thank you for the warning about running radial tires on rims designed for bias ply tires.  A number of readers responded to Lee Oliver’s wheel flex and lost hubcap problem, several mentioning the need to change rims. Dave Wilcox writes, “When you install a radial tire on an old rim and the footprint of the tire is wider or equal to the rim bead, the twisting of the sidewalls puts undue stress on the lighter and original rim.  We put radial tires on our 1956 Ford and had the same problem.  We cured the problem when we switched to 1966 Ford rims, which are one inch wider and eight to nine pounds heavier, which makes them stronger than the old rims.” Paul Haase of Waterloo, IA, also advises replacing the rims.  Then if the wheel discs still slip they can be held in place with a bead of silicone.  Mr. Haase invites Mr. Oliver to join a Mopar or Plymouth Fury club for helpful technical information, such as locating the proper rims for his 1966 Fury.  He recommends the Plymouth Barracuda Owners Club, 4825 Indian Trail Rd., Northampton, PA 18067, which covers 1964-74 Plymouths.  The rims on Chuck Holmes’ Willys cracked after he installed radial tires, clear evidence of metal fatigue.  Unfortunately, Mr. Holmes is using one of the cracked rims as a spare  -  not a good idea. Sanford Danziger recommends locating a set of alloy rims, which would obviate the hubcap problem.  To hold the wheel covers in place, assuming movement is still a problem with the correct rims, Dan Reed says he secured the wheel covers for his 1956 Cadillac with a strap that was secured by one of the lug nuts.  He found this idea on a 1958 Oldsmobile.  The strap has to be long enough to allow access to the lug nuts.  It won’t prevent the wheel cover from coming off, but will keep it from being lost. Marilyn Robinson says she ended the flying wheel covers on her Plymouth Valiants by switching to hubcaps. Terry Wallace of Pensacola, FL, brushed some of the grit coating used on surf– and skate-boards onto the rim area that the wheel covers contact.  The covers still wanted to walk on the rim, so he added a further bead of silicone and has had no further problem. Bob Brooks of Suffield, CT, coated the wheel rim contact area on his 1952 Mercury with rubber cement and hasn’t thrown a wheel cover since.  To hold the full disc wheel covers on his 1989 Thunderbird, Lou Frueh of Wickliffe, KY, drilled a hole in the wheel cover 180 degrees from the valve stem, then drilled and tapped a hole in the wheel as near the rim as possible, and bolted on the wheel covers.  He disguised the bolt to look loke another valve stem. Robert Wittren of San Leandro, CA, finds that the wheel covers on his 1970 Duster with radial tires begin to squeak when the paint on the rim wears through.  His rims are black and he keeps the wear spots touched up with Rustoleum. Thomas Murray, also of San Leandro, finds that a strip of masking tape around the rim holds the wheel covers in place on his two Kaisers. Bob Lewis of Susanville, CA, keeps the full disc wheel covers from moving on his 1950 Ford Club Coupe with a bead of silicone adhesive sealant. Gerald White of Altoona, FL, observes that the brake drum will keep the center of the wheel from flexing, but not the rim, leading us back to Mr. Egan’s warning about the danger of wheel failure unless the rims are replaced by stronger ones designed for use with radial tires.

CARS!  HOBBY, MEMORIES AND RELAXATION                                                                by Lin Borecki Whether you have purchased a classic or antique car because it was one “just like the one we had when we learned to drive”, or “your first car”, or perhaps it was the car you were driving when you met your spouse, most of us can recall the memories associated with the cars we own.   But does the hobby of cars have to be only for men?  Absolutely not! Since I met Dan back in 1968, we have shared an interest in cars.  Back then, on Saturdays, he would work on the engine of his 1962 Impala convertible and I would clean the interior in preparation for our Saturday night date (usually spent at the drive-in theater).  Years passed, and several vehicles later, our interest turned to camping for a while but it was in a truck camper not a tent.  Every now and then Dan would mention he would like to find another car to replace the convertible.  I even started looking in magazines and newspapers.  Finally, we found the car we now own (not in the shape it is in now).  It even ran out of gas while we were driving it home.  How were we going to restore this “pile of rust and bucket of bolts”?  I remember thinking we must be crazy to try this project. I remember looking through junkyards and climbing through piles of old cars to find parts we might be able to use to restore our newly purchased old car, always getting yelled at to “get down off there before you get hurt”.   Hemming’s Motor News became a common sight in our house. Instead of cleaning for our Saturday date, we would spend the weekends cleaning used parts and preparing them to put back on the car.  At times, I would get more dirty and greasy than Dan.  (He always gave me the dirtiest parts to clean!)  After 14 years and several broken fingernails, not to mention hours of heated discussion, the car was ready for its first journey.  We spent many hours just driving around with the top down, proud of our new pride and joy.  As with anything, it just wasn’t right.  After a couple of years, it was time to redo the wrongs that were bothering us.  With Phase 2 completed, we were once again displaying our cherished automobile. We have met so many nice people since the acquisition of this car.  The stories of how people found their cars, how they restored them, the cruises and car clubs have allowed us the pleasure to spend many hours with people of all walks of life.  Besides all the people we have met and places we have been, the car hobby has given Dan and me the opportunity to spend quality time together and taught us to work together and enjoy life.

3rd CVR/WHS CAR SHOW                  by Anita Mips Friday, May 14, dawned cloudy, overcast, but no rain.  This is a prerequisite for any outdoor car show.  A number of years ago, CVR wanted to find a way to extend the car hobby to the next generation and the idea of bringing our cars to high schools was initiated. Due to renovations at the high school, we missed a few years, but were again asked back this year.  They really took our idea to heart and formed the Windsor High School Auto Club.  During this hiatus, a seminar class project grew into the Beta Seminar Component that requires students in this project do something that benefits the community.  The Windsor High School Auto Club was formed with co-presidents Ryan Susca and Brandon Lyons.  They restored a Wheel Horse tractor and ran the show, which featured vintage cars from CVR.  Chuck Arrasate, an automotives teacher at Windsor High School, deserves much credit for showing our hobby to the next generation.  One WHS ‘vehicle’ was pushed onto the field because it is next year’s project car.  It is from this show that the restoration of this vehicle will begin.  The condition of this vehicle also explains why many buy a car already restored! Parents of student members of the club brought their cars.  Friends of club members also contributed cars.  If you couldn’t make this show, you missed great coffee, muffins and scones that were provided as we arrived and then delicious wraps and warm, freshly baked cookies for lunch.

There was a wide selection of cars from CVR including Lloyd Cliff’s 1919 Ford Model T (the oldest car at the show), a 1931 Model A Ford driven by Bill Hick (our granddaughter liked the rumble seat!), Lou Griffing’s 1940 Mercury convertible, followed by Ed Mips’ 1955 Thunderbird, the 1962 Chevrolet Impala Convertible of President Dan Borecki, Joey Phillips’ well received 1965 GTO, Roland Corbeil’s 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible (although he did start out with his 1964 Studebaker Avanti), and a 1969 Cadillac Eldorado that I drove to the meet. Many other cars were there including a 2004 Bentley, a 1968 Shelby Mustang, and the Mayor of Windsor’s 1972 Pontiac Convertible.  Students had a wide variety of muscle cars, 4 x 4’s, and motorcycles.  The count was 68 vehicles at the peak of the show.  The sun came out too!

MY OPINION                                by Keith Korbut I was talking the other day with some friends about the antique automobile hobby when the subject came up of our hobby being threatened by young men and women with imports.  These are the cars with the low stance and loud exhaust.  It seems as though that was what my parents said when I put headers and glass pack mufflers on my home built hotrod and raised the front end with a straight axle.  It’s funny how the cycle of life continues but our memories dwindle. We have a precious resource in the current young people who have little direction and fall prey to bad mentors.  We need to invite sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and even the boy down the street to attend a car show, meet or invite them to help you change the oil.  You can teach them to fabricate a part or help with the heavy work.  I know it gets harder and harder to get up from under my cars every day.  Our hobby of antique auto restoration is destined to suffer from lack of interest if we don’t act now to save it.  You don’t need to look far to see our membership declining and few young members joining our region.  So, do your part to preserve our hobby and invite a young person to a show or meet.  It feels good. Side note:  I’ll never forget Wally Midura telling me once that he could remember when a Model A Ford was not allowed in the antique car clubs.  It was considered a modern car even in the 1940’s.  For kids, a 70’s car is considered old. Thanks for hearing my opinion.

DRIVING IN THE RAIN          submitted by Frank Moro A 36 year-old female had an accident several weeks ago and totaled her car. A resident of Kilgore, TX, she was traveling between Gladewater and Kilgore.  It was raining, though not excessively, when her car suddenly began to hydroplane and literally flew through the air. She was not seriously injured, but very stunned at the sudden occurrence! When she explained to the highway patrolman what had happened, he told her something that every driver should know  -  NEVER DRIVE IN THE RAIN WITH YOUR CRUISE CONTROL ON.  She had thought she was being cautious by setting the cruise control and maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain.  But the highway patrolman told her that, if the cruise control is on and your car begins to hydroplane (when your tires loose contact with the pavement), your car will accelerate to a higher rate of speed and you take off like an airplane.  She told the patrolman that was exactly what had occurred. We all know you have little control over a car when it begins to hydroplane.  You are at the mercy of the Good Lord.  The highway patrolman estimated her car was actually traveling through the air at 10 to 15 miles per hour faster than the speed set on the cruise control. The patrolman said this warning should be listed on the driver’s seat sun-visor along with the airbag warning “NEVER USE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET OR ICY.

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