Cheap tires?

[colonelpowers]

Can anyone recommend the cheapest new 21 inch tires? I just don't have much cash to spare at the moment. My car has 60- 70 year old tires that are still holding up but I am wanting to put the miles on the old girl come spring and I definitely have concerns about getting too far from home with tires so old.

[Wayne Sheldon]

It does make a difference what old tires you have, and whether they are nylon casing or cotton cord? I have some Sears Allstate tires from the 1960s that have not been well cared for, and only have a little tread left. But I wouldn't hesitate to put them on a model T and head across the country on them! The nylon cord does NOT rot unless it is exposed to large amounts of sunlight or UV for years. The tires then were made of good materials and proper quality control. As long as the tire has not been somehow damaged (I sadly have one like that with almost full tread!), and the sunlight exposure doesn't have the rubber falling off in small pieces, Those tires are probably better and safer than anything that can be bought new today.

On the other hand! If the tires have cotton cord (and the labeling doesn't always say so?)? Cotton suffers from a type of rot that invades and literally consumes the cotton's strength from the inside out. A tire can look like new, and IF the microbe inside activates, in a couple years the casing can become so weak that it can be ripped apart by hand! I have one such tire, it looked like new, but I couldn't put it onto a clincher rim without the clincher bead breaking, no matter how careful I was. Once I decided it was beyond being usable, I did rip the sidewall nearly three inches with my bare hands!

As for what is available new these days? I haven't bought tires for any of my cars for several years, and don't really know what is available right now.
There was a place on the internet? Summit Racing I think? That used to have the best price and free shipping for 21 inch model T & A tires. I don't know if they are still around or any good anymore or not?

[Craig Leach]

Hi Joshua,
I have been running LUCAS tires on my speedster, I get them from the local Model A guy. I'm sure they have gone up but last I
purchased them they where $ 125 each for a tire & tube. Yes they are made in Vietnam. Yes they don't wear very well ( soft)
They are cheep and I think they have pretty good traction which I like on my speedster. If cheep is what you are looking for
they may be the answer.
Craig.

[Steve Jelf]

The least expensive I found via Google were these Excelsiors:
https://www.jegs.com/i/Coker+Tire/257/7 ... hEQAvD_BwE

Blockley tyres are priced higher at £149, but may be enough better to be the better deal in the long run. I intend to buy Blockleys two at a time so each shipment will be valued under the threshold for import taxes. That will also spread my purchases out over two or more paydays.

https://www.blockleytyre.com/product/440-450-x-21

I agree with your decision to get new tires. No matter how many stories I hear about people driving on tires decades old with no probems, I know that rubber deteriorates with age, and so do old tire cords. Better safe than sorry.

[Craig Leach]

Hi Joshua,
I will concur with Steve that is a good deal through Jegg's 4 tires & tubes will be $530 delivered with the promo code. The tubes
will not show up until probably March but if you are looking for tires in the spring that's hard to beat.
Craig.

[speedytinc]

The best deal I found in the past was from summit racing. Firestone I think. $99 each, free shipping & no tax charged.
Currently "coker economy" $146 each. I see jegs is currently $98 for the same tire. Great price.

[TXGOAT2]

My car came with Lucas 4.40-4.50 X 21 tires plus 2 spare casings. The front tires had about 85% tread and the rear ones about 50%. The 2 spare casings had about 50% tread. All are marked MADE IN VIETNAM. None show any cracking. I expected the coarse, loose, washboarded crushed rock on the road in and out of here to destroy them in short order, but that has not been the case. The front tires are still in excellent condition, with only normal wear evident. The rear tires have worn to the cord, after about 10,000 miles or more. I've run the left rear for several hundred miles with cord showing. I ran the right rear until cord was showing almost all the way around I drive this car on mostly rural roads, both 2 lane pavement and a good many miles on the better non-paved roads. I drive 30 to 35 MPH on good non-paved roads and 40-45 MPH on pavement. I'm impressed with the wear these tires have provided. Balance has been no issue, and I have not had a single flat. These tires have shown no tendency to flat spot overnight. I assume they are polyester cord. I've put one spare casing on the rear, and will have to put the other one on soon. I run 24 to 26 PSI cold on a '27 roadster. I would not hesitate to buy another set of these tires based on my experience with them.

[speedytinc]

My experience with these same lucas tires has been good also. My only complaint is they look low even with 30-32#. I normally run 28# in my roadster pick up when empty. They appear to have weaker/lighter sidewalls.

[TXGOAT2]

Mine look a little "cheeky" when cold, but so do many high pressure tires in period photos. I quit worrying about it due to the excellent performance I'm getting over thousands of miles. The two tires I have worn to the cord show maximum wear in the center of the tread, which does not indicate underinflation. My car is a 27 roadster with starter & generator. I carry a spare in the turtle.

[Steve Jelf]

I gambled and lost. I won't run a tire with cord showing again.

Note that cord is not showing all the way around the tire. It doesn't take much to go bang.

[John kuehn]

I’ve always wondered why 21” tires are always cheaper than 30x3 1/2 tires. I’m in my 70’s and since the 60’s and buying Model T tires the price for new 21” are always 30 to 40% cheaper. And those are the so called cheap tires. It may vary a little but they are always cheaper. Is it something about the tire molds, volume sold or ??

[Craig Leach]

It looks like the tires from Jeggs will be on back order for a while.
Craig.