Olympic tyres

[Allan]

When the Olympic Tyre and Rubber Company decided to cease production of their legendary beaded edge tyres in the early 1970's, they advised old car enthusiasts so they could lay in some supplies for later. I traded som labour for this set of beauties.

Over time they shrink, having no wire in the beads. My local tyre shop used their machine to roll one side on a rim, but there was no way they could then insert the tube. I picked it up and left it aside for some hot weather. With the temperature in the high 90'S, I levered it off quite easily. The fired bead was almost an inch bigger in diameter than the non fitted side.

Normally, I stretch old tyres by fitting them over flat 13" car tyres and then inflating them to stretch the BE tyre. I have 3 of the others fitted over 3 different sized wheel/tyre combinations to stretch them in stages. This one has gone a different route, which has been a game changer.

Here it is, easily fitted over a collapsed 23" Chev split rim, and then expanded even bigger than 23", there being a 1/2" gap in the rim ends. Today's temperature is expected to be over 100, so I will try fitting it up this afternoon.

Wish me luck. Only 4 more to go.

[Steve Jelf]

Good luck.
My fling with 30-year-old NOS NZ white Firestones was short and very disappointing.

[YellowTRacer]

Time, patience, muscle and the right tire irons is all that's needed. Guaranteed!

Ed aka #4

[Allan]

Agree almost entirely Ed, except for the muscle bit. Trying to force old tyres onto rims after they have shrunk can lead to broken beads. Don't ask how I know this! This is why I go to lengths to stretch them back to size before trying to fit them
I was fouled by the weather yesterday. The estimated 104 max was only in the 80s, so i will be patient some more and wait till the next hot spell. Heat sure does make a difference to their pliability.

Allan from down under.

[Scott_Conger]

Alan

from my hemispherically biased viewpoint, the idea of 104 in January is just plain wrong!

[OilyBill]

Scott, you are forgetting that Allan is upside down, so you need to invert the numbers to read them correctly. So it would be 40.1 degrees F in the upper hemisphere. Not even freezing in Minnesota!

Of course, you also have to factor in that the earth is spinning the other direction down there, and then they have Wallabies as well, so there ARE some differences you have to consider!

The good news for Allan, is that those tires, if they DO get a leak, will go flat on the TOP instead of the BOTTOM, thus letting them drive home with no inconvenience whatsoever! I was going to order MY tires from Australia, for just that reason!

[TWrenn]

Alan

from my hemispherically biased viewpoint, the idea of 104 in January is just plain wrong!

Yep and now with El Niño coming we may see 104 around here come August or even early Sept. Summer 2024 may very well be extremely hot and dry as it ramps up by then. Only time will tell of course but "he" always comes through hot and dry it seems in the great lakes region and South towards Louisiana anyway.

[mbowen]

Allan, send some of that heat over to New Zealand. We plan to be there in about a week for two weeks, and it looks like were going to see highs of only 65-75 F (18-24 C).

[Allan]

Miles, it would be easier for you to come here, but you would have far greater distances to travel if you went touring. Enjoy the cooler days and the Kiwi hospitality.
Allan.

[Allan]

Success! I got the first one mounted today. It was a warm day rather than a hot one, but it was enough to allow me to get the first tyre on a rim. A second one is now on the split rim spreader. I can jack them out until there is a one inch gap at the rim join. That makes it easier when levering them onto rims. Tube goes in the tyre. Rim liner on the rim. Valve stem and both beads clamped in the rim. Both beads levered on at the same time. i Managed it on my own.
4 more to go!
Allan from down under.