Where to get these tires?

[knightprowl]

Hi,

I have a picture I got from a topic on HazzardNet. It shows the tires LEE 3 has. The tire says summit in big letters on the sidewall. Yet they have the same or very similar tread pattern as the bf goodrich radial t/a and has six tread lines instead of four. Yet these tires don't appear to be P245 and up as six tread lines start there on bf goodrich radial t/a tires as far as I know.

So I was wondering if anyone has any idea where to get those tires as on the picture and if you can figure out what size tires they are or at least an estimated guess. I know the general lee used many different sizes and types of tires on the show but P235/70-R14 is the most used according to Wikipedia. And these tires don't look to be that big.

So if anyone can give an estimate on the tire size and where to get these tires from then please let me know. Jim Shine said they used summit radial tires in the Georgia era episodes for LEE 1, LEE 2 and LEE 3 and maybe others. And this picture confirms it. But I cannot find this exact tire or anything close to it anywhere. I am not sure if they even still make them as this was 30+ years ago.

But I still need to know if there available and what size they are. The only tire I have seen that has the same or similar six tread lines and tread pattern is the bf goodrich radial t/a tires that are P245 and up. And since those tires don't look to be that big and are summit and not bf goodrich then I don't know what to do on this. So please let me know if you can as this will help me out a lot with my LEE 1 information list.

Thank you and Peace.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz19/HossC_2010/ShelbyWheel0104.jpg

[Dino]

Is anyone still making 14" car tires?

Summit tires is still around, give them a call.

[knightprowl]

Not sure But I believe so because my car had them. Its not a mopar but its got 14x7 tires. And I know summit tires is still around but I don't think they make that type of tire anymore. But I can ask them and see what they say. Might have to have them custom made but hopefully they still make that type of tire. I will ask them and let everyone know in a reply.

Thank you and Peace.

[knightprowl]

Well there is no contact information for summit tires. There website only lists distributes so I have no idea how to contact them. Sadly I fear I will have to just go with bf goodrich radial t/a tires. Which isn't an issue for me but it isn't correct for LEE 1. Though they do have the right tread pattern if only I can find the ones with six tread lines and not just four.

So if you or anyone else knows what size starts using the six tread lines and not the normal four then let me know. Sadly I don't think I can get them with that many in a size below P245 but that's just way to wide. But since I don't think I can then I might have to settle with the four tread lines and not six. But will see.

Thank you and Peace.

[TUFCAT]

Those do not appear to be radials. Bias belted.

[knightprowl]

Okay thanks for the information. Now I just need to find out what type of tire it is and the size. Any help on that?

Thank you and Peace.

[Daytona R/T SE]

Any old car tire search should start here:

http://www.cokertire.com/   

[knightprowl]

Summit isn't on that website but thanks for the link none the less. And Jim Shine said that it was summit radials which where bias ply. So yes it was radials but where bias ply.

Thank you and Peace

[Mike DC]

         


Bias-ply tires belong on fairground restos.  Even many of those guys have a radial set for most of the time and a bias-ply set just for shows.  And you'll notice that old-repro tire companies even offer radial versions with the sidewalls painted up to look like bias-plys.  

After living on radials for years, going to bias-plys is a big step down in terms of tire wear, predictability at the edge, puncture/blowout resistance . . . just all-around safety.  For street purposes there is zero upside to them.


Just something to consider.    

 

[Indygenerallee]

http://www.summittire.us/    I can guarantee they probably don't even make a 14" inch tire anymore, It's getting difficult finding 15" tires anymore.

[TUFCAT]

From that picture the tire looks to be about a 225/70/14.  There's a possibility it could be 235/70/14 but no bigger than that.  Bias belted tires like that in a 14 inch size haven't been sold for 30 years....until the newer Goodyear and Firestone reproductions came out

[knightprowl]

Yes it is hard to find those sizes but there still being made and probably will be for many years to come. And yes they do make 14 inch tires. If you click on some of them they have 14, 15 and 16 inch tires listed and probably even bigger.

So they do still make that size. And I agree that is an old way of making tires. Materials do not matter to me as long as the tires I get are as close of a match as I can get to what LEE 3 had. Be it bf goodrich radial t/a tires or summit or another.

But I will probably go with bf goodrich radial t/a tires since they are used the most on the general lee throughout the series and movies. Plus its a great radial tire if not the best. But thanks for the information guys.

Thank you and Peace.

[knightprowl]

Thanks for the size update. I had a feeling it would be smaller. So thanks for the information.

Thank you and Peace.

[TUFCAT]

After looking at the photo again, it's definitely not 235. i'm sticking with 225/70 or possibly even 215/70 but that seems smallish for a b-body.

[Dino]

I had 215's on my car.  Looks about right but looks are deceiving.  I'll see if I can find a pic from that angle to compare.

[charge69]

I don't know if you can get them in a 14" size but, these tires pictured on the front of my Charger are 225x70-15 B F Goodrich Radial T/A. They are about an inch taller than the stock bias-ply tires that were delivered on it when new. Obviously, they are 4-row tires also.

[Dino]

This is about the best I can come up with.  Firestone 215/70R14

[knightprowl]

So which one do you think it is. 215 or 225. Just let me know. Here is the picture again to go by even though its in the first post.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz19/HossC_2010/ShelbyWheel0104.jpg

Thank you and Peace.

[6bblgt]

Tire design (& technology) has changed tons since the GENERAL first aired.  BFGs of that vintage had a very similar look to the pictured "SUMMIT" & any 14" 70 series tire is going to look small on a 2nd generation Charger (F70-14s *215/70/14* were STANDARD on a '70 HEMI Charger R/T), but that WAS the norm.  I'll agree on the 215-225 guesses above.

While I usually take pics of wheels & tires, this is the best I can find of a 442 I purchased that had 3 SUMMITs on it 245/60/14 front & 275/60/14 rear.  I don't recall if they were radials or not.

[knightprowl]

Thanks for the information. I just need to know which size the tire in the picture I posted is. Is it 215 or is it 225 or is there even a way to tell for sure since there so close. Either way I want to know which one it is most likely it or looks the closest.

I am leaning towards 225 for the tire I posted the picture of but 215 might be right. Either way its not 235 and up we have figured that much out. So 215 or 225. Which one is it. Let me know your opinion and the one it seems to be most like in your opinions is the one I will go with.

Thank you and Peace.

[troy.70R/T]

 have some old slotted mags with old tires on them.  will look and see, but I think they are 15 inch diameter rims

[Dino]

So which one do you think it is. 215 or 225. Just let me know. Here is the picture again to go by even though its in the first post.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz19/HossC_2010/ShelbyWheel0104.jpg

Thank you and Peace.

I had 225's on my 68 and they look different.  The one on the GL looks more like what I had on my 69 so 215 is my guess.

[XS29L9Bxxxxxx]

Summit isn't on that website but thanks for the link none the less. And Jim Shine said that it was summit radials which where bias ply. So yes it was radials but where bias ply.

Thank you and Peace

...there are radial tires and then there are bias ply tires. Not one in the same. Tires in pic look to be bias ply tires.

I bought 14" tires for my Charger, which were made by BFG. They are 225 width, I think. Or was that 215  It's been some time since I looked 

[TUFCAT]

I had 225's on my 68 and they look different.  The one on the GL looks more like what I had on my 69 so 215 is my guess.

After seeing Dino's post, I'm agreeing with his guess on the 215/70 size.    Those bias belted tires of the era tend to look smaller than same sized radials (especially at this angle) because they don't bulge at the sidewall near the shoulder as much.  The tread width does appear to be the same.  

[HPP]

Well, consider this, just laying a ruler on the picture above, the tread width is equal to the radius of the rim. That means its a 7" tread. That would be a hair shy if a 180mm tread width. Since a lot of radials are measured by sidewall width, add an inch to accomodate the sidewall bulge for an 8" width and that leaves you with 205mm tire. The difference between 205 and 215 is on .375 of an inch. Split that .375 between the two sides of the tire and it is only .1875 wider per side, or, IMO, not enough for anyone short of machinists, to actually notice a difference.