Tires

[Ford Blue blood]

We all know that tires that are over 5 years old should be replaced.  Well I'm here to tell ya  DO IT !!

The tires on the 36 were in perfect condition, only 11 years old.  Just got done with the spring time inspection, looked perfect.  I had put the replacing them because they were old on the roundtoit pile.  Well returning from an event today, cruising comfortably at 75 the right front decided it was time to come apart.  Got the car off the road and found a mess.

Funny thing, I was planning a time this next week to take it in for new tires, decided Tuesday would be a good day. 

Lesson, check and replace those tires!  It could have been much worse, on one of the many bridges with turns on them, or worse involved other cars.

[RICH MUISE]

Wow, glad you had no further repercussions from that! Sure makes the adrenaline flow.Is all that paint damage from the tire beating on the inside of the fender?

[Jeff Norwell]

Wow Bill.. this board is just full of feel good news..... Damn. glad your ok..... Sound and great advice... I see so many folks out there with very old tires....

[CobraJoe]

WOW! That thing came apart like it was re-cap! Lucky it wasn't a lot worse.

[fdlrc]

Finally! A good reason to do burnouts, at least I'll keep the rear tires fresh.

[Tom S]

What brand & model tire was it?

[Ford Blue blood]

They were Firestones.  The fenders are fiberglass.  When the tire came apart it beat the dickens out of it.  The glass is split over the top, I can lift up a good 10 inches of the top part of the fender.  Thought for a fleeting moment I could repair said fender and move on.  Not to be, that thing has cracks and breaks from the very front to the rear and all the mounting flanges are broken off.

Had to change up the color a little.  As hard as we tried my paint guy and I could not even come close to matching.  Had some left over paint from the 65 Bird (Emberglow) and decided to go that route.  Pulled the other three fenders, brackets and "stuff" to paint.  Have it all back together except the new fender.  Still waiting on it, should be ready today or tomorrow.

Total cost for me doing the work and parts is $1875.00.  Cost of new tires $645, easy to see those "perfect" tires can get to be pretty expensive!

By the way, Hagerty was great!  Sent them all the pertinent invoices, estimates of man hours, they paid $45/hour, and mailed the check the day after all the sorting was finished.  First claim, insurance is only as good as the settlement, well in my opinion they are the best.

[Jeff Norwell]

Glad all is coming together Bill.....Push forward!

[Ford Blue blood]

To put this adventure to bed.  Got the fender, fitted it, not even close to fitting the same as the old fender but after two days we have acceptable results with the fit.  Back off for paint and here it is now.....ready to cruise and tee off the Chevy guys (351C/FMX/MII?8")!

Should have added the first time around, 4 new tires = $645, repair parts and labor = $1875, the math is easy!

[RICH MUISE]

Looks great, Bill. I like the new color. Good to hear about Hagerty. I use them as well.

[SkylinerRon]

Seems like it is always radials that fly apart. I had one come apart on a parts car that had not moved in 2 years and it still held air. The tread just peeled off.

I have many Goodyear 4 plies and Polyglass' that are 40 years old and still work fine.

Guess they traded long life for treadwear mileage.

Ron.

[Fairlane62]

I love seeing the Ford engine in a Chevy.  I saw a 69 Chevelle a few years ago with a 460 in it.  It was fun watching the Chevy guys literally frothing at the mouth, but they think nothing about putting a chevy motor in a Ford.

[djfordmanjack]

We should do that more frequently !  I have been thinking for years now about purchasing a vintage GM, preferably a Shabby, for a winter car, of course putting in and under some blue oval motivation. It's just. I can't seem to find one I like enough (body) to justify the hack work.

[Fairlane62]

Yeah, when the Chevy guys started putting their motors in Fox Mustangs i thought that I should find an F body camaro or an S10 to put a Ford engine in.  Problem is finding one that's not rusted out. 😉

[Tom S]

Yeah, when the Chevy guys started putting their motors in Fox Mustangs ...

Man, that's just wrong. 
Put a 351W & auto trans in a friend's little Chevy Luv Truck decades ago. Ran across it years later & the kid that then owned it said that "everybody" says they put that 351 in it.