MrMopar's 1969 California Highway Patrol restoration

October 5/6, 2018

Back on the road a couple weeks later taking pretty much the same route but an hour less. We stop at the same place for lunch and again at the inspection station. At lunch I asked my friend if he had be driving over a lot of debris or gravel as I kept hearing things in my right rear wheel well. No sooner than we left the scales I started hearing it again and before I could think to pull over to check it out I hear a loud bang so to the shoulder I went. My turn for a disintegrating tire, I chose to drive the shoulder a couple miles (slow) and change it off the highway.
Same tires just a couple weeks apart, he has far more miles than I do on them. What are the odds of that.
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Oh, there was a show, it went well, saw some friends, had a great time.

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The drive home was uneventful.


Alan
 
That blow out is a reminder how hazardous police high speed pursuit duties could actually be. Thanks for sharing.
On both of these there was no loss of air or pressure.
The original tires were Goodyear's best example of a speed rated tire of the time. These tires are bias ply as well and are not speed rated as they are light truck tires, not sure what caused the failure (maybe the one sprint to 110?).


Alan
 
Thanks for the updates, I really like that last photo in the gas station, perfect back ground and time of day.
 
On both of these there was no loss of air or pressure.
The original tires were Goodyear's best example of a speed rated tire of the time. These tires are bias ply as well and are not speed rated as they are light truck tires, not sure what caused the failure (maybe the one sprint to 110?).


Alan

I saw your post on your web site about this. It just made me come to the conclusion I likely won't be using that brand of tire on my car. But I totally understand why you are.
 
I saw your post on your web site about this. It just made me come to the conclusion I likely won't be using that brand of tire on my car. But I totally understand why you are.
I will be replacing these with some current radial (before my next road trip).


Alan
 
I agree with you but at least they did not "blow out" like radials do.
I had a set of radials on my car when I bought it, and they cane apart like these tires did, only on the tread in the middle. Heard things bouncing off the wheel well, and found a hand sized patch of missing tread. Had to fill up the tire every ten or so miles, but made it home some forty plus miles. Also the day in hit and killed the first deer with the car. I ride on very old bias play tires til I get my 15" rims.
 
bias ply, they looked more correct on the car but I don't trust them now.


Alan

Those look like STA "super transport" or similar model. STA (Specialty Tire of America) makes American Classic tires as well. They're USA made and I liked them a lot initially but experienced problems of my own as well, such as severe sidewall cracking and out-of-roundness. The dealer I bought them from gave me partial credit on the first two that had warranty issues, but then told me to "bugger off" when the next two started having problems, on one year old tires. My guess is they use cheap rubber.
With blackwalls, at least you have a ton more options on brands than us whitewall folks...
 
Those look like STA "super transport" or similar model. STA (Specialty Tire of America) makes American Classic tires as well. USA made and I liked them a lot initially but experienced problems of my own as well, such as severe sidewall cracking and out-of-roundness. The dealer I bought them from gave me partial credit on the first two that had warranty issues, but then told me to F myself when the next two started having problems, on one year old tires.
With blackwalls, at least you have a ton more options on brands than us whitewall folks...
Yes they are STA, still haven't replaced them.


Alan
 
I had the car out yesterday for a Forth of July parade in Newhall (Santa Clarita), we drove down the night before and were able to park the cars at the local CHP office in their maintenance bays.
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Off to the parade.
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Better turnout than past years, this was at a point that in prior years had probably half this many people.
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Car did well idling for 30 minutes, largely downhill so pop in gear get it rolling pop in neutral and coast, repeat.

From the local TV network feed.
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I needed to stop on the way home to fix one of the Out Of Service signs so a quick picture.
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Alan
 
Sweet! Funny how the announcer gal called them "the old polara cars".

A little slice of "down home" in LA county, lol....
 
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