Yea or Nay?

RL Chilton

Back when I bought the Hornet, I promised myself that when the day came that I needed to put new tires on her, I was going to go the whole route. New wide whites, powder-coated red wheels, new hubcaps. Fortunately, I was able to score an NOS set of hubcaps, which most of you know as stock '54 hubcaps. I've recently discovered that these fine lids became available in '52 as a dealer option. For the last 20 years she's worn blackwalls, black wheels and stock hubcaps. What a difference! Kind of changes the whole personality of the car!

And yes, I went back to bias plies. She used to have radials on her. I may go back later. These bias plies will probably go on the convertible (at least at the beginning) and I'll get a smaller wide white radials for the sedan. Radials ride better, bias steers better and look better. If I had my druthers, I'd probably have some for show and some for go.

Whaddaya' think? YEA OR NAY?

Before:


After:

[Deleted User]

Actually those hub caps became available in late 51. I always called them 54 hub caps for 30 plus years until I found a flyer from Hudson dated October or November 1951 Showing a 51 Hornet with them. A very strong Yea on the wide whitewalls. Hudsons were meant to have wide whitewalls regardless of the style of tire.

RL Chilton

I think so too! And thanks for the new info! I love learning a new Hudson tidbit every day. >-

Kdancy

Always like that style hubcap.

[Deleted User]

Yea, the whole car looks great

Richie

Yea on the wide whites, makes a big difference. Richie.

lostmind

Looks like a Hudson should with the wide whites.

Hudson Grandpa

See you Sat....

37 CTS

The car looks dialed in !!

mdwhit

Love those wide whites!!

PAULARGETYPE

me too i like the ww, in 34 hudsons hudson did not offer ww tires but when i bought new tires there was only 1 way to go ww's tires for me every time

Ol racer

Beautiful Hudson and I like the Wide White Walls on a Stepdown...

Nevada Hudson

Yea!

[Deleted User]

Definetly a Yea! She looks great!

Uncle Josh

I tried radials and My bias is Goodyear 4 1/4 WW Supercushions (From Lucas)

RL Chilton

i've got the exact same tire, Uncle Josh!

RonS

I have the BF Goodrich Silvertowns 4 1/4" on mine. Great tire and got long wear. Only problem... Cleaning the rear WWs, and often, as the dust collects in the skirted wells. But, it's worth it.

[Deleted User]

Just the right amount of red as to the rims....Caps look very nice also. Noticed you did balance them also. You sure don't mess around and did this in short order. Looking forward to your opinion of the ride? All you need to do know is road test them?

hudsonsplasher1

It's a Yea from me. Love the white wall's, oh, the rest of the car looks great too.

RL Chilton

It's funny what time does to you and your memory. I did road test it and a flood of memories came back to me in the process. Like so many of you, I grew up on bias plies and learned to drive on them, but the small nuances had drifted back into the far recesses of my mind.

First thing I noticed is how much easier it is to steer, especially in the driveway. Surely, I'm putting a lot less stress on front end components.

2nd thing is how much I love turning into a corner and then letting the steering wheel go and the front wheels will automatically re-center themselves. I've always loved that.

Lastly, is the jumping around on crevices and bumps in the road. I haven't forgotten this at all. The main thing is that one, you don't panic. Let the car jump around a bit and calmly correct as you go. Two, one has to remember that you have to DRIVE these cars, not "get in and steer" like you do on a more modern car. I've always preferred to drive, rather than simply steer. Keeps you on your toes.

Is the ride harsher than radials? You bet! But I don't seem to mind that . . .

Browniepetersen

I am going to be putting new tires on my 54 in the next six months. I am still considering the benefits and problems of radials vs bias tires. I do admit I like the look of your bias tires. It looks great.....

[Deleted User]

Try driving across this country, ocean to ocean, and bias tires will kill you. I use radials and get 80,000 miles on a set and still looks good when I replaced. Show and tell is OK for bias tires. Walt.

RL Chilton

Well, if I was keeping count (which I wasn't), that would be 18 Yeas and one Nay . . .

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Glowplug

Thanks for sharing the pictures and commentary.

Like many Vintage car owners, the tires are a matter of personal taste.

I am old enough to remember conversations about tires from my youth. My first real job was at a tire shop where they sold all makes and types of tires. Our boss told me to keep my ears open and mouth shut when customers came into buy tires. Careful listening pointed us to the tire type and appearance the customer was there to purchase. We sold more tires than anyone in town and I have remembered that advice all these years.

For those who are old enough to remember, Rayon versus Nylon discussion and Recap versus Good Used. The good used was where my money always got spent, could not afford new anything then.

hudsn47

I have WW Supercushions on the Pacemaker and WW Firestones on the 47 C8. Both bias and No regrets. When I got the Pacemaker it had radials and it was horrible. They radiated every bump making for a harsh ride and turning the wheel was hard putting stress on the steering gear. Agree on driving the old cars esp with bias plys vs just guiding the modern cars. I don't think texting while driving would be a problem with the old cars. I'm planning to put WW bias on the hornet eventually. So yes I'm totally on board with the bias pliys and I also struggled long and hard with the bias vs radial decision. Would add that I don't drive my cars above 60 MPH though even at that speed have had no real problems with how the bias handled.

onerare39

Russ,

It looks absolutely stunning and a bit more sinister. I love the nostalgic feeling of driving my 54 with bias ply tires, it's a bit harried at times out on the two lane rural farm roads, but fun.

hdsn49

One Word BEAUTIFUL

[Deleted User]

I gave the flyer to Aaron the club president and he put it on the computer I believe in the club library. You can find it on the Hudson library which is on the computer. At my age I don't see how far I can go or how fast I can get there anymore so I like the bias ply tires for the nostalgic feel of the car. I have run radials and my son still does on his 50 Super six. The days of driving 1100 miles, only stopping for gas and coffee, are over. Oh! the flyer I mentioned has the 51 Hornet with the full disk hubcaps. Check it out. PS the only time I had trouble loosing them is when my wife and I were dating and suddenly came to a T intersection on a gravel road and had to broad slide the Hornet to keep from going headlong into the ditch. Both hubcaps on the right side of the car flew off and sailed into a corn field. We spent a good half hour looking for them before we found them. What a date!!! To this day 50 years later she still laughs because I was more worried about finding them than her. Of course this isn't true. ---------Well it was a good thing we took the 52 that night and not the 57. We would have still been rolling. LOL