Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Indy 500
May 28, 2011
Around here, there's no better way to celebrate the Indianapolis 500 than to show off some of our tires, built specifically for vintage Indy cars. In fact, we're up here in Indy right now, showing off our Marmon Wasp replica, along with our Firestone Indy tire selection, which are all built from either original Firestone molds or new molds built from the original drawings. We'll post up some pictures from the event later, but for now, check out a finished photo of the Marmon Wasp, and our line of Firestone Indy tires in the spirit of the 100th anniversary of the Indy 500!
[caption id="attachment_1522" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Group shot of the Honest Charley Garage crew with the finished Marmon Wasp!"]
[/caption]
The tires on the Marmon Wasp are the first of four Firestone Indy styles, available from Coker Tire. These tires are sized at 34 x 4-1/2, which means they fit a 25-inch wheel. These tires feature a straight side mounting configuration, and a simple three-rib tread design, which perfectly matches the racing tires of yesteryear. These were the tires that rolled beneath the infamous Marmon Wasp when Ray Harroun wheeled it to the victory in the inaugural Indy 500 in 1911.
[caption id="attachment_1523" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Firestone 34x4-1/2 Straight Side Indy"]
[/caption]
Next is the Firestone 600-20, which is designed for Indy cars built during the 1930's. The 20-inch wheel diameter was in effect for several years, so these tires fit a variety of open-wheel race cars. We recently put a set on our '37 Shafer 8 race car and they are the perfect touch to finish off a restored racer. These tires are as authentic as you can get!
[caption id="attachment_1524" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Firestone-HighSpeed-600-20"]
[/caption]
Moving to the 1950's, Indy cars began developing greatly, as racers pushed the limits of chassis, engine and tire technology. In the mid-50's Firestone developed a new Indy tire with a peculiar design, which features a half-tread contact patch. This tire was a staple in Indy car racing, and was sized at 7.60-16 for the front and 8.00-18 for the rear. The era in which these half-tread tires were used is commonly known as the Glory Days of Indy car racing. Firestone moved to different sizing in 1963, discontinuing this famous design. However, they are available from Coker Tire!!!
[caption id="attachment_1525" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Firestone-Indy-760-16"]
[/caption]
The reason behind discontinuing the half-tread tire involved a widespread change in wheel diameter. The '50s and early '60s cars had 16-inch wheels up front and 18-inch wheels out back, but 15-inch wheels on all four corners became the norm. Wider wheels were produced, mostly by Halibrand Engineering, which needed a tire with a wide footprint. Then came the Firestone 9.20-15 and 12.00-15. These staggered sizes allowed for a much wider patch out back, and gave Indy cars a whole new feel, compared to the tall and skinny tires used in previous years. These tires were used on open-wheel Indy cars, as well as LeMans cars of the era. These tires are BRAND NEW here at Coker, and it is a limited production run, so check 'em out!
[caption id="attachment_1526" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Firestone-Indy-920and1200-15"]
[/caption]
[/caption]
The tires on the Marmon Wasp are the first of four Firestone Indy styles, available from Coker Tire. These tires are sized at 34 x 4-1/2, which means they fit a 25-inch wheel. These tires feature a straight side mounting configuration, and a simple three-rib tread design, which perfectly matches the racing tires of yesteryear. These were the tires that rolled beneath the infamous Marmon Wasp when Ray Harroun wheeled it to the victory in the inaugural Indy 500 in 1911.
[caption id="attachment_1523" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Firestone 34x4-1/2 Straight Side Indy"][/caption]
Next is the Firestone 600-20, which is designed for Indy cars built during the 1930's. The 20-inch wheel diameter was in effect for several years, so these tires fit a variety of open-wheel race cars. We recently put a set on our '37 Shafer 8 race car and they are the perfect touch to finish off a restored racer. These tires are as authentic as you can get!
[caption id="attachment_1524" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Firestone-HighSpeed-600-20"][/caption]
Moving to the 1950's, Indy cars began developing greatly, as racers pushed the limits of chassis, engine and tire technology. In the mid-50's Firestone developed a new Indy tire with a peculiar design, which features a half-tread contact patch. This tire was a staple in Indy car racing, and was sized at 7.60-16 for the front and 8.00-18 for the rear. The era in which these half-tread tires were used is commonly known as the Glory Days of Indy car racing. Firestone moved to different sizing in 1963, discontinuing this famous design. However, they are available from Coker Tire!!!
[caption id="attachment_1525" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Firestone-Indy-760-16"][/caption]
The reason behind discontinuing the half-tread tire involved a widespread change in wheel diameter. The '50s and early '60s cars had 16-inch wheels up front and 18-inch wheels out back, but 15-inch wheels on all four corners became the norm. Wider wheels were produced, mostly by Halibrand Engineering, which needed a tire with a wide footprint. Then came the Firestone 9.20-15 and 12.00-15. These staggered sizes allowed for a much wider patch out back, and gave Indy cars a whole new feel, compared to the tall and skinny tires used in previous years. These tires were used on open-wheel Indy cars, as well as LeMans cars of the era. These tires are BRAND NEW here at Coker, and it is a limited production run, so check 'em out!
[caption id="attachment_1526" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Firestone-Indy-920and1200-15"][/caption]