New Zealand Tires

[flatheadfan]

I looked at some Firestone tires today (6.00 x16 WW). They looked good but I noticed they were marked "Made in New Zealand." Is this something new or are these tires truly "antique?"

Tom

[Phil Gillespie]

I understand when the Firestone Factory closed down here in Christchurch New Zealand a lot of moulds etc were sold off to overseas. Its possible the tyres you have viewed have bee produced from these moulds. Or they could possibly be truely "antique". Nothing wrong with genuine made in NZ tyres.
Phil NZ

[Tudortomnz]

I think the NZ made tyres finished maybe late '80's to early '90's?
I heard the moulds went to the US [ Model A sizes] but I have seen these & they are marked US. The US 21's are actually 4.50's whereas NZ 's were 4.75, same as 19's.
Yes, they were well made here in a Firestone Factory in Christchurch.

[Bassman/NZ]

I grew up about a 1/4 mile from the Firestone factory in Papanui, Christchurch. When the wind blew the wrong way all you could smell was rubber.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

I had NZ made 600 x16 on my last V8 they cost me a hundred bucks each new. They were good quality tyres too. I heard the molds went to Sth Amercica....could be wrong.

GB

[B-O-B]

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I have a set of 650X16 on my roadster. Very nice tires & were brand new when I bought them from P O. I also got the tubes with the tires. I checked the date code on them when I bought them & seems they were only 10-12 years old. I have had them for a couple of years now & just got them mounted & installed about a year ago. Good as any if not better than any made in USA.

[Ian NZ]

I have had New Zealand whitewall Firestone tires on my 1947 coupe about 40 years and they still good.

[mercman from oz]

I fitted these Firestone Tyres that were made in New Zealand to my 1934 Ford back in 1979 and they still look like new tyres. In fact. last year I drove 500 miles in 3 days. The only problem that I have with them is with the Tubes that were also made in New Zealand. I need to continually add Air. They don't seem to retain the Air. I need to add air every 3 months, or else they go flat. I have also had to replace 3 tubes, as they seem to give problems around the Valve Stem. However, I have not had any problems with the NZ made Tyres.

[DavidG]

Coker bought many of the Firestone molds from New Zealand.

[Lawrie]

Those New Zealand made tyres lasted so well because the added ground up sheeps hooves to the mix.
My mate Fred Dagg told me.
Lawrie

[Bluebell]

Lawrie you are so FOS. We used all those hooves to make Vegemite and sold it to the Aussies.

[mercman from oz]

Coker also bought the Molds from the Olympic Tyre Company in Australia. The story that I heard after Olympic decided to cease producing tyres in Australia was that the Molds were sitting in a big heap ready to be scrapped when a local person dealing in Tyres for older cars heard about them. After making contact, he told Olympic that he wanted to buy the Molds. Before giving an answer, Olympic management then realised that they must be worth money and started making enquiries. In the end, they told the local person that they had been sold. Coker was apparently the highest bidder.
Back in the Seventies, Olympic Tyres made 6.00 x 16 Wide White Wall Tyres in Australia for export to the USA. While they list in small printing "Olympic - Made in Australia" on the side walls, in big letters on the side is the Coker brand. We Australians could not buy one of these Tyres, as they were manufactured for Export only. We could only buy the Blackwall version. So it seems that Olympic and Coker had an arrangement even before Olympic decided to stop manufacturing tyres in Australia.

[Bassman/NZ]

Vegemite tastes like sheep's hooves too. Give me Marmite any day.

[A bones]

I have a set of four on my Tudor. Twenty years, no problems.

[mercman from oz]

Make mine Vegemite thanks.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Originally Posted by mercman from oz

Make mine Vegemite thanks.

Marmite for me. Apparently that bloke from the Aussie band Men at Work, "chundered" when he was given a Vegimite sandwich.

GB

[Talkwrench]

Mmmm well I wonder what that cheesybite (vegemite&cheesemix) is made from then .. Gag !

[johnh7]

I have been to Australia three times. The first time I was 19 and on R&R from Vietnam. I tried Vegemite, but didn't swallow it. The second time I visited, I was in my mid 30's, but I never tried it. The third time I visited I was in my mid 50's and my wife wanted to try it. So we both tried it and neither of us swallowed it. It must be an acquired taste?

[mercman from oz]

Usually, the first thing that a kid gets to eat here is a slice of bread with Vegemite. The kids thrive on it. Even today, these is nothing better that a fresh Bread Roll with Butter and Vegemite. You guys don't know what you are missing out on. I heard that an Aussie Tourist cannot take a Jar of it into the USA?

[dumb person]

Originally Posted by johnh7

I have been to Australia three times. The first time I was 19 and on R&R from Vietnam. I tried Vegemite, but didn't swallow it. The second time I visited, I was in my mid 30's, but I never tried it. The third time I visited I was in my mid 50's and my wife wanted to try it. So we both tried it and neither of us swallowed it. It must be an acquired taste?

You're supposed to apply it in trace amounts for beginners. If you put it on bread as thick as auzzis do you'll burn your mouth, have to build up immunity first.