10 replies to this topic

[Ted Bier]

<script> window.post_1498051262091_7 = function(win,msg){ win.postMessage(msg,"*"); }</script> Hi !

I know it's a Classic car , but I don't recognize this body ?

Is it a different Thingie ?

HELP!

Thanks, Ted

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[Tex]

my brain says "Garvic" but I really don't know for sure.....

[MattD]

Viper

[Maximo]

Matt is correct. The Classic Industries VIPER!

 

 

-maximo

[Jairus]

See the little bright specks in the tread of that tire?

I bought a set of front tires in the original package a while back.  Both tires had the tread filled with little metallic pellets like that.  Took 15 minutes with a tooth brush and water to clean them out. 
Every Classic industries front tire I have ever seen has them and I wonder how they fit into the production process...?

[mike1972chev]

My FAVORITE of my CLASSIC collection. I think the Vipers are the coolest of them all.

[Mike Patterson]

See the little bright specks in the tread of that tire?

I bought a set of front tires in the original package a while back.  Both tires had the tread filled with little metallic pellets like that.

I have a set of Classic Asp front wheels and tires, bought BITD, and they have those little pellets, too.

 

And yep, that's a Classic Viper, with non-OEM rear wheels and tires.

[Superbird]

The little balls in the tread were intended to help retain the shape of the tire during shipping, storage, etc. They didn't want the deep tread to collapse or deform when sitting on a shelf or squished up in some way. (That is my guess.) It seems to have worked because the batches I have are not deformed after all these years. 

 

If anybody has a better explanation I'll be interested in hearing it.

 

Your example is sporting a pretty set of silicone rear tires. The Viper came with foam tires unlike earlier Classic Industries models. Classic transitioned from hard rubber tires to foam on some models (like the Manta Ray) but the 26D Viper came with foam. The foam tires offered great traction but on a short, light car like this they may have offered to much grip. The driver may have decided to go with a more forgiving (slipping) tire or it may be that the owner wanted to run on a no-goop track.

[jokar124]

I believe the little balls in the tire tread are polishing media used to tumble-polish the aluminum wheels. Classic must have put the tires on the rims first before dropping them into the tumbler!

[TSR]

"If anybody has a better explanation I'll be interested in hearing it."

From the mouth of Classic's production manager, the late Ilmars Kersels: the little pellets were there to reduce mechanical grip of the front tires, effectively causing less drag and providing theoretical greater speed. In fact it says so on some of the Classic literature.

[Samiam]

Can you imagine his response if he was told to just get rid of the front wheels altogether?