firestone
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February 16, 201860 years. A milestone that brings us back to our humble beginnings, as a simple tire and service center. Harold Coker had high expectations for his business back in 1958, but he couldve never imagined it growing into the worlds largest supplier of tires and wheels for collector vehicles. Although Harold passed away in 2014, his influence is still a major motivator at Coker Tire Company, and its our goal to carry on his legacy. In 1974 Harolds son, Corky Coker, joined the family business and its his vision and dedication that took it to the next level. With trusted employees by his side, Corky traveled the world acquiring original molds to discontinued classic tires in order to bring them back in limited supply. Corkys passion inspired new product developments,
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February 15, 2018Coker Tire is proud to announce a new size in its immense Firestone product line. The new Firestone 721 series LR78-15 whitewall tire is a perfect fit for 1970's full size classics, such as Lincoln Continental, Cadillac Eldorado and more! The new Firestone tire features alpha numeric sizing, which was the predecessor to today's P-metric sizing. The new size offers period correct branding and sidewall markings with the Firestone 721 series identification, and a 3/4-inch whitewall. The LR78-15 sizing offer OE and optional fitment for many full size American cars, including Buick Estate, Cadillac DeVille, Chrysler New Yorker, Ford LTD and more from 1971 to 1979. This product is a specialty item that fills a small void in the huge automotive aftermarket. Items like this are a labor of love for Coker Tire, as the mold development, research, testing and manufacturing
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November 09, 2017The SEMA Show is an annual spectacle of all things automotive, as the world's top auto manufacturers (both OEM and aftermarket) overtake the Las Vegas Convention Center for a week. And while the SEMA Show features hundreds of cars, trucks and other performance vehicles, it added another level of excellence by starting the SEMA Battle of the Builders. This competition is available for any display vehicle as the SEMA Show, and all participants are narrowed down to the Top 40, then the Top 12 by a selection of judges. Then, the Top 12 builders vote among themselves to determine the Top 3. The winner of the SEMA Battle of the Builders is crowned during the SEMA Ignited event on Friday evening, after the show closes. The SEMA Ignited event is open to the public, allowing car enthusiasts of all ages to check out the awesome vehicles. This year, the SEMA Battle of the Builders event came down to three awesome hot rods, all of which roll on Coker Tire products. Continue reading to check them out!
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August 21, 2017Okay, so it's not really science. Big and little tires are your preference and it's a method of customization that hot rodders have been using for decades. It originated from racing, as most forms of racers (dirt track, Indy and drag racing) would fit racecars with smaller front tires and wheels and larger rear tires and wheels. The smaller fronts reduced rolling resistance and weight, while the larger rear tires provided more traction and a modification to the final drive ratio. The look translated well to street-driven hot rods, and it is a timeless design that is still be utilized to this day. Hot rodders have experimented with various combinations, and continue to do so, while holding a measuring tape and their trusty Coker Tire catalog for reference. Whether you choose the traditional look of bias ply tires, or the upgraded handling of a
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August 09, 2017It was another great year at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. We always go into this show, knowing that it kicks off our busy late summer and fall season, and what a great way to do it! The Kentucky Exposition Center is HUGE and it offers plenty of room for more than 10,000 hot rods, classic trucks and muscle cars to invade the property, and it also provides plenty of space for companies to display their latest and greatest products inside the vendor building. We had our new Firestone Wide Oval Radial tire on display, along with all of our regular favorites for the street rod market. And since we had so much room in our booth, we included a couple of killer hot rods. One is a light green 1932 Ford roadster, built by Johnson's Hot Rod Shop in Gadsden, Alabama and the other is a Washington Blue 1932 Ford roadster, built by Adams Hot Rod Shop in Calhoun, Georgia. These southern hot rods have distinct styling similarities and differences, but drew a lot of attention over
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December 22, 2016McKee Foods is best known for its Little Debbie snack cakes, and it's truly a pleasure to share real estate here in the Tennessee Valley with such an excellent company. They are located just up the road from us in Collegedale, Tennessee, and we recently struck a deal with them to display a very special car in our museum. It is a 1928 Whippet 6, a low-priced sedan that was manufactured by Willys-Overland for only a few years. Although it is quite rare to see a Whippet these days, they were not all that desirable in comparison to the Ford Model A of the same era. McKee Foods founder, O.D. McKee bought a 1928 Whippet sedan in 1931 to serve as a delivery vehicle for his bakery. He removed the rear seat and sold 5-cent snack cakes out of the back of the sedan. Fast forward nearly 30 years and McKee Foods is approaching its major turning point, when O.D. McKee's son, Ellsworth, created the "family pack" of Little Debbie snack cakes. As the company continued to succeed and grow, O.D. wanted to
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November 21, 2016Giveaway cars are always cool, and we love being a part of these promotional builds. The National Street Rod Association (NSRA) offers a giveaway car every year, and 2017's NSRA Giveaway car is a very cool 1933 Ford three window coupe, built by Reisinger Custom Rebuilding. These guys are no stranger to building awesome hot rods, and this is actually the second NSRA Giveaway car that they've built. This one is a top notch build, with a LONG list of parts provided by the best automotive aftermarket companies around. The '33 Ford coupe rolls on a set of Firestone Dirt Track tires, and has a killer hot rod stance. The car is powered by a hopped up small block Chevy, features a beautiful PPG Vibrance color, and a hand-crafted interior that offers a warm welcome to one lucky winner. The car will be given away on Saturday, August 6, 2017 at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. Ty Hauer
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November 05, 2016With about 40 miles of walking under our belts, we started the final day of the 2016 SEMA Show with a trip to the upper level of the South Hall to meet with our friends at Omix-ADA. We'll do a full post on their awesome collection of Jeeps...for now, we're going to do a quick recap of favorites rides of the day, and then jump right into the SEMA Cruise and of course, the SEMA Ignited event. This is the third year of SEMA Ignited, and it just keeps getting better and better. The event is held across the street from the Las Vegas Convention Center, and wow...what a show! The SEMA Cruise offered an awesome parade, which resulted in one of the coolest car shows you could ever see. Hot rods, muscle cars, crazy imports, off road vehicles, and more swarmed the SEMA Ignited event, as we enjoyed the nitro dragster "cacklefest", wild action on the drifting course, and plenty of action in the show area. Take a look at our highlights from the final day of the SEMA Show, and keep checking back to see
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November 03, 2016The Chevelle SS has always been a desireable muscle car, dating back to its debut in 1964. The car represented mid-size coupes and sedans, available for regular transportation, or big time fun, depending on the engine and power train options. By 1966, Chevrolet offered a big block version of the Chevelle SS, and then changed the body style a few more times before landing on the iconic design that ran from 1970 to 1972. As with any drastic body style change, the new for 1970 look was in the works long before the cars hit the streets. We happened to run across a very nicely restored pre-production 1970 Chevelle SS, owned by David Harter while making our way around the 2016 SEMA Show. The car had signage to reveal its special features, but it wasn't until we spoke with David that we truly understood how many
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November 03, 2016SEMA 2016 Highlights are in high demand and we are cranking them out as quickly as possible. We're blowing up our Facebook page and YouTube Channel, so keep an eye on those and then, of course, you can keep checking out our blog page to see the updates, car features and highlights from the biggest automotive trade show on earth. SEMA 2016 is in full swing, as the crowds continue to fill the aisles and we continue to reach out to our industry friends, distributors, media partners and more to spread awareness about our company and our new products. We explored the South Hall this morning, and then checked out some of the cool creations in the Silver Lot just outside of the Central Hall. Check out our SEMA 2016 Highlights from day three and enjoy the ride!
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November 03, 2016The SEMA Show is full of highly customized, highly polished and highly publicized cars and trucks. But when you find a unrestored Ford Model A on the property, it stands out! The guys and gals at Hagerty Insurance started a cool program last year called the "Swap to Street Challenge", which involves Hagerty employees finding and building a car on the grounds at the massive AACA Fall Meet in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Last year, it was a very cool '46 Ford pickup and this year, they tackled the challenge with a Ford Model A. They started with a 1930 Model A chassis, and found a 1931 Murray-bodied slant window Model A sedan body to go with it. From there, they sourced a Flathead four-cylinder engine, and all of the parts to piece this car together. Davin Reckow and Matt Lewis were key players in the build, and they decided to
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November 03, 2016Tri-Five Chevys are super hot right now, and we were so excited to see the Tri-Five Nationals pop up a couple years ago in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Our buddy, Chris Sondles from Woody's Hot Rodz is responsible for organizing the Tri-Five Nationals, and he has a great crew to help him knock it out of the park every year. One of the biggest attractions for the Tri-Five Nationals (aside from the 2,000-plus Tri-Fives) is the Give-Away car. Last year, it was a very cool '55 Chevy, which we featured here on the Coker Tire blog. Then, for 2016, it was a high tech '56 Chevy. For 2017, we're proud to announce that Woody's Hot Rodz built an incredible 1957 Chevy gasser. This thing is nuts! The car is built using a brand new steel body from Woody's and a new gasser chassis from No Limit. It has a legit fiberglass front end from a '60s
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November 03, 2016Our walking shoes are getting wore in now that we're finished with Wednesday at SEMA 2016. We continue finding cool cars and trucks sporting our tires and wheels, but we started the day by attending the SEMA Prayer Breakfast, where Chattanooga, Tennessee residents, Jim and Amy Jo Osborn spoke to a great crowd of automotive industry professionals. It was an action packed day of fun and we found ourselves drooling over hundreds (no, wait, thousands) of beautifully built hot rods, crazy trucks, and everything in between. Of course, we had our eyes glued to the tires beneath this custom creations, and we're here to show you some of our favorite rides equipped with Coker Tire products. At the end of the day, we attended the ETTN reception, the International Happy Hour (where we received three Global Media Awards) and the HRIA reception. It was a busy evening, but it's all part of the greatest automotive trade show on the planet. Check out our highlights from today's action and keep checking
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November 02, 2016The SEMA Show is the largest automotive spectacle in the world, and we're so happy to be a part of SEMA 2016. It's the 50th anniversary of the show, and it's also the 50th anniversary of the Firestone Wide Oval tire. We celebrated the awesome anniversary by introducing our brand new Firestone Wide Oval Radial tire. The day kicked off at the New Products Breakfast, where we placed 2nd in the New Products Display in the Tires and Related Category. We were up against the big dogs, and our new Firestone Wide Oval radial stood tall in a room full of winners. Shortly after the New Products Breakfast, we had a Press Conference regarding the new tire, showcasing it front and center in our indoor booth. Muscle car expert, Steve Magnante hosted the event, while our President, Wade Kawasaki and CEO, Corky Coker spoke about the new tire and how it is a game changer for the muscle car market. We also installed a
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November 01, 2016The Firestone Wide Oval Radial tire is something we've been dreaming about for years. We're muscle car guys and we're tire guys, so we've always wanted to mix authentic looks with the ride, safety and tread life of a modern radial. Coker Tire is proud to announce the brand new Firestone Wide Oval Radial, a product that uses Firestone heritage and radial construction to create the ultimate muscle car tire! These tires are now available and shipping from our Chattanooga, Tennessee and City of Industry, California locations, as well as our worldwide distributors. This is an exciting new product for us and we think you'll agree that it's time to put a new set of Firestone Wide Oval Radials on your muscle car! Along with the new product launch, we're also celebrating 50 years of the Firestone Wide Oval. As the muscle car era exploded in the mid-to-late '60s, the horsepower levels went sky high and that meant the
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September 30, 2016Hot rods are an exercise in personal preference--there isn't a rule book, or a penalty for "getting it wrong". However, there are iconic hot rods that provide plenty of guidance, and most of them have one thing in common--Firestone tires. The brand is legendary, and it's often remembered as the tire of choice for Indy racing, NASCAR racing, dirt track racing and drag racing. There is little doubt that Firestone tires offer the right amount of vintage style for a traditional hot rod. We offer a great example of the Firestone affect with a 1932 Ford three-window coupe that stopped by our Chattanooga, Tennessee facility this week. The owners had recently bought the car, and their very first modification involved swapping tires and wheels to something more traditional. Although it took a bit of measuring and studying to determine the right size, we whipped up a killer combination with Firestone tires and
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May 16, 2016The Goodguys Nashville Nationals is gaining a lot of notoriety in the hot rod and custom world. It's in a central location, and it's hard to beat Nashville, Tennessee as a host city--tons of cool stuff to see, and there is plenty of room at Nissan Stadium. We jumped at the chance to get an inside look at the event, even though we were not set up as a vendor. Coker Tire sponsors the "Best Wide Whites" award, and we've been involved with Goodguys as sponsors for many years, so it's always good to see the event first hand and see how many folks are using our products. We certainly got our answer, regarding the amount of Coker Tire users, and we're going to share a small sampling of them here. There were high end show cars wearing our tires, including the winner of the Goodguys Hot Rod of the Year award. [products] By the way, the association changed its Hot Rod of the Year competition to the Goodguys
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February 01, 2016AMBR--it's one of those special type of acronyms that hot rodders know and love. It stands for America's Most Beautiful Roadster. It's an award given out at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California, and it's only given to one car per year. The workmanship and talent displayed in the contenders is always impressive and this year was no different--and you can stay tuned for more updates on the AMBR contenders later this week. For now, we want to announce the AMBR 2016 winner, Darryl and Terri Hollenbeck's 1932 Ford roadster. This car was built by Dan Webb, Cory Taulbert and Darryl himself, with final assembly by Bill Ganahl, South City Rod and Custom, and Jack Stratton. Bodywork and paint is by Darryl Hollenbeck's Vintage Color Studio, while the upholstery is stitched by Sid Chavers. A truly traditional hot rod, the roadster has the perfect stance, which is accompanied by none other than Firestone Deluxe Champion bias ply tires. The fronts are
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January 22, 2016We're not sure about you, but we often day dream about what tire and wheel combinations would look cool on our cars. Having an extra set of tires and wheels on hand isn't always practical, but it sure makes for an easy attitude adjustment for your hot rod or muscle car. We proved it with the "Malibeater", a 1967 Chevelle Malibu project car, which has been featured in various tech articles in Muscle Car Review magazine. Arvid Svensen brought the car down to Tennessee for the tire and wheel swap, and photographed the combinations for an article in the magazine. All three combinations offer cool looks for the car, but there was a pretty clear winner in terms of style and performance after we had driven the car with all three configurations. Just to add another cool element to this tire and wheel swap, we decided that our least favorite combination would be subject to a tire-smoking burnout. [products]
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December 04, 2015The Ford Model A sure does make for a good traditional hot rod, and it was hard to miss Colby Martin's recently-finished highboy sitting just outside the Central Hall at SEMA 2015. He was set up in the SAN (SEMA Action Network) booth, and had folks eyeballing his super slick creation all week long. The car is traditionally styled, with a beautiful color combination, a killer Chevy W-motor (a 348 with three deuces to be exact), and of course, Firestone Deluxe Champion blackwall tires from Coker! He mounted 600-16 tires up front, and 750-16 tires out back for the perfect rubber rake, in combination with the Ford Wide Five wheels. The chopped top is spot on and the car sits just right on '32 Ford frame rails. The beautifully finished hot rod is proof that SEMA guys are car guys, too! This has been a long term project, and Colby was certainly proud to debut it at the biggest automotive trade show in the world! Check it out!
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November 26, 2015The SEMA Show is a sea of glitz and glamour, from high end sports cars to outrageous custom builds, but sometimes it takes a little rust and patina to stand out in the crowd. That's the approach that Bryan Dagel took with the Rat Rod Magazine "Tour Rat" build. Every year, Rat Rod Magazine hosts a long distance tour, and Bryan builds a new car each year. This year, the plan was to go with a traditional hot rod look, instead of the wacky, over-the-top rat rods that you may remember. We love it--the '35 Chevy sedan body has just the right amount of patina and the stance is spot on! Power comes from a small block Chevy, and Bryan put it to good use, driving the car all the way to the SEMA Show from Minnesota. And then he drove it back, even after a tire-melting burnout at the SEMA Ignited event!
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November 20, 2015A few months ago, we were introduced to Matt Harris, a motorcycle builder from Alcoa, Tennessee. His shop, 40Cal Customs builds custom motorcycles, and often uses Coker Tire products when the rubber meets the road. Leading up to SEMA 2015, Matt clued us in on a cool project that he worked out with Red Kap. The Nashville, Tennessee-based clothing company makes products that are a popular choice for automotive work uniforms, and decided to ramp up its SEMA presence at this year's show. With this increased effort, Red Kap had an awesome booth in the North Hall, and included a live motorcycle build by Matt Harris. We followed along with the progress on this Harley Davidson Shovelhead, from a bare hardtail frame and forks on Monday to a complete, running motorcycle on Friday. We love the nostalgia drag racing look, with narrow tanks, a super cool tire and wheel combination. Keep reading to learn more about the tires wheels on the Red Kap Rocket, and see more photos of this epic SEMA build.
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October 09, 2015As you know, we love it when vintage American iron is on the road, instead of sitting in the garage. When we peeked out the window and saw two vintage motorcycles sitting in the parking lot, we had to go investigate. As it turns out, Steve Burris and Bruce Mason stopped at Coker Tire for our daily tour, to check out Corky's collection of cars, motorcycles and memorabilia. They were quite a ways from home, but they had a little more traveling to do before reaching their destination of Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama for the annual Barber Vintage Festival. This vintage motorcycle show and race has become a huge attraction for motorcycle enthusiasts, including these two dudes from Ohio. We're glad they stopped by Coker Tire on their way to Barber, and we enjoyed eyeballing their '48 Harley Davidson Panhead and '37 Indian, which rolls on Coker Diamond Tread 400.18 motorcycle tires. We wish them safe travels on the rest of their trip, and hope they can join us again in the future. If you haven't checked out our daily tours, feel free to drop by Monday through Thursday at 10am and 1pm Eastern time, and Friday at 10am and 2pm to check out our place. Keep reading for more pictures of these awesome vintage motorcycles! [products]
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August 18, 2015While there was an abundance of nicely restored Tri-Five Chevys at the inaugural Tri-Five Nationals in Bowling Green, Kentucky, there were hundreds of modified cars. Some were slammed customs and some were sky-high gassers, while others had cool nostalgia vibes with '60s style modifications. We enjoyed the diversity of the show, and the fact that LOTS of cars were rolling on Coker Tire products. We picked out 15 customs and gassers to showcase here, so keep scrolling and check them out...also keep us in mind for your Tri-Five Chevy tire and wheel needs!
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August 17, 2015Last year, we heard about the Tri-Five Nationals, and instantly wanted to be a part of the inaugural event. It helps matters that it is organized and promoted by our buddy Chris Sondles from Woody's Hot Rodz, which is a shop that specializes in Tri-Five Chevy builds and sells many of our products. As the plans for the event developed, Coker Tire stepped up as one of the leading sponsors, and presented the "Celebration of 60 Years of the 1955 Chevy", a special section with original 1955 Chevrolets of many models and configurations. As we rolled into historic Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, it didn't take long to see that the Tri-Five Nationals was destined to be HUGE. And that's exactly what it was--the official car count was 1,858 registered entrants, all ranging from 1955 to 1957 Chevys, including a few pickup trucks and Corvettes from the famous Tri-Five years. Tens of thousands of spectators took part in the event, which had drag racing, autocross racing, a massive show-n-shine area, a swap meet and a packed vendor area.
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August 11, 2015And when we say NEW sizes, we actually mean OLD sizes that hot rodders have been asking about for years! Back in the '60s, '70s and '80s, it was very popular to use Firestone Dirt Track tires on the rear of a highboy hot rod, and 11.00-16 sizing was quite common. Very famous hot rods rolled on these massive 11.00-16 or similar Dirt Trackers, including the Limefire roadster, the Eastwood & Barakat Sedan, Jake's Coupe (think Pete & Jake's) and many more. Firestone Double Diamond Dirt Track tires were also a key ingredient for Tom Prufer's perfectly proportioned hot rods.
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August 10, 2015[caption id="attachment_6365" align="alignleft" width="720"] The classic hot rod profile of a '32 Ford three-window coupe is accentuated by a big-n-little whitewall tire combination with steelies painted to match the red accents.[/caption] The '32 Ford is an iconic hot rod platform, and boy did we see some good ones at the 2015 NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky! Folks have often said that it's tough to make a '32 Ford stand out because there are so many out there, but we picked out 11 (because we just couldn't narrow it down to 10) of our favorites. Of course, all 11 Deuces are rolling on Coker Tire products, and we'll give you some more details in each photo caption. Continue reading to see 11 awesome '32 Ford hot rods, and find out why they're cool.
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August 10, 2015We've been attending the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky for many years. A lot of things have changed during all those years, but it's still a must-go for all street rodders. This year, the event saw 10,000-plus street rods, muscle cars, gassers and more. We saw lots of Coker Tire products on the grounds, and enjoyed the variety of applications. From rough and rowdy rat rods to high end customs, we spotted a bunch of great cars wearing our products. Keep reading to take a look at some of our favorites, and also look forward to a couple more posts with special cars that caught our eye.
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July 17, 2015While we are not newcomers to the vintage motorcycle world, we are somewhat new to the custom motorcycle scene, in the sense that we have not previously offered purpose built tires for custom motorcycles. With the overwhelming popularity of our Firestone Deluxe Champion motorcycle tires, it is only fitting for us to be involved with the industry, and support great events such as the Born-Free Motorcycle Show at the Oak Canyon Ranch in Southern California. 2015 is only the seventh year for Born-Free, but it's easily one of the biggest (and certainly the fastest-growing) custom motorcycle shows in the world. Builders from many countries brought out their creations with a total of 25 build-off entries, hand selected by the show organizers. Many motorcycles, including bobbers, choppers, cafe racers, brat bikes and more, rolled on our Firestone tires, but there were also a number of bikes using our Coker motorcycle tires, and a few of our other product offerings.
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June 10, 2015Our tires go on some of the coolest hot rods on the planet and we were overwhelmed when we found out ALL FIVE of the Goodguys Hot Rod of the Year finalists are wearing our tires! The Hot Rod of the Year is a highly sought after award given by Goodguys at the Indy Nationals. This year, the field of entries was a tough one, but the judging staff narrowed it down to five deserving finalists with bad-to-the-bone traditional hot rods. The best part of the Hot Rod of the Year program is that the cars must be driven on a street cruise, and run down the drag strip to prove that it's not just a show car. The five finalists did not disappoint, so keep reading to check 'em out!
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April 14, 2015When we started the Chattanooga Cruise In back in 2011, it was a great opportunity to open our doors and show local car folks the cool stuff in and around our facilities here in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It grew quickly, and now the Chattanooga Cruise In is the largest single-day cruise in event in the Southeast. We were absolutely blown away with the turnout at our most recent event, held on April 11th, from 10am to 4pm. Car count and spectator count estimations were tough to calculate because of the massive crowd, but our estimates are 2,000 cruise in cars, and approximately 15,000 spectators throughout the day. It was overwhelming for our staff, but at the end of the day, we knew it was another record-breaking day at our cruise in. Check out some of our favorite photos from the day, and be sure to check out our full gallery of photos on Facebook.
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April 02, 2015When you're building a hot rod, rat rod, slammed custom or jacked-up gasser, you'll likely have a vision for the car's stance long before you consider it complete. You might even have the stance planned out before you ever get started. The right suspension setup certainly plays a role in a car's stance, but allow us to be the first to say that tires and wheels rank highly in the stance department. The right tire and wheel combination can make an undesirable car look cool, and the wrong tire and wheel combination can make a cool car look awkward. In the end, it's up to the owner of the car to determine the overall look, but we're throwing TEN killer cars and trucks out there to provide some inspiration.
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February 11, 2015Steve Coonan, owner and editor of The Rodder's Journal magazine is a tried and true hot rodder. His magazine is the premier publication for hot rodders, and his photography is top-notch. Every issue (it comes out quarterly) is a keeper, and every issue is packed with excellent hot rods that roll on Coker Tire products. With that said, Steve Coonan's personal car, a black '32 Ford roadster, has our tires on it. Steve is a stickler for small details, as evidenced by his photography skills, but he admits that something as simple as a tire and wheel swap can provide a whole new look for a hot rod. He proved it by swapping tires and wheels multiple times at The Rodder's Journal booth at the Grand National Roadster Show this year. We loved the idea, because we offer such a broad scope of tires and wheels. He called us up and ordered three sets of tires to go along with the tires that were already on the car. Keep reading to see all of the combinations in use on his beautiful highboy roadster!
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January 25, 2015Every year, we make our way out to the Grand National Roadster Show, held at the Pomona Fairplex in sunny Southern California. It's the place where the America's Most Beautiful Roadster is crowned, and it's also an awesome place to see hot rods, customs, gassers, low riders and more. Although there are some exceptions, nearly everything on the grounds is sitting on tires and/or wheels from Coker Tire, so it's a great place for us to take a bunch of pictures and show off some of our product. Take a look at our 40 favorite photos from the 2015 Grand National Roadster Show and also, watch our Instagram feed and Facebook page for up-to-the-minute posts from the show!
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December 10, 2014The hot rod and custom motorcycle scene is rapidly growing in Japan, and its popularity is clearly evident at the annual Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show. This is a one-day event that draws builders and spectators from many different countries. The United States is represented at the show, including a few of our folks from Coker Tire! This was our first time as a vendor at the show, and we had an awesome time among thousands of hot rodders and motorcycle builders. Our tires have a huge following in Japan, so we had plenty to talk about during the event. Our President, Wade Kawasaki and his wife Rose attended the event, and made lots of great contacts and saw lots of great machinery!
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August 01, 2014Since the NSRA Street Rod Nationals is so huge, we figured it would be best to split it up into a few recaps of our favorite cars and trucks on hand. "The Nats" has been held at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville for quite some time and it's an excellent venue for such a huge event. We walked the aisles of one portion of the car show today, and picked a few of our favorites to share with you guys. It's an awesome show, and you can look forward to more good stuff tomorrow. Be sure to watch our Instagram and Facebook feeds, as we'll be blasting photos on there as well.
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May 24, 2014
Cheater Slicks | Dragster Slicks
Cheater slicks are very popular in the traditional hot rod and nostalgia drag racing world. Cheater slicks got their name from just barely being able to cheat the DOT laws many years ago. Tire manufactures would include just enough tread to make the tires street legal, but still use a compound that would work well on the drag strip. Now, Cheater Slicks have made a huge comeback, as the nostalgia drag racing scene continues to grow. Coker Tire offers Cheater Slicks in the Firestone product line, and they are perfect for the rear of a hot rod. -
May 15, 2014Our products see many applications, some of which were unintended by our product development team. One such case is our Firestone Deluxe Champion motorcycle tires, which are intended for 1930's and 1940's Harley Davidson and Indian motorcycles. The tread pattern, sidewall and sizing options also offer a unique look for custom bikes, so these restoration-style tires have seen a boom in popularity over the past few years. We've seen them used on many choppers, bobbers, brat bikes and cafe racers, and they offer just the right amount of racing style, even though the tires were never intended for racing. A perfect application for these Firestone tires is this 1973 Honda CB350F Cafe Racer, built by Speed Deluxe in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee. Keep reading to find out more about this nicely detailed bike.
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May 14, 2014
It's a decision every car enthusiast must make when it comes time to buy new tires--bias ply or radial? The decision affects the authenticity of your vehicle and it affects the ride quality of your vehicle, but finding a happy medium has not always been an option until now. Coker Tire offers both bias ply and radial tires in its massive product selection, but it now offers a radial tire that features the pie-crust shoulder and narrow tread profile of a bias ply tire. So, what's right for your ride?
BIAS PLY TIRES
Bias Ply Tires are authentic for American cars built before 1976, but they don't offer the same handling characteristics as a modern radial. Everyone has an opinion on the upsides and downsides both bias ply and radial tires, but it all boils down to your preference. Our suggestion is to take a good look at your build style and work from there. If you're building a numbers-matching, nut-and-bolt restoration, bias ply tires are the way to go, because your goal is authenticity. Our bias ply tires are built in original molds, which have been refurbished to today's standards and utilize modern materials for a safe and correct tire. In addition to using authentic, original molds, Coker Tire also has licensing agreements to use popular brand names such as Firestone, BFGoodrich and U.S. Royal.Inside a bias ply tire, the cords are run diagonally from bead to bead, overlapping in a crisscross pattern. The bias ply tire progressed over the time it was used in auto manufacturing, but the general construction techniques stayed the same. For instance, the Firestone 6.00-16 that rolled beneath countless passenger cars in the '30s and '40s features the same basic construction as the Firestone Wide Oval tires that were used on millions of muscle cars from 1967 to 1974. Bias ply tires typically follow the ruts and breaks in the road surface, so it provides a wandering sensation if you're not accustomed to driving an old car.
RADIAL TIRES
Starting in the 1970's, many American auto manufacturers began making the switch from bias ply tires to radial tires. Today, radial tires are still in use--and while the tire technology has grown in leaps and bounds since the '70s, each tire constructed using the same basic principles. Coker Tire was the first company to introduce a wide whitewall radial tire, and did so in 1994. It changed the face of the antique tire market, and the line of nostalgia radials continues to grow. Now, Coker offers whitewalls, redlines and gold line tires in both bias ply and radial construction.
The cords on a radial tire run straight across the tire, from one bead to the other. The radial cord layout, in addition to steel belting that rides beneath the tread surface helps stabilize the sidewall and tread patch, while allowing the tire to better conform to the road's surface. While a bias ply tire follows the ruts and breaks in the road, a radial tire will skim across the top and soak up some of the transitions. This makes for a smoother ride, and allows you to release the white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel on a rough road. If you're building a car that will see thousands of miles each year, your best bet is likely a radial, as you will enjoy the smoother ride quality and longer tread life.BEST OF BOTH WORLDS--THE BIAS LOOK RADIAL
Coker Tire revolutionized the tire industry in 2013 by introducing the bias look radial--a tire that has the authentic appearance of a bias ply tire with the internal construction and handling of a radial. The product was a huge hit at the SEMA Show, where it won the Best New Product award in the Tires & Accessories Category. The new tire is under the American Classic brand, and it's available in nine sizes to fit a multitude of applications, most of which are from the late '40s, '50s and early '60s. Coker Tire offers the American Classic Bias Look Radial in whitewall and blackwall configurations. The tires are getting great feedback, and we love seeing them pop up on the show field on everything from Tri-Five Chevys and Corvettes to Ford Thunderbirds and Cadillacs.It's a decision every car enthusiast must make when it comes time to buy new tires--bias ply or radial? The decision affects the authenticity of your vehicle and it affects the ride quality of your vehicle, but finding a happy medium has not always been an option until now. Coker Tire offers both bias ply and radial tires in its massive product selection, but it now offers a radial tire that features the pie-crust shoulder and narrow tread profile of a bias ply tire. So, what's right for your ride? Keep reading to find out. -
April 28, 2014Racing a vintage car is a gamble--it's putting a priceless piece of racing history in harm's way around every corner. Parts can fail and drivers can make mistakes, so to say vintage road racing is dangerous and exciting is an understatement. We love racing, especially if it involves vintage cars, so it was no-brainer for us to be a part of the Speedfest at the Classic Motorsports Mitty. The race is held at Road Atlanta, which is just down the road from us in Braselton, Georgia.
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March 19, 2014When you think of Willys Jeep you usually think of an olive drab military vehicle. At least that's what we thought. When Corky found this worn down Jeep during the filming of Backroad Gold, we thought it would be cool to mix a bit of military influence into this civilian Jeep. How'd we do it? The tires, of course! A set of our brand new Firestone 6.00-16 NDT Military tires did the trick and gave this Jeep a cool look, to go along with the superb restoration by Honest Charley. This Jeep is a nice piece, and it could be yours...click here for more information!
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March 17, 2014
Stance is an important part of building a custom car, whether it's a hot rod, a street machine or a Pro Street build. Some enthusiasts know exactly what they want, and come to us prepared with part numbers in hand. Others may just have a few key measurements and a certain style in mind--either way, we can help figure out the right tires and wheels for your build.
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March 03, 2014In the 1950's, American auto manufacturers hit their stride with awe inspiring designs that put a stamp on what some would consider the greatest decade in automotive history. By 1955, all of the "big three" manufacturers (Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Chrysler) had redesigned the flagship models with cool, new styling that sent consumers sprinting to the dealerships across the country. For the Plymouth brand, the Belvedere was the top dog in the product line, and with miles of stainless steel trim, beautiful front and rear styling cues and a host of engine options, it's easy to see why it was so popular. We got our hands on one of these '50s classics during the filming of the Backroad Gold TV show, which airs weekly (Wednesdays at 9:30pm EST) on the Travel Channel.
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February 17, 2014With the filming of "Backroad Gold", Travel Channel's hit new TV Show, just across the street at Honest Charley, we got an inside look at some of the cars being built for the show. One such car, featured in the second episode of season one is this 1940 Willys sedan that was brought back from Corky and Greg's adventure to California. The Willys came back to Tennessee and received a full rebuild with a heavy military influence. And though Willys didn't enter the military market until World War II, this sedan has a cool look and pays tribute to all of the men and women who have served in the United States military. Keep reading to find out more about this distinct Willys.
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January 31, 2014We soaked up all of the So-cal goodness we could in the week we spent out there. Our main objectives were to attend the MPMC conference and to meet and greet at our Grand Opening party for the new West Coast facility. However, a bonus for this trip included the Grand National Roadster Show. We set up as a vendor at the show, and it's one of our favorite events of the year, so we made our way around the event to photograph all the cool stuff. Here's what we found!
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January 30, 2014While we were out in California for the Grand Opening of our new facility, we had the chance to meet a guy who is one of the best custom motorcycle builders in the world. His name is Scott "T-Bone" Jones, his shop is called Noise Cycles, and this '52 Harley Panhead is his creation. You know you want to find out more about this race-inspired custom motorcycle, so keep reading to get the full scoop.
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December 16, 2013We love hot rods with history, especially when they end up in the hands of a true hot rodder. We've seen our share of significant hot rods get the modern street rod treatment with independent suspension, modern engine and billet wheels...it's enough to make a man cry. Luckily, guys like Kevin Gill (local hot rodder from Ooltewah, TN) are interested in keeping history alive by preserving old hot rods. His newest acquisition is a 1929 Ford Model A roadster that has deep roots in the hot rod world, and even spent some time as a racecar in the '50s. The car had what many would consider the "wrong tires" on it, so he came to Coker Tire with intentions of giving his historic roadster a new attitude.
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November 20, 2013We have a great relationship with the folks from Bridgestone/Firestone. Many of our top products are licensed by Firestone, and built in the original molds, so we are constantly in contact with them on a business level. This week, we were able to invite them into our headquarters here in Chattanooga, Tennessee, while they were in town for a group meeting. We welcomed the Bridgestone/Firestone Communications team with a small reception in our museum, and gave them a ride to dinner in Corky's 1936 Yellowstone bus. It was a great time, and we're glad they took the time to visit our place!
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October 16, 2013As if the 1911 Marmon Wasp (winner of the inaugural Indianapolis 500) doesn't have a rich enough pedigree to be considered a rockstar, this sealed the deal! Our Marmon Wasp replica, built by Honest Charley Garage, was actually featured in a rock concert in Scottsdale, Arizona this week. The concert was held in conjunction with a Bridgestone/Firestone Dealer Meeting. Coker Tire was represented at the meeting, due to our involvement with Firestone tires for the vintage market, and we put our Marmon Wasp replica on display in the concert hall, where Foreigner rocked the house! How cool is that???
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August 17, 2013[caption id="attachment_3876" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Known simply as "the Quail"[/caption] After two days strolling through the dream-scape that is Monterey weekend. Corky Coker and Wade Kawasaki know two things already, wear good shoes and stay prepared to be amazed. This is the world renowned week of priceless classic vehicles, historic races and stacks of top-shelf car auctions that culminates with the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
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April 23, 2013Members from Hot Rod Magazine, Chattanooga Visitor Bureau, Family Events and Coker Tire Company were on hand in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee today to announce Chattanooga as a stop on the upcoming 2013 Hot Rod Power Tour. The massive car tour visited Chattanooga in 2010 bringing thousands of cars, people and revenue to the city. The 2010 visit made a good enough impression to get the encore opportunity in 2013. The event projects over 3,000 participants rolling onto the campus of Chattanooga State throughout the day, with the event hours scheduled from 12:00pm to 7:00pm. The Chattanooga festivities won't stop at 7:00pm, as there's an after-party planned at the headquarters of Coker Tire Company in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee
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March 08, 2013We get the opportunity to lay hands on some pretty serious cars around here, but this one is definitely in our Top 5 coolest! It's a 1930 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton and yes, it's rolling on Coker tires.....and wheels! It's a top notch car owned by our buddy Richie Clyne and he wanted us to solve a problem with his old flat-base (lock ring) wire wheels, so we did just that! The elegant Phaeton now rolls on a set of rolled edge wire wheels made by Roadster Wire Wheel, and some of our new Firestone Balloon 700-17 double whitewall tires! It's an amazing look, and we're proud to have gotten this car back on the road! Check it out!
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January 31, 2013The America's Most Beautiful Roadster award is one of the most prestigious awards in the hot rod world, and it's given away every year at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California. We were on hand for the Roadster Show, and speculated that John Mumford's 1927 Ford Track-T roadster would take home the 8-foot tall trophy, and we were right! John's roadster is top notch in every way, and it fully deserves the AMBR title. Since it wears a set of Firestone Deluxe Champion tires, we figured you might want to see more of it!
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December 21, 2012Some people might call it an addiction, but I love finding old neon signs! If you've ever visited our place here in Chattanooga, Tennessee (by the way, we have free tours Monday through Friday at 10am and 2pm) you've probably seen a few of my signs. I've bought some from the 'Pickers, and I've bought a bunch of other ones, too! In our museum, we have a nice collection of signs, but I wanted a big one, so I picked this one up! This week, my boys installed it on one of our semi-permenant trailers at the loading dock. Check it out...it's huge!
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August 06, 2012In 2010, a few fanatical antique motorcyclists made news riding their old bikes across the country in the Motorcycle Cannonball. We were lucky to have them stop overnight in Chattanooga after leaving Maggie Valley on their epic journey. Maybe they were lucky to stop here too, since as soon as the hospitality dinner was complete, one hundred classic iron horses rolled into our restoration shop for service at the SAME TIME. It really was a sight to behold.
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June 28, 2012Tuesday evening in Kanata, Ontario marked the finish of Stage Four of the 2012 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty. What a reception we received from the hometown of our own Brian Goudge aka Motormouth in Kanata/Ottowa, Ontario!When our PA system malfunctioned and could not play the Canadian National anthem, "Oh Canada" I asked if there was anyone who could lead us in singing it. Our new best friend "Page" jumped right up and led the crowd with a beautiful rendition of the Canadian favorite. Thank you again Page! There were several thousand passionate old car fans and several hundred cruise in cars on display. Kanata did it up right too with a wonderful roasted chicken meal for all the Great Racers.
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April 28, 2012Our big tour week was capped off with a visit from the Smoky Mountain Model A Club, from Knoxville, Tennessee. Their group consisted of 8 nicely restored Model A's, most of which had our Firestone or BFGoodrich bias ply tires beneath them. Coupes, roadsters and sedans made for a nice variety, and we're sure they had a great time on the drive down the road. We're glad they came by, to see what Coker is all about! Here are a few shots of their cars!
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April 20, 2012Last weekend, we had a lot going on. Coker Tire was widely represented across the country, as we had a truck and trailer at the Bakersfield, California HCCA meet, as well as a big crew at the Portland, Oregon Swap Meet. Without a doubt, we supplied lots of tires for collector vehicles, but we also had some fun too! While our sales guys were hard at work, our staff photographer went up to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee to the Spring Grand Rod Run. He came back with a bunch of cool pictures, so we just wanted to share them here. Check 'em out! [caption id="attachment_2450" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="This Model A is super cool! Love those Firestone cheater slicks on the back!"][/caption]
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January 27, 2012As car guys, we surround ourselves with like-minded folks, and we often find that the car guy bond puts everyone on the same page. From regular Joe's to celebrities, car guys are on a level playing field. Take Jay Leno for example: he's a big-time celebrity, but the moment you start talking cars, he's just one of the guys. Granted, "just one of the guys" probably doesn't have a Duesenberg in his collection, but you get the idea. Corky and Jay have been buds for quite some time, and many of Jay's precious machines roll on a set of Coker Tire, so the guys at Jay's Garage got them together and shot a very cool (and very informative) segment on tires for vintage cars. The video is a comprehensive look at Jay's Duesenberg, which received a set of our new Excelsior Stahl Sport Radial tires, which are sized appropriately for vintage cars and have the looks of an old bias ply tire. The modern performance of radial construction did wonders for Jay's ultra-rare Duesenberg,
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January 16, 2012Yep, it's that time of the year yet again....time for a new Coker Tire catalog! Our Marketing Department has been slaving away at the catalog, and there's no doubt that it's our best one yet. Graphic Designer, Aaron Wolfe worked alongside Corky and the gang to create a fresh look with all sorts of new products. The finished product is really cool, so we wanted to share it with you as a sneak peek. Check it out! [caption id="attachment_2320" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="On the cover is (Uncle) Bob Coker\'s beautifully restored 1955 Buick Motorama four door hardtop prototype! It rolls on Coker Classic bias ply whitewalls and Buick Skylark wire wheels."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_2321" align="alignleft" width="500"
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November 18, 2011If you follow our Facebook fan page, then you know we blasted the page with live photos from the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a great event and we had a blast, as always, so it's time to wrap it up and get ready for the winter season. We met lots of great folks at SEMA, some new to the industry and some old timers like us. We debuted new booth artwork for our indoor booth and a brand new full wrap on our tractor trailer rig, which was positioned outside of the convention center. With new products on display, as well as the completed Marmon Wasp and Honest Charley rat rod truck, our booth(s) were a big hit. Check it out! [caption id="attachment_2277" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Our updated SEMA indoor booth with new counter artwork, and TV\'s!"]
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September 06, 2011One of my favorite swap meets is the Iowa Chief Blackhawk Chapter of the Antique Motor Cycle Club of America which happens Labor Day weekend in Davenport Iowa. It is always hot! Was this year too! Usually I fly in but some of the guys drive up earlier in the week to set up our tire display. I really really really like antique motorcycles so I have to be at Davenport. This is about the biggest early bike show in the world. I get to see all my buddies too. Dude (my bike restorer) said he needed a saddle and a pedal crank for a "barn find" Excelsior board track racer project he is doing for me. I was successful picking those pieces up so Dude can finish that bike. Usually I see all the Excelsior stuff on the field or "it finds me!...sort of calls out to me, you know." I found my buddy Vince had just picked up a 1913 Excelsior twin barn find on the way to Davenport from his home in Auburn CA. I had to have it. What do you think? Completely original... and it still has the original all
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August 06, 2011Well, it's that time of the year again. It's August, it's hot and it's time for the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. We're on a cool little road trip this weekend, and decided to stop at the Nats for the day. As usual, the Kentucky Expo Center was packed with hot rods of all shapes and sizes, from low slung coupes to nose-high gassers. The day started with a six hour drive, and ended with about 3 more hours of driving....with lots of hot rods thrown in the midst. Tomorrow we're headed to the Funny Car Nationals at Marion County International Raceway in LaRue, Ohio...it should be a great time as over 30 funny cars do battle, along with a great deal of Nostalgia Pro Stock and Nostalgia Super Stock. We're always wanting to figure out new ways to cater to our nostalgia drag racing people, so this is a great way to do it. We'll post pictures from that event too, so stay tuned! For now, here are some of our favorite shots from Louisville. [caption id="attachment_1926" align="alignleft" width="493" caption="Our booth at the 2011 NSRA Street Rod Nationals Plus"][/caption]
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June 08, 2011In case you haven't heard, we recreated the infamous Marmon Wasp, which was the winner car at the inaugural Indianapolis 500 back in 1911. It was driven by Ray Harroun, and it was the first racecar of its kind--it had a single seat, and a rear view mirror, as opposed to other cars at the time, which had a ride-along mechanic. This lighter design, in combination with strict guidelines from the engineers at Firestone tires regarding speed and possible tire failure, gave Ray Harroun the win with an average speed of nearly 75mph. By the way, the Firestone representatives allegedly stated that speeds over 75mph would result in tire failure...
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June 02, 2011Chances are, if you've been to our headquarters sometime in the past 10 years, then you've probably seen the Shafer 8 racecar, aka The Coker Special. The ole car has been around for a while and we've driven it across the country more than 10 times, including several coast-to-coast Great Race events. The car has a Buick straight 8 engine in it, and it runs pretty darn good! It's spent a lot of time sliding around Corkyville, but it's about to go on yet another long trip. The revitalized Great Race starts next week right here in Chattanooga and ends at the Hemmings Motor News headquarters in Bennington, Vermont. The Shafer 8 will not be in competition but it'll be on the trip! We'll be riding the route in style! [caption id="attachment_1545" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Firestone Indy 600-20"][/caption]
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May 28, 2011Around 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]
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May 25, 2011With the Marmon Wasp mostly complete, we snuck it out of the shop for a few minutes and snapped some pictures of it. We're just gonna let those pictures do the talkin'... [caption id="attachment_1503" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="The Marmon Wasp, hand built by Honest Charley Garage"][/caption]
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May 23, 2011Car guys are particularly good at finding a way to surround themselves around like-minded folks, and it's been that way for years. Car shows are a great way to do it, and we're lucky to be in a region where you could easily attend a car show every weekend if you don't mind traveling 100 miles or so. And while we attend many shows with our booth setup, we also visit several shows throughout the year in a more casual manner. This past weekend, we made the drive up to LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee for the 6th annual Goodguys Nashville Nationals. [caption id="attachment_1475" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Firestone whitewalls and custom wire wheels...what a beautiful combination, built by Jason Graham Hot Rods!"][/caption]
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May 11, 2011It's official--we're in full on show season, so we have trucks and trailers, and people running the roads constantly. We have booths set up at nearly 50 events this year, so our guys are super busy with setting up for shows and making sure we have enough product to keep you guys happy! What you may not know is that while our trucks and trailers go to big events, we also hit up a few other shows just for the fun of it. For instance, we dropped in on the NSRA Street Rod Nationals South this past weekend, which is held just up the road in Knoxville, Tennessee. It was a one-day trip, but we saw plenty of Coker Tire supporters in a wide variety of vehicles, from chopped and channeled Model A's rolling on Firestone whitewalls to flawlessly restored Camaros shod with redline tires. We snapped a few pictures along the way, so take a look. We might've grabbed a shot of your car! [caption id="attachment_1337" align="alignleft" width="475" caption="BFG Silvertown Whitewall Radials tucked WAY under the fenders of this Chevy pickup!"][/caption]
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April 06, 2011Last week, we posted a couple pictures of Squindo and his gang as they made the trek to the Lonestar Round Up in Austin, Texas. Now that the event is over, these folks from the East Coast need to make the long drive back home, so we had a few more visitors stop by as they passed through. Yesterday it was "Scary" Larry Garland and his crew piloting a killer Deuce roadster and a '34 five-window. Scary Larry puts on a very cool nostalgia car show called the Jalopy Showdown, one is held May 21st at Latimore Valley Fairgrounds in York Springs, Pennsylvania, while the other is held October 1st at Beaver Springs Dragway in Beaver Springs, Pennsylvania. Check out www.jalopyshowdown.com for more information on the shows. Here's a couple of shots of their cars....
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February 17, 2011We get emails from customers all the time, telling us about their experiences with our tires. And as most of you know, we're FIRM believers in driving old cars, instead of letting them sit. Well, take a look at this email we got from Joyce Chance: Model T Ford Touring car 1916/17 from North Pole, Alaska. It was used on the Valdez to Fairbanks trail from 1917 to 1926 and around Fairbanks until 1929 when placed in storage. I got the car in 2006 when it came out of storage for the first time. It was first registered in the Territory of Alaska in 1957. I am the first to register the car in Alaska with a plate. All Coker Firestones. Here are some pictures of the car!
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January 13, 2011We always try to make each new catalog better than the previous version, and the 2011 edition is no different. We went all out on the 2011 catalog, including all new cars, and lots of cool, new imagery. It's packed full of our best sellers, as well as several new products. Also, you'll see on the cover that we're now a distributor for Rocket Racing Wheels, meaning you can order a custom wheel and tire combination from us, just like you can with our line of Specialty Wheel muscle car wheels and Roadster Wire Wheels. These catalogs are hot off the press, so pick up your copy today! Oh and don't forget to stop by our headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee or give us a call at 1-800-242-0009.
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January 07, 2011It's that time again! Every winter, the World of Wheels comes to Chattanooga, inside the Chattanooga Convention Center, which is right around the corner from our headquarters on Chestnut Street. It's an indoor car show that always draws a big crowd because of its attractions, and of course the great collection of cars being displayed! This year, our neighbors at Honest Charley Garage are showcasing a few buildups at the show, including the recently-finished 1952 MG TD owned by Wes Kliner.