RE: [Chrysler300] Blue Streaks, and then there were Blue Streaks--and there are still Blue Streaks

["Rich Barber" <c300@xxxxxxx>]

Wayne:

You are so right.  The currently available Goodyear Blue Streaks are similar
to the ones that came on Chrysler 300's, only in name, shape and ability to
travel safely at high speeds.  None of the current Blue Streaks approach 29"
OD and the new 8.00 x 15 requires a 10" wide rim.  The new 5.50 x 15 is
closer in size, but 2.5" less OD.

Just as the current Chrysler 300's have only a passing similarity to those
of the '50's and '60's, current Goodyear Blue Streaks are a whole 'nuther
story from the originals.

I don't know what year Firestone brought out their 4-ply nylon Firestone 500
tires, but I recall having a set in about 1956 and there is a 1956 ad for
them on eBay at this time.  They were very strong tires and we never saw one
that failed or blew out at the service station where I worked.  They sure
had flat spots on cold mornings, though.  Perhaps Kiekhaefer switched to
street Firestone 500's, but Firestone was top dog in racing tires then and
probably was able to furnish Carl great shoes for those 9.5" wide rims.

And I see elsewhere that an Asian company is now manufacturing tires under
the "Blue Streak" label-- inexpensive BSW radials.  See:
http://www.treadepot.com/tires/blue.html

Perhaps someone will come up with the old Goodyear 8.00 x 15 Blue Streak
molds and resume production.

C-300'ly,
Rich Barber
Brentwood, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Wayne Graefen
Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 6:06 AM
To: Intl 300
Subject: [Chrysler300] Blue Streaks, and then there were Blue Streaks

There were Goodyear Blue Streaks and then there were Goodyear Blue Streaks.
Here is what I'm saying.  

The standard original equipment manufacturer's tires for our Chrysler 300
Letter Cars were wide whitewall Goodyear Blue Streaks.  They were a premium
tire that was the probably the best passenger car tire available from
Goodyear.  But the name is obviously contradictory to the wide whitewall we
are looking at.

In about late 1954, as near as I can find reference for, Goodyear introduced
the original Blue Streak.  The sidewall of these tires had a painted-on (not
vulcanized rubber) blue sidewall approximately 3/8" wide.  It was placed at
about the highest point of the sidewall bulge.  Besides the Blue Streak name
on the tire, was also the name "Stock Car Special".  My understanding is
these were the first tires from a manufacturer originally intended for stock
car racing.  And I believe they were the dominant stock car tire up until
about 1962.  Now the actual blue line was somewhat thinly painted on and it
didn't remain visible long when racing.  If you visit some of the stock car
museums however, you will very likely see a set or two or three of these
tires on the museum's early cars.  

The prior best stock car tires had been the six ply blackwall types
sometimes employed by daily drivers carrying heavy loads or trailering or
driving rough rocky roads.  A primo example of these could be found on the
Adam '53 New Yorker Pan Am Special which had Goodyear 6 plys that must have
been specially chosen as they were heat-embossed with "Road Race Tire" and
inflation specs.  Adam has 4 of his original tires still on the car.  Not
surprisingly the rear pair are bald!

Not to slight Firestone or perhaps other manufacturers, I'm sure they had
competitive tires to Goodyear's offerings.  Kiekhaefer changed from Goodyear
to Firestone during the '56 race year.  But I don't know specifically the
model name of the Firestone, or other, tires.

Now here is the surprise:  the original blue-line Blue Streak Stock Car
Special tires underwent a mold change and became Sports Car Specials and
were employed as OEM on the Shelby Cobras.  Shelby sizes for restoration
and, if desired, for vintage racing, are still available.  And depending on
the racer, race type, and venue, other sizes of the Blue Streak Sports Car
Special are STILL being raced.

http://www.bobwoodmantires.com/goodyear/gyvintage.htm   The "G-12" is still
the original tread and sidewall design and construction!   I know this
because my 300F Special was delivered to Andy Drumm Jr. from Hermann &
Wilson Chrysler in Reno, NV, new with a set of 5 blue line Blue Streaks on
the car according to Andy's grand son who went with grampa to drive the car
back home to Fallon.  And I got three of the tires with the car when I
bought it and kept one which is still on display in the trunk.  I am
supposing that the tires were installed at the dealership, not at Chrysler.

So my understanding would be that the whitewall Goodyear Blue Streak tires
originally on our 300s were a high performance street tire that for
marketing purposes was using the line name of the actual bluewall racing
tire.

Wayne




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