<VV> P185/80R13 tire Wal-Mart /importance of Dual Circuit Brake Kit & Seat Belts

[Tamias Metis]

Wal-Mart carries an excellent tire that Goodyear produces for them.  It is the Douglas Xtra-Trac.   UTQG:360   Traction A   Temperature B          The following was copied by a friend from a Walmart/Goodyear Tire Manual sometime during 2005.     P185/80R13    Vendor Stock # 356-666-744  ,  UPC Code 7 41317 06542  ,  Rim Width 4.5 to 6.0 inches,   Section Width  7.25 inches  ,   Overall Diameter  24.65 inches  ,  Tread Depth  9/32   ,  Maximum Load  1301       Product Description: Newly-designed mold shape improves durability by reducing heat build-up,   Two steel belts stabilize tread for good handling and grip,   Polyester radial cord body adds strength,    Isolated tread elements, full-slotting and blading provide superior all-season traction,   This P185/80R13  is a whitewall but can be mounted with whitewall inside (blackwall facing out) should you prefer.   Goodyear Toll Free Service 1-800-997-8890,   this was also printed on the data page.  Please bear in mind that
 this is from the vendor's tire book to the retailer(Goodyear-vendor , Wal-Mart being the retailer)  and not the basic info found in the tire isle for the consumer.  My friend was given a copy by a Wal-Mart manager since his Plumbing Company's fleet of vans and pickups get most of their tires there.     I have had a set of these tires on a '66 for over a year.  I am happy with them -  they are good basic tires,   (relatively inexpensive, but there may be others that may be better and/or less expensive  ,  I do not know----Those that autocross Vairs are generally the go to people for the definitive answer on the newest and best tire sources for Corvairs)      I own a bunch of automobiles  which are all driven  (all set up to be driven daily should I choose to)  but  Diane and I are guilty of usually taking our newer, stuff with all the creature comforts for the daily traffic grind but she's insanely unpredictable choosing the '66 Convertible or the 73 450sl equipped with a
 blue oval 250cid inline six and c4   no matter what the weather is like.  She chooses her ride for the day based on what matches her outfit and mood,  I think.   She only cares that all the vehicles must be ready to go at all times, relatively clean  with at least 1/4 of a tank, oh yes,  all must have CD stereo and Ice Cold A/C (except the Corvairs which have no air).  My wife loves cars and driving them but other than choosing paint colors and coordinating the interior and choosing materials/carpet--she prefers to open the checkbook or have me figure it out and do it.   I must mention a couple of things that  are  really helpful  if you and your family members drive old vehicles  no matter what the make:   Install a dual circuit brake master cylinder  for added safety  (Corvair Underground , also Clarks, have affordable kits with detailed instructions , other vendors carry them also)   Nowhere can you get value for the dollar than this improvement, as it could save your
 life or that of your wife or teenaged kids.  AMC innovation which Rolls Royce and Cadillac immediately adopted for '62  ---US Govmnt mandated this for all '67 model cars sold in the US.   Do it for your Corvairs and old cars of other makes.  Seriously,  this should be done before spending money to accessorize your ride with new wheels, new paint, new stereo, etc. !    If you remember nothing of this posting other than this:  REMEMBER THIS,   YOU CAN DEAL WITH A CAR THAT CAN'T START  BUT YOU CAN NOT DEAL WITH A CAR THAT CAN'T STOP !    Using the E-brake or down shifting may not do enough to avoid a serious crash.    I also recommend installing seat belts and wearing them at all times in all your vehicles.   Like many of you of a certain age, I did not consider wearing seat belts important for many years,  only after several friends and colleagues were killed in traffic accidents from 1972 to 1985.  I  falsely believed that you'd be trapped in perhaps a flaming wreck,
 ignoring that impact and ejection are thousands of times more likely to cause fatal injury.   From about 1965 when I first recall seeing many cars with belts until the late '70's, I never wore them.  True, those early separate shoulder belts were almost impossible to adjust properly which is why most were never removed from the storage clips at the headliner.  Had a '74 Beetle  with modern type retractible belts that required that the belt be latched before the ignition would start,  I had the VW dealer bypass this and eliminate the buzzer.  Since March 2, 1985 , I have always worn my seatbelt--only after another good friend was killed earlier that day in a low speed traffic accident  while not wearing a seat belt.  Less than one year later,  I was driving  a Mazda  and was hit by a drug induced young corporate sales rep driving the rental car back to the airport.   Had I and my passenger as well as the  young man in the rental car not been wearing seat belts---Probably
 none of us would have survived.  The cocaine impaired sales rep suffered a broken foot, later a DWI conviction, but lost neither his life or his job.  My passenger and I were shaken up but unhurt other than I had a bruise in the shape of the shoulder belt for several days.   Live life to the fullest not to the 'foolish' .   Make certain that the brake system is in good working order on all your drivers, this is most important on with just a single circuit.  Now that many states have eliminated safety inspections, some cars are on the road without working brake lights etc  -- watch out for the other guy---have a good safe drive today and many more in the future. Even Ralph would approve of that.  Mr wrinkled suit - his legacy will be that he certainly impacted automotive safety for the better  whether or not the vehicles he campaigned against were the worst offenders back in the day.  My neighbor suggested that GM should have designated a late model , the RN,  instead of
 Monza and RN Gt ,  instead of Corsa since the late model has its great independent rear suspension largely in response to the that famous early sixties group,  Ralphie and The Swingaxles ,  who were always outta control....               Tamias  Metis   


       
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