Pros and Cons of Modern Tires for Your Classic Muscle Car

Every muscle car owner has to choose whether to keep the vehicle’s original tires or upgrade to modern ones. If you’re having trouble deciding, we provide a helpful list of the pros and cons of modern tires for your classic muscle cars below!

Classic vs. Modern Tires: What’s the Difference?

First, is there a significant difference between modern tires and those made decades ago? Yes! When discussing modern and classic tires, the difference is in their construction—bias ply and radial tires.

Classic Bias Ply Tires

Bias ply tires were invented at the end of the 19^th century and quickly became the default tire construction for American cars until approximately the mid-70s. But from the 30s until the 70s, practically every American automobile featured bias ply-constructed tires.

In a bias ply tire, the plies (cords) run at a 45-degree angle from bead to bead—creating a diagonal pattern. This diagonal pattern offers a rigid and narrow structure with a sharp shoulder and sidewall bulge. Anyone who’s seen a classic whitewall tire has likely noticed that they’re much skinnier than modern tires. While these tires are strong, they’re not flexible and have a smaller surface area of rubber gripping the road.

Modern Radial Tires

Radial tires first began to catch on in the 60s, and by the 70s, practically every new car in America featured the bigger tires that we’re familiar with today. Unlike a bias ply and its diagonal pattern, the plies of a radial tire run 90 degrees from bead to bead, giving it the additional radial orientation that gives the tire its name.

The radial orientation of these tires allows them to be much wider and bigger than bias ply tires and gives them more flexibility on the road, conforming to the road surface and offering better grip. Plus, because they’re much more flexible, bigger, and have a wider footprint, they’re much more durable and last longer than bias ply constructions.

Benefits of Modern Tires for Classic Muscle Cars

Now that you know the difference between a classic bias ply and a modern radial tire, what are the benefits of putting modern tires on a classic muscle car? Modern tires have a few advantages, but most concern the increased safety and utility that modern tires afford.

They’re Safer

The most significant advantage modern tires offer over classic ones is that they’re much safer. As we discussed, the modern radial tire is wider and more flexible, meaning it has a firmer grip on the road than the skinnier bias ply tires.

Modern radial tires also feature more advanced tread patterns with slits and grooves specifically designed to remove water quickly and efficiently, giving them a much better grip on wet roads. And since modern tires are more flexible and wider, they’re less likely to puncture or blow out while driving. If safety is the primary concern, there’s little debate about which tires are safer.

They Offer a Smoother Ride

Along with being a much safer ride, modern radial tires also offer a smoother and more comfortable drive. While bias ply tires may look great, their rigidity and size make them inflexible, making the tires bounce and jolt along every crack and pothole on the street.

Radial tires, however, are wider and more flexible and can skim across breaks in the road surface much more smoothly. And when it comes to driving on non-paved roads like dirt or gravel, there’s no question you’ll have a smoother ride on modern tires.

Owners Can Drive the Classic More

Since modern tires are more durable, safe, and comfortable, classic car owners can drive their vintage rides much more often. With modern tires, classic cars are much more suited for modern roads and can drive on slick streets much more safely. If you want to make your classic car more of a daily driver, switching to modern tires is an excellent way to start.

You Can Choose Historically Accurate Modern Reproductions

The main disadvantage of modern tires is that they don’t have the authentically classic look of bias ply tires. But today, classic car owners can get the best of both worlds with historically accurate modern reproductions of vintage tires.

A few tire manufacturers create modern radial tires that are adjusted to replicate the classic look of bias ply and whitewall tires. They offer all the advantages of modern tires without sacrificing the classic aesthetic—a win-win for classic car owners!

Disadvantages of Modern Tires for Classic Muscle Cars

We’ve reviewed the pros, but now it’s time to discuss the cons of putting modern tires on your classic muscle car.

Old Cars Aren’t Built for Modern Tires

The major obstacle to putting modern tires on an older car is that the suspension, wheels, and brakes are not built for the bigger tires. The extra grip of radial tires may be good for traction, but it also puts more pressure on the suspension and chassis of classic cars.

The added pressure on muscle cars can be so significant that it can cause severe damage to the suspension and wheels, even causing them to crack or fail. If you want to put modern tires on your vintage muscle car, you’ll have to upgrade the suspension and wheels. These changes have their benefits but also mean more money invested in the car and fewer original parts used.

They’re Not Authentic to the Car

The other major downside to radial tires on classic cars is that it degrades the vehicle’s authenticity. Every classic car owner knows that the closer the vehicle is to its original construction, the more valuable it’ll be for buyers and collectors.

To some, modern tires on a classic muscle car are sacrilegious and go against the idea of owning a muscle car and preserving it as close to its original form as possible. For others, it’s not a big deal. But if you ever plan on selling your muscle car or putting it on the auction block, modern tires, suspension, and wheels will likely devalue it in the eyes of collectors.

Conclusion

There are benefits and drawbacks to modern tires on older muscle cars, but the decision ultimately rests with the owner. And speaking of muscle cars, Ideal Classic Cars has a wide inventory of vehicles to consider if you’re interested in custom vintage cars for sale. Stop by our showroom in Venice, Florida, or contact our staff to ask about any of the cars in our inventory.