Need opinion on tire flaps. Getting ready to buy some tires for my 39 and been checking prices on tires. the dealers I've checked with recommend tire flaps. Now tires are expensive and the flaps are $78.00 extra. I don't ever remember seeing them in any of my old tires. Are they necessary ? What is there value ? Are they worth the extra money ? I drive the car less than 300 miles a year. I would like to get your thoughts or opinions on this before i purchase the tires.

Flaps were never used on the drop center rims. Where are these guys coming from?
For bias ply tires I would recommend either the Firestone or Goodrich if you are getting white walls. I have the Goodrich on my '39 and they "look like they belong there" and stay nice and white. Its my 3rd set of tires and 2nd set of Goodrich for that car......and the last set.

Thanks gene: It's like everything else, trying to sell you all they can and that is why i was asking. I'm going with the firestone tire because they bring back a lot of memories. I worked for firestone tire and rubber co. in south gate California from 1963 until they closed in 1980.

Gene, could their recommendation have something/anything (pick one) to do with the quality of the inner tubes?
Charlie

Prior to WW II inne tubes were made from a h=thin natural rubber. If any tire would have required a flap or band would have been tis tube. This goes back to the days when tire pressure was checked every week.
The present synthetic rubber tubes are much thicker and go for months without loosing air.
The advantage of the Firestones is they are a little larger , almost like aan old 6.50 X 16 tire.

Then as a selling point, I wonder what they tell the buyer as to the need of the inner flaps? Seems that they would have to come up with some reason for recommending them.

P.K.: Did they give any reason for their recommendation? If Gene is puzzled by their sales talk, then I'm sure the rest of us are too.
Charlie

Nope, No reason they just recommended that i install new tubes with flaps. I planed to install new tubes anyway but the flaps kind of got me thinking. It's no big deal as people are always trying to sell everything they can. You know,whitewall cleaner,black tire cleaner, valve stem caps. Thanks to gene i just saved $ 78.00.
CHEERS

I replaced the tires, tubes and flaps on my 28 a couple of years ago. The tires were ALLSTATE SAFETY tires with red rubber tubes and some old old threadbare flaps. I worked at a Sinclair filling station back in 1952 and 1953 as a high schooler summer job. My main duties were "fixin' flats", mounting new tires and lube and change oil. I grew to appreciate the part that flaps play on the detachable rims and early wire wheel drop center rims. When I buy tubes I check the ones that I replace for tube and flaps, for flaps I have found burlap, bed sheets, mattress ticking and old overalls used for flaps, to save money. I doubt that doing a half a$$ job on your vintage Chevrolet tires, tubes and rims is either safe or smart.

Appreciate your thoughts mack.