Looking for vinyl (or better) version of Revell Goodyear Wrangler R/T tires

[peteski]

I'm doing research and gathering parts/materials to build the Revell Billy Carter's Redneck Truck (GMC Scottsdale 10) pickup.

 

That model comes with the appropriate tires (matching the box art photo of the real truck), but the tires are molded using that hard and slippery plastic (polyethylene?) model companies used for a while.  Plus, the molding quality is terrible.  I don't know if the molds were too cool when they injected the plastic or whatever the problem was, the tires have all sorts of swirl and flow lines on the sidewalls.  Not usable. 

I did some research to find out if those tires were used on other kits and it appears that this is the case.  Among the online info I found was an excellent thread here: Revell Squarebody Pickups

While the tires of the models in that thread are not described in that much detail, the box art seems to show that several kits used the same tires:  The Ice Patrol, Big Red, Sneaky Pete, Midnight Cowboy, and Alley Rat might be using the same tires.  Can someone confirm that?  Also, are the tires in those kits molded in that nasty hard plastic, or are they soft vinyl?  Are there any other kits that I missed which had those tires in them?

Of course if someone has a spare set of those tires (hopefully molded in vinyl, or molded better than mine), I would be interested.

I'm also redrawing the decals to be correct (the kit decals aren't quite right).

[Xingu]

Did you check Fireball Modelworks? He has a lot of different tires listed

[peteski]

I did - He has newer version of those tires (different tread pattern and for larger wheels).  I wish he made the exact ones I need - I would buy them in an instant.

[Jordan White]

Depending on how accurate you wanted to be, I would suggest just using some of the tires from Fireball (such as the Mud King XTs) and getting some white letter decals that have the correct naming.

[peteski]

I did look at them and as I said, they are made for larger wheels (and the tread pattern is off).  If I could find a better version of the original Revell tires, I would be happy.  I would like to know if any of the other kits I listed have them molded in vinyl or in that hard plastic.

As for the lettering, I am making decals for that.

Edited July 20, 2018 by peteski

[1930fordpickup]

 I think all of those kits used the same molds for these tires. I am surprised that with as many of the trucks that used the tire back in the day we have not seen a good version.  Have you check any of the Jeep kits? CJ-7 had them on them around here back in the day. Maybe the were just a local favorite in Toledo though. 

[Casey]

50 minutes ago, peteski said:

That model comes with the appropriate tires (matching the box art photo of the real truck), but the tires are molded using that hard and slippery plastic (polyethylene?) model companies used for a while.  Plus, the molding quality is terrible.  I don't know if the molds were too cool when they injected the plastic or whatever the problem was, the tires have all sorts of swirl and flow lines on the sidewalls.  Not usable. 

While the tires of the models in that thread are not described in that much detail, the box art seems to show that several kits used the same tires:  The Ice Patrol, Big Red, Sneaky Pete, Midnight Cowboy, and Alley Rat might be using the same tires.  Can someone confirm that?  Also, are the tires in those kits molded in that nasty hard plastic, or are they soft vinyl?  Are there any other kits that I missed which had those tires in them?

I can confirm they are the same tires found inside the vintage 1/25 Revell Chevy Stepside and 4x4 Chevy Van kits, and they all seem to be molded in the same waxy semi-firm material.

This link might prove helpful to you: http://www.magazinepublisher.com/models/tires/tires.html

 

[vintagedragcrazy]

Wcheck with BNL resins they do a bunch of tires!

vince

[Xingu]

My Billy Carter and Midnight Cowboy trucks both have the same wheels.

[mikemodeler]

IIRC, Alan Raab at Ma's Resin had those tires, but I don't think he is still in business. I will have to check my stash tomorrow and see if I have a set.

[Oldcarfan27]

Pm me, I have those tires.

Patrick. 

[Fabrux]

The same tires are also used in the Datsun pickup kit and a couple of the Bronco kits. Some of them are a lot better and softer; seems to be lick of the draw.

[mikemodeler]

On 7/20/2018 at 9:08 PM, mikemodeler said:

IIRC, Alan Raab at Ma's Resin had those tires, but I don't think he is still in business. I will have to check my stash tomorrow and see if I have a set.

I finally got a chance to check my stash, they are Wrangler R/T's, but are the radial version and appear to be different tread pattern from those shown on the kit box.

I think the early version of this tire would sell well, they would be right at home on some Jeeps and 70's pickups.

 

[peteski]

On 7/21/2018 at 9:02 PM, kataranga said:

The same tires are also used in the Datsun pickup kit and a couple of the Bronco kits. Some of them are a lot better and softer; seems to be lick of the draw.

Sometime in the '70s model companies stopped using soft vinyl, and for few years used the nasty hard plastic which was difficult to glue as the tire material.  The tires in my kit seem to be made from the same material as those nasty 2-piece hard plastic tires in other kits.  If those tires were initially designed for the Billy Carter's pickup (and molded from the hard plastic)  I would imagine that the kits produced later (after the vinyl scare passed) would have been molded using the standard soft vinyl.  That's the reason I asked of any other kits (hopefully produced later) which used the same tires had them molded in hard or soft material.